Pashta

Pashta (Hebrew: פַּשְׁטָא‎) is a common cantillation mark found in the Torah, Haftarah, and other books of the Hebrew Bible. It is part of the Katan group. Its mark symbol is identical to that of the Kadma.

Pashta
פַּשְׁטָא֙ ֙ אָדָם֙
cantillation
Sof passuk	׃		paseq	׀
etnachta	֑		segol	֒
shalshelet	֓		zaqef qatan	֔
zaqef gadol	֕		tifcha	֖
rivia	֗		zarqa	֘
pashta	֙		yetiv	֚
tevir	֛		geresh	֜
geresh muqdam	֝		gershayim	֞
qarney para	֟		telisha gedola	֠
pazer	֡		atnah hafukh	֢
munach	֣		mahapakh	֤
merkha	֥		merkha kefula	֦
darga	֧		qadma	֨
telisha qetana	֩		yerah ben yomo	֪
ole	֫		illuy	֬
dehi	֭		zinor	֮

While Kadma and Pashta use the same symbol, Pashta is distinct from Kadma in the placement of the symbol. Kadma is always placed on the accented syllable, while Pashta is placed on the last letter as well as on the accented syllable, if it's not the last.[1]

The Hebrew word פַּשְׁטָא֙‎ translates into English as stretching out.

Occurrences

In the Katan group, the Pashta can be found either following a Mahpach, or with the Mahpach absent. Following the Pashta will either be a Munach-Zakef katan or just a Zakef katan.

The Pashta can also occur before the Segol group.

Numbers of occurrences

Book	Number of appearances
Torah	5429[2]
Genesis	1428[2]
Exodus	1134[2]
Leviticus	777[2]
Numbers	1055[2]
Deuteronomy	1039[2]
Nevi'im	5935[3]
Ketuvim	3916[3]

Melody

References

1. Joshua R. Jacobson, Chanting the Hebrew Bible, page 221
2. James D. Price, Concordance of the Hebrew accents in the Hebrew Bible: Concordance ..., Volume 1, page 6
3. James D. Price, ;;Concordance of the Hebrew accents in the Hebrew Bible: Concordance ..., Volume 1, page 5