The Description of Syntax in Medieval Hebrew Grammars

Abstract:The study of Hebrew grammar by medieval Jewish scholars concentrates on phonological and morphological issues with much lower attention paid to Hebrew syntax. While the majority of medieval Hebrew grammars only contain scattered incidental remarks on topics related to the latter, some discuss syntactical themes at greater length. This paper examines the work of the four medieval grammarians who probably paid the most attention to Hebrew syntax – Abū Alfaraj Hārūn, Yonah ibn Janāḥ, Profiat Duran, and Abraham Debalmes. Surveying the relevant passages, it explores the primary issues they address and the insights they offer, hereby revealing with the nature and scope of medieval Jewish engagement with Hebrew syntax.