זֹ֚את חֻקַּ֣ת הַתֹּורָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר דַּבֵּ֣ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְיִקְח֣וּ אֵלֶיךָ֩ פָרָ֨ה אֲדֻמָּ֜ה תְּמִימָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֵֽין־בָּהּ֙ מ֔וּם אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹא־עָלָ֥ה עָלֶ֖יהָ עֹֽל׃
“This is the statute of the Torah which YHWH has commanded, saying: Speak to the children of Yisra’el, that they bring you a red heifer, without blemish, which has no defect and upon which no yoke has come.
Morphology
- זֹ֚את (zot) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, feminine singular; Translation: “This”; Notes: Refers to the following commandment.
- חֻקַּ֣ת (ḥuqqat) – Root: חקק (ḥaqaq); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “statute of”; Notes: Refers to a binding ordinance.
- הַתֹּורָ֔ה (hattorah) – Root: ירה (yarah); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the Torah”; Notes: Refers to divine instruction or law.
- אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֥ה (asher-tzivvah) – Root: צוה (tsivah); Form: Relative pronoun with Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “which He commanded”; Notes: Indicates direct divine instruction.
- יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (havah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of God.
- לֵאמֹ֑ר (lemor) – Root: אמר (amar); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- דַּבֵּ֣ר (dabber) – Root: דבר (dabar); Form: Piel imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Speak”; Notes: A command directed at Moshe.
- אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י (el-benei) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “to the children of”; Notes: Refers to the descendants of Yisra’el.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל (Yisra’el) – Root: שרר (sar); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisra’el”; Notes: The covenant name of the people.
- וְיִקְח֣וּ (veyiqkḥu) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and they shall bring”; Notes: Indicates a future action.
- אֵלֶיךָ֩ (eleikha) – Root: אל (el); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Refers to Moshe as the recipient.
- פָרָ֨ה (parah) – Root: פרר (parar); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “heifer”; Notes: Specifies the type of animal.
- אֲדֻמָּ֜ה (adummah) – Root: אדם (adam); Form: Adjective, feminine singular; Translation: “red”; Notes: Describes the heifer’s color.
- תְּמִימָ֗ה (temimah) – Root: תמם (tamam); Form: Adjective, feminine singular; Translation: “without blemish”; Notes: Indicates physical perfection.
- אֲשֶׁ֤ר (asher) – Root: אשר (asher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Links descriptive clauses.
- אֵֽין־בָּהּ֙ (ein-bah) – Root: אין (ayin); Form: Negative particle with preposition and 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “there is no in her”; Notes: Indicates absence of defect.
- מוּם (mum) – Root: מום (mum); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “blemish”; Notes: Refers to physical imperfections.
- אֲשֶׁ֛ר (asher) – Root: אשר (asher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces further qualification.
- לֹא־עָלָ֥ה (lo-ʿalah) – Root: עלה (alah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with negative particle; Translation: “has not come up”; Notes: Refers to the yoke’s absence.
- עָלֶ֖יהָ (ʿaleha) – Root: על (al); Form: Preposition with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “upon her”; Notes: Specifies the heifer.
- עֹֽל׃ (ʿol) – Root: עלל (olal); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “yoke”; Notes: Refers to a device for burden-bearing.