Structural focus
Contrast Pi'el vs Hif'il acoustic patterns and enforce correct use of את.
Objective
Control intensive/causative shifts and mandatory definite object marking.
Deconstruction
Use יצר את האדם as canonical proof that definite direct objects require את.
Key points · 7
- Beyond Pa'al, two heavy-lifting binyanim: Pi'el (intensive active) and Hif'il (causative active).
- Pi'el present prefixes מְ and doubles the middle root letter (dagesh): מְדַבֵּר (speaks), מְלַמֵּד (teaches), מְבַקֵּשׁ (requests).
- Hif'il present prefixes מַ and inserts a long i: מַדְלִיק (lights), מֵבִין (understands), מַתְחִיל (begins).
- Both keep the four-form present agreement (e.g. מְדַבֵּר / מְדַבֶּרֶת / מְדַבְּרִים / מְדַבְּרוֹת).
- One root shifts meaning by binyan: ל-מ-ד → לוֹמֵד (Pa'al 'learns') vs מְלַמֵּד (Pi'el 'teaches').
- A DEFINITE direct object must be marked by אֵת (אֶת־): רָאִיתִי אֶת הַסֵּפֶר ('I saw the book'); an indefinite object takes none: רָאִיתִי סֵפֶר.
- אֵת fuses with pronoun suffixes → אוֹתוֹ (him/it), אוֹתָהּ (her), אוֹתָם (them); possession uses שֶׁל + suffix: שֶׁלּוֹ (his), שֶׁלָּהּ (hers).