Hebrew Cantillation

Ta'amim - The Musical Notation of Scripture

The Music IS in the Text

The Hebrew Bible contains musical notation - cantillation marks (ta'amim) that tell you exactly HOW to sing every word of Scripture.

These marks divide the text, show emphasis, and preserve a musical tradition over 2,000 years old.

Disjunctive - Emperors (Strongest Pause)

Sof Pasuq

Marks the end of a verse - strongest pause

Musical: Full stop, complete descent

Unicode: ׃

Atnach

Main pause in the verse - divides verse in half

Musical: Major cadence, like a semicolon

Unicode: ֑

Disjunctive - Kings (Strong Pause)

Segol

Strong disjunctive in first half of verse

Musical: Rising then falling melody

Unicode: ֒

Shalshelet

Rare - indicates hesitation or emphasis

Musical: Wavering, trembling sound - dramatic pause

Note: Only appears 7 times in Torah (4 in Genesis, 3 elsewhere)

Unicode: ֓

Zaqef Qatan

Common strong disjunctive

Musical: Rising melody with pause

Unicode: ֔

Zaqef Gadol

Stronger than Zaqef Qatan

Musical: Higher rising melody

Unicode: ֕

Tifcha

Precedes Atnach or Sof Pasuq

Musical: Descending preparation for main pause

Unicode: ֖

Revia

Diamond-shaped mark, moderate pause

Musical: Sustained note then descent

Unicode: ֗

Disjunctive - Dukes (Moderate Pause)

Zarqa

Precedes Segol

Musical: Quick ascending flourish

Unicode: ֘

Pashta

Common moderate disjunctive

Musical: Short descending phrase

Unicode: ֙

Yetiv

Postpositive - written before but sung after

Musical: Ascending then level

Unicode: ֚

Tevir

Precedes Tifcha

Musical: Broken, descending melody

Unicode: ֛

Disjunctive - Counts (Light Pause)

Geresh

Light disjunctive, single stroke

Musical: Quick upward jerk

Unicode: ֜

Gershayim

Double Geresh - slightly stronger

Musical: Double upward jerk

Unicode: ֝

Pazer

Scattering - dispersed melody

Musical: Wild, scattered ascending notes

Unicode: ֡

Qarne Farah

Horns of a cow - very rare

Musical: Two-note horn blast

Note: Only 16 occurrences in entire Tanakh

Unicode: ֟

Telisha Gedola

Large Telisha - prepositive

Musical: Sweeping ascending phrase

Unicode: ֠

Conjunctive - Servants (No Pause)

Munach

Most common conjunctive - 'resting'

Musical: Level, sustained tone

Unicode: ֣

Mahpakh

Reversed/turned - serves Pashta

Musical: Quick turn downward

Unicode: ֤

Merkha

Prolonged - serves Tifcha

Musical: Drawn out, descending

Unicode: ֥

Merkha Kefula

Double Merkha - very rare

Musical: Double prolonged descent

Note: Only 5 occurrences in Torah

Unicode: ֦

Darga

Step/staircase - serves Tevir

Musical: Stepping descent

Unicode: ֧

Qadma

Advance - prepositive conjunctive

Musical: Quick forward movement

Unicode: ֨

Telisha Qetana

Small Telisha - postpositive

Musical: Small sweeping phrase

Unicode: ֩

Yerah Ben Yomo

Moon a day old - very rare

Musical: Curved, lunar melody

Note: Only in Genesis 19:16

Unicode: ֪

Ole

Ascending - serves Revia

Musical: Rising melody

Unicode: ֫

Iluy

High/exalted

Musical: Elevated, high pitch

Unicode: ֬

Dehi

Rest/push - prepositive

Musical: Pushing forward

Unicode: ֭

Zinor

Pipe/tube shape

Musical: Flowing, pipe-like sound

Unicode: ֮

Special Marks

Masora Circle

Marks unusual or noteworthy readings

Note: Scribal notation, not cantillation

Unicode: ֯

Maqaf

Hyphen - joins words as one unit

Musical: Words sung together without break

Unicode: ־

Paseq

Vertical line - separates for clarity

Note: Not a cantillation mark but a separator

Unicode: ׀

Sof Pasuq

End of verse marker

Note: Two dots like a colon

Unicode: ׃

Famous Verses with Cantillation

Genesis 1:1

בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית: Tifcha (֖) - descending, preparing for main pause
בָּרָ֣א: Munach (֣) - level connector
אֱלֹהִ֑ים: Atnach (֑) - main verse division, major pause
אֵ֥ת: Merkha (֥) - prolonged connector
הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם: Tifcha (֖) - preparing for verse end
וְאֵ֥ת: Merkha (֥) - prolonged connector
הָאָֽרֶץ׃: Sof Pasuq (׃) - verse end, full stop

Deuteronomy 6:4

שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהוָ֥ה׀ אֶחָֽד׃

שְׁמַ֖ע: Tifcha (֖) - preparation
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל: Atnach (֑) - major division after 'Israel'
יְהוָ֥ה: Merkha (֥) - prolonged, reverent
אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ: Tifcha (֖) - preparing
יְהוָ֥ה׀: Merkha + Paseq - separated for emphasis
אֶחָֽד׃: Extended final syllable - 'ONE'

The Shema - most important Jewish prayer, sung with distinctive melody

Genesis 22:11

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אַבְרָהָ֜ם אַבְרָהָ֗ם

Note: Abraham's name is called TWICE with different cantillation
First אַבְרָהָ֜ם: Geresh - quick, urgent
Second אַבְרָהָ֗ם: Revia - sustained, getting his attention

The angel calls urgently then ensures Abraham hears