הִוא = הוּא

Hebrew, what a language! In Hebrew, she is hee, he is hoo, and who is mee...

Now, how would you read this word?

הִוא

That's a standard Hebrew word הוּא (meaning "he"), but it's vocalized like the word הִיא (which means "she".) You can find it in the biblical texts all over the place.

To answer this question, I've taken three approaches: logical, practical, and one of scholars.

1. The logic says: since either Vav or Yod are not "vowels" themselves, but rather point on a presense of vowels, then the pronunciation should follow the vocalization. The Vav would be only Mater Lectionis in this case, and therefore, doesn't have a sound of itself. In this case the proper reading would be like the word הִיא.

2. I've been asking some orthodox Jewish friends of mine, and just some people both in Israel and the US, who regularly pray and read these texts. It looks like nobody had ever heard about any other reading but הִיא.

3. Also, I've asked a very talented guy from Israel, who learns toward being a rabbi, I believe. He's given me the following references (all approving the הִיא reading):

Frankly speaking, I didn't look into the books myself, so if you find the above statements wrong - just let me know!

הִיא = הִוא