Lesson 7

These lessons are for the language of the Babylonian Talmud, Targum Onkelos, Midrash and Aggadah and Gaonic Literature

Introduction

In Aramaic, הוּא (hu) and הִיא (hi) are primarily demonstrative/personal pronouns meaning "he/she/it." Unlike English "is," the copula is typically omitted in present tense statements. When הוּא/הִיא appears in a sentence, it often serves an emphatic or identifying function rather than simply connecting subject and predicate.

Part A (Interleaved Text with Word-by-Word Glosses)

7.1 גַּבְרָא man חַכִּים wise (Simple nominal sentence - "The man is wise")

7.2 הוּא he גַּבְרָא the man דְּאָמַר who said (Identifying function - "He is the man who said")

7.3 מַלְכָּא king תַּקִּיף powerful (Simple nominal sentence - "The king is powerful")

7.4 הוּא indeed he אֱלָהָא God רַחֲמָנָא merciful (Emphatic - "Indeed, God is merciful")

7.5 מַאן who הוּא is הָדֵין this (Question form, where הוּא is required)

7.6 עָלְמָא world רַב great (Simple nominal sentence - "The world is great")

7.7 הֵיכָא where הוּא is סִפְרָא book (Question form)

7.8 שְׁמַעְתָּא teaching קַשְׁיָא difficult (Simple nominal sentence - "The teaching is difficult")

7.9 חַמְרָא wine חַלְיָא sweet (Simple nominal sentence - "The wine is sweet")

7.10 הוּא he himself רַבָּא teacher (Emphatic - "He himself is the teacher")

7.11 בֵּיתָא house שַׁפִּיר beautiful (Simple nominal sentence - "The house is beautiful")

7.12 מַיָּא water קְרִיר cold (Simple nominal sentence - "The water is cold")

7.13 מֵיכְלָא food טַב good (Simple nominal sentence - "The food is good")

7.14 הוּא that very אוֹרְחָא road אֲרִיךְ long (Emphatic - "That very road is long")

7.15 יוֹמָא day חֲמִים hot (Simple nominal sentence - "The day is hot")

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Part B (Complete Sentences with Notes)

7.1 גַּבְרָא חַכִּים The man (is) wise (Note: Simple nominal sentence, no copula needed)

7.2 הוּא גַּבְרָא דְּאָמַר He (is) the man who said (Note: הוּא here serves as identifier)

7.3 מַלְכָּא תַּקִּיף The king (is) powerful (Note: Simple descriptive nominal sentence)

7.4 הוּא אֱלָהָא רַחֲמָנָא Indeed, God (is) merciful (Note: הוּא adds emphasis)

7.5 מַאן הוּא הָדֵין Who is this? (Note: הוּא required in questions)

7.6 עָלְמָא רַב The world (is) great (Note: Simple nominal sentence)

7.7 הֵיכָא הוּא סִפְרָא Where is the book? (Note: Question form requires הוּא)

7.8 שְׁמַעְתָּא קַשְׁיָא The teaching (is) difficult (Note: Simple nominal sentence)

7.9 חַמְרָא חַלְיָא The wine (is) sweet (Note: Simple nominal sentence)

7.10 הוּא רַבָּא He himself (is) the teacher (Note: Emphatic identification)

7.11 בֵּיתָא שַׁפִּיר The house (is) beautiful (Note: Simple nominal sentence)

7.12 מַיָּא קְרִיר The water (is) cold (Note: Simple nominal sentence)

7.13 מֵיכְלָא טַב The food (is) good (Note: Simple nominal sentence)

7.14 הוּא אוֹרְחָא אֲרִיךְ That very road (is) long (Note: Emphatic demonstrative)

7.15 יוֹמָא חֲמִים The day (is) hot (Note: Simple nominal sentence)

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Part C (Aramaic Text Only)

