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Whenever the word הִיא is used in the Torah, it is either spelled with a yud (like הִיא) or with a vav (like הִוא). What is the difference in meaning between the two spellings?

Additionally, in Parshat Naso (Bamidbar 5:14), the pasuk says וְעָבַ֨ר עָלָ֧יו רֽוּחַ־קִנְאָ֛ה וְקִנֵּ֥א אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ וְהִ֣וא נִטְמָ֑אָה אֽוֹ־עָבַ֨ר עָלָ֤יו רֽוּחַ־קִנְאָה֙ וְקִנֵּ֣א אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וְהִ֖יא לֹ֥א נִטְמָֽאָה:. The pasuk uses two different spellings in almost the exact same circumstance. Why is this so?

Ploni Almoni
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  • It means the same thing. As to why the verse you cited has it differently, that's actually an anomaly in the Torah. Avot Derav Nattan mentions 10 (I think), places that the Torah uses a Yod instead of a Vav. I will try to post a more thorough answer, though, I think this question may a dupe of some others in this site. – DanF Jul 06 '17 at 19:12
  • @DanF It's 11 times. The Gemara says they found three Torahs in the Temple: two had it with a Yud 11 times and one had it with a Yud 9 times, so we follow the majority and have 11. – Double AA Jul 06 '17 at 19:14
  • @DoubleAA Which Gemarah is this in? I'm familiar with only the citing in Avot DeRav Nattan. – DanF Jul 06 '17 at 19:21
  • @DanF http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14138&st=&pgnum=435 – Double AA Jul 06 '17 at 19:21
  • My main question was the fact that there is an inconsistency in a single pasuk – Ploni Almoni Jul 06 '17 at 19:46

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