Mahpach

Mahpach (Hebrew מַהְפַּ֤ך, with variant English spellings) is a common cantillation mark found in the Torah, Haftarah, and other books of the Hebrew Bible. It is part of the Katan group, and it frequently begins the group. The symbol for the Mahpach is <.[1]

Mahpach
מַהְפַּ֤ך ֤ ק֚וֹל
cantillation
Sof passuk׃  paseq׀
etnakhta/atnakh֑  segol֒
shalshelet֓  zaqef qaton֔
zaqef gadol֕  tifcha/tarkha֖
rivia/ravia’֗  zarqa֘
pashta֙  yetiv֚
tevir֛  geresh/gerish֜
geresh muqdam֝  gershayim/shenei gereshin֞
arney parah֟  telisha gedola/ga’ya talsha֠
pazer (gadol)֡  atnah hafukh֢
munakh/shofar holekh֣  mahapakh/shofar mehupakh֤
merkha/ma’arikh֥  merkha kefula/terei ta’amei֦
darga֧  qadma֨
telisha qetana/tarsa֩  yerah ben yomo֪
ole֫  illuy֬
dehi֭  zinor֮

Mahpach is always followed by a pashta. This is because Mahpach is a conjunctive, showing a connection with the word that follows. When the Mahpach is found, the < is placed under the syllable that is most heavily stressed. The variant Yetiv trope uses the same < symbol as the Mahpach, but does not have a Pashta that follows.[2]

Mahpach is found in the Torah 3042 times.[3]

The Hebrew word מַהְפַּ֤ך translates into English to reversal. The original symbol looked more like a sideways U than a V (to represent going forward then turning back around), but this was changed because it was easier for printers to print, as modern keyboards have the < symbols.

Number of occurrences

Book Number of appearances
Torah 3042[3]
   Genesis 798[3]
   Exodus 655[3]
   Leviticus 452[3]
   Numbers 568[3]
   Deuteronomy 569[3]
Nevi'im 3449[4]
Ketuvim 2096[4]

Melody

The Mahpach is sung on a high note until the final syllable, which is lower.

References

  1. Chanting the Hebrew Bible By Joshua R. Jacobson, page 54
  2. Chanting the Hebrew Bible By Joshua R. Jacobson, page 221
  3. Concordance of the Hebrew accents in the Hebrew Bible: Concordance ..., Volume 1 By James D. Price, page 6
  4. Concordance of the Hebrew accents in the Hebrew Bible: Concordance ..., Volume 1 By James D. Price, page 5
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