The phrase ruach qadosh ('holy spirit') appears only three times in the Tanakh (Tehillim 51:13, Yeshayahu 63:10 and 11), each time with a possessive adjective ('your,' 'His') and never with a definite article (ha-ruach ha-qadosh) as became common in sectarian Hellenistic Jewish literature of the first century and later Christian literature, where it is used as a compound term, a proper noun (to pneuma to hagion, 'the Holy Ghost' in pre-20th century English translations, and now 'the Holy Spirit' or 'the holy Spirit' [New American Bible, Revised Edition]). Does the term ha-ruach ha-qadosh occur in the Talmud, the Midrash, and other rabbinical literature, or only ruach ha-qodesh (commonly translated 'the holy spirit,' but which literally means 'the spirit of [the] holiness')? If it does appear, where is it found? (I have access to the Talmud and Midrash online, but I am not adept in those works.)
Answer
I am not commenting on whether it has a particular meaning (as an independent thing vs an attribute) but according to the Bar Ilan Responsa:
haruach hakodesh (with a vav in "hakOdesh"): Rashi and many other commentators (Malbim, Alshich, R. Bachya, Ramban) plus later writers of commentary and responsa use the phrase [26 instances]
same phrase with no vav: The Ibn Ezra, Abarbenel and other commentators (including the Alshich, the Ramban and the mesilat yeshiarim) use the phrase ([15 instances]
haru'ach hakadosh (with a vav after the dalet): again, commentators including the Malbim and Abarbenel and later responsa [6 instances]
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