The text of the Torah includes not only its words, but also various atypical scribal features. Prime among these are the dots over certain letters, various letters written either large or small, and the exceedingly odd placement of two inverted Hebrew letters surrounding one passage. What are these features doing there? How old are they? Do they carry meaning? How have they been interpreted over the years? James Diamond brings the reader on the journey through the Torah text in search of a response to these questions.

James S. Diamond (d. 2013) had a distinguished career in two fields: as a Hillel rabbi on various elite U.S. campuses, and as a teacher of Hebrew literature and comparative literature at those same universities. His most recent position was at Princeton University (retired 2004).
Robert Goldenberg is Professor Emeritus of History and Jewish Studies at Stony Brook University.
Gary A. Rendsburg serves as the Blanche and Irving Laurie Professor of Jewish History at Rutgers University.