5.9 Identify the Article

The usual form is Hei with a Patach and a Dagesh Forte in the next letter (“Hei+Patach+Dagesh”)66

  • As we’ve been saying, some unusual things can happen when the letter following the ה rejects the Dagesh Forte:
    • Virtual Doubling
      • ּ הַ becomes simply הַ (no Dagesh Forte):
      • Before SQiN eM LeVY with a Sheva
      • Before a ח or another ה (see הֶ note below)
    • Compensatory Lengthening
      • Becomes הָ (no Dagesh Forte and the Patach lengthens to Qamets):
      • Before א ע ר or הָ֫ - See example from Genesis 1:2
    • Becomes הֶ (no Dagesh Forte and a Seghol instead of a Patach) before accented or unaccented חָ, or unaccented הָ or עָ - see example from Genesis 22:2
  • The goal is not to memorize the alternate forms as much as recognize that they exist
  • “Hei+Patach+Dagesh” is the form you need to memorize

  1. By definition, the Dagesh is a Forte as it comes after a vowel that is not a Sheva.↩︎