7.1 גַּבְרָא חַכִּים

7.2 הוּא גַּבְרָא דְּאָמַר

7.3 מַלְכָּא תַּקִּיף

7.4 הוּא אֱלָהָא רַחֲמָנָא

7.5 מַאן הוּא הָדֵין

7.6 עָלְמָא רַב

7.7 הֵיכָא הוּא סִפְרָא

7.8 שְׁמַעְתָּא קַשְׁיָא

7.9 חַמְרָא חַלְיָא

7.10 הוּא רַבָּא

7.11 בֵּיתָא שַׁפִּיר

7.12 מַיָּא קְרִיר

7.13 מֵיכְלָא טַב

7.14 הוּא אוֹרְחָא אֲרִיךְ

7.15 יוֹמָא חֲמִים

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Part D (Grammar Explanation)

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Basic Nominal Sentences: -

In Aramaic, present tense "is" statements typically omit any copula -

Structure: Subject + Predicate -

Example: גַּבְרָא חַכִּים "the man (is) wise" -

Uses of הוּא/הִיא: a. Emphatic Function: -

Adds emphasis or focus -

Often translatable as "indeed" or "truly" -

Example: הוּא אֱלָהָא רַחֲמָנָא "indeed, God is merciful"

b. Identifying Function: -

Links a pronoun with its identification -

Example: הוּא גַּבְרָא "he is the man"

c. Question Forms: -

Required in certain types of questions -

Example: מַאן הוּא "who is?" -

Example: הֵיכָא הוּא "where is?" -

Word Order: -

Basic nominal sentence: Subject precedes predicate -

With הוּא for emphasis: הוּא can appear first -

In questions: Question word + הוּא + rest of sentence -

Gender Agreement: -

Use הוּא for masculine subjects -

Use הִיא for feminine subjects -

Agreement must be maintained in all constructions

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Part E (Cultural Context)

For English speakers learning Babylonian Aramaic, understanding the use of הוּא requires grasping several cultural and contextual points: -

Talmudic Usage: -

In Talmudic discussions, הוּא often introduces an identification -

Common formula: הוּא דְּאָמַר "that is the one who said" -

Used in scholarly debates to identify speakers or sources -

Legal Contexts: -

Absence of copula in legal declarations emphasizes permanence -

Example: זְבִינָא שְׁרִיר "the sale (is) valid" -

הוּא appears in formal identifications of parties -

Religious Texts: -

Special uses when referring to God -

Often emphatic: הוּא אֱלָהָא "He indeed is God" -

Careful distinctions in theological statements -

Daily Speech: -

Simple nominal sentences most common -

Questions regularly use הוּא -

Emphasis through word order rather than הוּא

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Part F (Literary Citation)

Part F-A (Interleaved Text)

From Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 28b:

הוּא he הֲוָה was אָמַר saying לָהּ concerning it וְהִיא and she אָמְרָה was saying לֵהּ concerning it

Part F-B (Complete Text and Translation)

הוּא הֲוָה אָמַר לָהּ וְהִיא אָמְרָה לֵהּ He was saying concerning it and she was saying concerning it (Note: הוּא/הִיא here serve as emphatic subject pronouns)

Part F-C (Literary Analysis)

This passage demonstrates the contrastive use of הוּא and הִיא in narrative, where they function as clear subject pronouns rather than copulas.

Part F-D (Grammatical Notes)

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הוּא and הִיא functioning as subject pronouns -

Paired with הֲוָה for past continuous action -

Object markers לָהּ/לֵהּ showing direction of speech

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Genre Section: Talmudic Dialectic

Part A (Interleaved Text with Notes)

7.16 מַאן who הוּא is תַּנָּא the tanna קַמָּא first (Question form in scholarly debate)

7.17 הוּא he רַבִּי מֵאִיר Rabbi Meir דְּאָמַר who said (Identification of authority)

7.18 מִלְּתָא matter פְּשִׁיטָא obvious (Simple nominal sentence)

7.19 הוּא הוּא it is indeed טַעְמָא the reason (Double emphasis)

7.20 הָא this מַנִּי who is הִיא it (Question with feminine subject)

7.21 רַב Rav הוּא דַּאֲמַר is the one who said (Standard attribution formula)

