A few simple(?) points, specifically the first
write-up suggests that there are many more
hebrew letters than there
are. While this point is
embedded in the other write-ups, I for one was unable to understand them, and I imagine I wasn't the only one. So I've endeavored to clarify a few things.
There are either 22 or 27 hebrew letters, depending on how you look at it.
- There are the 22 basic letters.
- Within these 22 are 5 letters that are written/printed differently when they appear at the end of a word.
- There are 7 letters within the 22 which each have two different ways to be pronounced depending on their usage.
- Of these 7, only 4 are universally still pronounced both ways. Some ashkenazim pronounce 5 and some sepharadim pronounce 6. No one currently pronounces the 7th letter (ר), partially because it would rarely ever be pronounced the second way even if people knew how.
- There is an 8th letter (ש) which has two pronunciations (pronounced by everyone) but is not considered a double letter.
The 22 letters were listed above and they are: (asterisks mark the one's with dual pronunciation.)((a) denotes pronunciation by some ashkenazim) ((s) denotes pronunciation by some sepharadim) ((m) denotes pronunciation in modern hebrew)
א
ב *(a)(s)(m)
ג *(s)
ד *(s)
ה
ו
ז
ח
ט
י
כ *(a)(s)(m)
ל
מ
נ
ס
ע
פ *(a)(s)(m)
צ
ק
ר
ש (a)(s)(m) (i'm still researching)
ת *(a)(s)
sources: personal experience, the seventh dual-pronunciation letter is mentioned along with the others in the Sefer Yetzirah as well as in other Jewish sefarim.
please correct any errors