Sentence Rhythm

[Blue Bird]

Could someone please help me? I'm trying to figure out which syllables are stressed. I read that the dot in a letter means it is stressed, but not every word has something like that. The word אַֽהֲבָ֔ה in particular throws me out of rhythm:

כִּֽי־עַזָּ֤ה כַמָּ֨וֶת֙ אַֽהֲבָ֔ה

(for love is as strong as death; Song of Songs 8:6)

[ctjacobs]

Try to locate the text in this video.
This migth also be relevant.

[rosends]

KI-aZAH chaMAvet A-havah

[Glenn2020]

isn't it KI-aZAH chaMAvet a-haVah (since the zaqep qaton is on the last syllable???)

[Dana]

isn't it KI-aZAH chaMAvet a-haVah (since the zaqep qaton is on the last syllable???)

 
If I understand the definition taken from A Grammar From Biblical Hebrew by C.L. Seow - the answer is yes, with my question mark too. 

The zaqep qaton is disjunctive.  "A disjunctive accent marks a major, intermediate, or minor pause; it may occur at the end of a sentence, clause or phrase. The disjunctive accents are especially important because they are intended to indicate the end of each logical unit."   Page 64.  a-haVah.

[Blue Bird]

Thank you Dana, Glenn, Rosends and CtJacobs for your answers!

Dana, a beginners question: is this zaqep qaton someting different than the dots in the letter? Is there a source online where I could read something about it?

My question came as I tried to say the sentence quickly and with a nice sounding rythm. Although I heard that usually the last sylible is stressed, I found this good to say: KI- aZAH chaMAvet aHAvah. - When I tried ahaVah it sounded a bit bumpy.

[Dana]

Thank you Dana, Glenn, Rosends and CtJacobs for your answers!

Dana, a beginners question: is this zaqep qaton someting different than the dots in the letter? Is there a source online where I could read something about it?

My question came as I tried to say the sentence quickly and with a nice sounding rythm. Although I heard that usually the last sylible is stressed, I found this good to say: KI- aZAH chaMAvet aHAvah.  - When I tried ahaVah it sounded a bit bumpy.

  
You're welcome Blue Bird.  Yes, I am referring to the two small vertical dots above the Bet on the word for love.  a-haVah. The capitol V.  The differences I believe in pronunciation and stress are very subtle.  

A dagesh which means piercing is a dot in the heart of a letter.  There is also a dot which occurs at the end of a word in the letter hey called a mappiq which means (bringing out).  It is used as a consonant and pronounced as a sharp H. 

There is much more to it then just this which sounds a little confusing.  I do not know any online sources but if you are interested in some beginner books I know of a few that have been quite helpful.  Hope this helps.  I'm a student myself so I am not proficient in the language.

[Blue Bird]

Thank you, Dana. Dots, dashes and arches are indeed challenging and make me curious about what they mean. The description of the grammar is also challenging, as I often don't understand the technical terms in my own language. I think a book with step-by-step learning instructions would be helpful. It would be great if you had some recommendations for me.  

[rosends]

as far as I understand it, the Artscroll siddurim use the short vertical line to indicate the stress on a word. In this case there seems to be a tension between the line under the first syllable (rendering it A-ha-va) and the trop katon (which usually is over the stressed syllable) on the vet, making it "a-ha-VA". One wonders if this indicates a different pronunciation in different contexts but I would have to check.

[Dana]

Blue Bird,

There is a softcover book I had purchased years ago with a CD in the cover called The Art of Torah Cantillation that I found just right for the novice.  It has large letters and easy to understand explanations for all the curves, little lines and dots which are trope marks.
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Torah-Cantill...0807407348

I don't know if they still carry the CD any more so you may want to check.

As far as detailed explanations concerning grammar there is also A Practical Grammar For Classical Hebrew by J. Weingreen.
I preferred the easier to learn book prior to purchasing Weingreen such as The First Hebrew Primer - The Adult Beginner's Path To Biblical Hebrew

It all depends on what you are looking for.  Growing in the language without becoming exasperated from too much information was my approach.

All the best!