The Bible in various places uses puns to communicate both grammatical points and nuances. Biblical puns can sometimes be deliberate and intended by the biblical Author. For an excellent introduction to this lovely subject please read my article on Biblical Puns located on the world wide web at http://www.Rashiyomi.com/puns.pdf.

Rav Hirsch introduced a powerful grammatical use of puns! A noun with many parts - for example, a table with four legs - if spelled deficiently, indicates a possible deficiency in the components of the object - possibly the table only had 3 of its 4 legs. Here the language uses a pun - a deficient spelling indicates a deficiency in plurality. Rav Hirsch considered this a grammatical rule and explained many difficult Talmudic passages with it. We give a partial list below.

• Dt06-09a: Write the mezuzoth on the doorp-sts of your house. Rashi: You only have to put a mezuzah on one doorpost. (Hence the deficient spelling).
• Lv23-40c: Take palm branchs. Rashi: Defectively written because you need only take one palm branch.
• Ex31-18e: Moses held the tabl-ts. Rashi: Defectively written because the two tablets were really one tablet (the 2nd was a duplicate).

In each case the defective spelling indicates a deficiency in plurality. Many other examples exist. As indicated Rav Hirsch considered this use of puns a grammatical rule.