7.22 שְׁמַעְתָּא tradition מְסַיְּעָא supporting לֵהּ him (Simple verbal sentence)

7.23 הוּא he תָּנֵי teaches לַהּ it (Emphatic subject)

7.24 מְנָא from where הָנֵי these מִילֵי words (Question without הוּא)

7.25 קָסָבַר he holds תַּנָּא the tanna (Simple verbal sentence)

7.26 הַיְינוּ this is טַעְמָא the reason (Identification without הוּא)

7.27 הִיא גּוּפָא itself קַשְׁיָא difficult (Technical term with הִיא)

7.28 לָא not צְרִיכָא necessary (Simple negation)

7.29 הוּא he דַּאֲמַר who said כְּמַאן like whom (Complex identification)

7.30 וְהִילְכְתָא and the law כְּוָותֵהּ is according to him (Legal conclusion)

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Part B (Complete Sentences)

7.16 מַאן הוּא תַּנָּא קַמָּא Who is the first tanna?

7.17 הוּא רַבִּי מֵאִיר דְּאָמַר It is Rabbi Meir who said

7.18 מִלְּתָא פְּשִׁיטָא The matter (is) obvious

7.19 הוּא הוּא טַעְמָא This indeed is the reason

7.20 הָא מַנִּי הִיא Who is this (referring to)?

7.21 רַב הוּא דַּאֲמַר Rav is the one who said

7.22 שְׁמַעְתָּא מְסַיְּעָא לֵהּ The tradition supports him

7.23 הוּא תָּנֵי לַהּ He (specifically) teaches it

7.24 מְנָא הָנֵי מִילֵי From where (are) these words?

7.25 קָסָבַר תַּנָּא The tanna holds

7.26 הַיְינוּ טַעְמָא This is the reason

7.27 הִיא גּוּפָא קַשְׁיָא It itself (is) difficult

7.28 לָא צְרִיכָא (It is) not necessary

7.29 הוּא דַּאֲמַר כְּמַאן He who said - according to whom?

7.30 וְהִילְכְתָא כְּוָותֵהּ And the law (is) according to him

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Part C (Aramaic Text Only)

7.16 מַאן הוּא תַּנָּא קַמָּא

7.17 הוּא רַבִּי מֵאִיר דְּאָמַר

7.18 מִלְּתָא פְּשִׁיטָא

7.19 הוּא הוּא טַעְמָא

7.20 הָא מַנִּי הִיא

7.21 רַב הוּא דַּאֲמַר

7.22 שְׁמַעְתָּא מְסַיְּעָא לֵהּ

7.23 הוּא תָּנֵי לַהּ

7.24 מְנָא הָנֵי מִילֵי

7.25 קָסָבַר תַּנָּא

7.26 הַיְינוּ טַעְמָא

7.27 הִיא גּוּפָא קַשְׁיָא

7.28 לָא צְרִיכָא

7.29 הוּא דַּאֲמַר כְּמַאן

7.30 וְהִילְכְתָא כְּוָותֵהּ

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Part D (Grammar Analysis of Talmudic Usage)

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Technical Terms: -

Set phrases often omit copula entirely: מִלְּתָא פְּשִׁיטָא -

Fixed formulas with הוּא: הוּא דַּאֲמַר -

Question patterns: מַאן הוּא, מַנִּי הִיא -

Emphasis Patterns: -

Double הוּא for strong emphasis: הוּא הוּא -

Position at start of phrase for focus -

Combination with demonstratives: הָא... הִיא -

Attribution Formulas: -

Standard pattern: Name + הוּא + דַּאֲמַר -

Variations with different verbs: תָּנֵי, קָסָבַר -

Use in scholarly chains of tradition -

Special Constructions: -

Technical term הִיא גּוּפָא -

Legal conclusions: הִילְכְתָא כְּוָותֵהּ -

Question forms: מְנָא הָנֵי מִילֵי -

Notable Omissions: -

Many technical terms lack copula -

Simple statements often verbless -

Question words can replace copula

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