niqquim
Niqquim is a system of diacritical marks used in Hebrew to represent vowels, which are not part of the standard Hebrew alphabet. The Hebrew alphabet itself consists of consonants, and over time, as Hebrew spread and was used by non-native speakers, the need arose to clarify pronunciation. Niqquim, also known as "nikud" or "vowel points," was developed by scholars, primarily the Masoretes, between the 6th and 10th centuries CE.
The system involves a variety of dots and dashes placed above, below, or within consonant letters. Each
While niqquim is essential for reading and understanding ancient Hebrew texts, liturgical poetry, and children's books,