From the virtual desk of the OU VEBBE REBBE Q I have moved to a community, where the people pronounce Hebrew differently from the minhag I was brought up on. How should I act privately and publicly? A The great majority of poskim agree that it is preferable to maintain the form of pronunciation which one "inherited" from his father (see Rav Kook's Orach Mishpat 16-18; Har Tzvi OC I, 4; Igrot Moshe OC III, 5). This is based on the concept, "do not forsake the Torah of your mother" (Mishlei 1:8; see Chulin 93b). One should maintain his family minhag in this matter even if he prays regularly in a beit k'nesset where people use a different pronunciation from his, and even if one already switched, it is best to switch back. An exception to the rule is regarding specific pronunciations where all experts are in agreement, in which case it is proper to use the accurate pronunciation. This applies at least to the letters "ayin" and "chet" and the vowel "cholam," which are all properly pronounced by the Sephardic community. One should exercise caution before making such changes, as it is better to use one's previous pronunciation than to be inconsistent and inaccurate in the new, improved one. Regarding other changes, not always are the opinions of "so-called experts" unanimously agreed upon. Accenting of syllables, especially in Kri'at Shema, should be done according to the rules of dikduk, as found in accurate sidddurim and sifrei Tanach. It is widely brought in the name of the Chazon Ish that an Ashkenazi who pronounces Hebrew like a Sepharadi should pronounce at least Hashem's name like an Ashkenazi. However, it appears preferable to pronounce the entire tefilla in a uniform manner (Har Tzvi, ibid.), and there is not even unanimity on what the Chazon Ish's opinion was. he above applies to a person's private pronunciation, including
his quiet davening in a group setting. However, if he is serving as a chazan or
ba'al kri'a, it is proper, if he can, to read according to the local minhag (Igrot
Moshe, OC IV, 23). This ruling takes on even greater weight if one's failure to
conform to the local minhag is apt to confuse the tzibur or, Heaven forbid,
cause arguments. The need to preserve communal peace pushes aside the
aforementioned concept of "the Torah of your mother" (Orach Mishpat 18). This response is based on Bemareh Habazak III, 1 A teacher of the young is greater even than his master, because his master teaches things that he interprets one way — and then others come along and contradict him, interpreting them another way. But the teacher of the young says nothing but the plain and
simple truth. [Ed. notes: Or, more commonly, in our time, Shacharit might begin too late to reach the Sh’ma within the deadline of Sof Z’man Kri’at Sh’ma. It is possible that the original practice was to read the full Sh’ma at this earlier time, and later, the first passage remained as a token.] Reason: This reading was enacted because of a government decree
prohibiting the reading of Shema publicily. The sages ruled that it should be
read privately at home. Although the decree was ultimately annulled, the Sages’
ruling remained in force. An introductory passage was inserted before the
earlier reading: “A person should always fear G-d both privately and publicily.”
After the introductory passage, the first section of Shema was then read,
followed by a concluding passage: “Blessed is He Who causes His Name to be
sanctified publicily.” This prayer was an expression of thanksgiving to Hashem
for annulling the evil decree, and an acknowledge- ment that we were once again
permitted to sanctify His Name publicly in the shul (Levush). After R’; Yonasan’s funeral, the community leaders began looking for a new Rav. Many distinguished rabbanim were interested in the post, but none by the name of R’ Meir. The community leaders decided, at last, that the position would be filled by the candidate who was able to explain R' Yonasan’s dying words. A number of suggestions were advanced, but none satisfied the communal leaders Finally, R’ Yitzchak Horowitz of Brody was invited to meet the communal leaders and asked to explain R’ Yonasan’s last words. “It is really quite simple”, he said. “R. Yonasan was not referring to any individual named R’ Meir. He was telling you that your presumption that he would not recover was premature, and thus your question about his successor was improper. It was R’ Meir in the Gemara who always required that one take
into account even a slight possibility and not just rely on the principle of
majority. R’ Yonasan meant that the halacha might be in accord with R’ Meir, and
you should take into account the slight possibility that he would recover.” Twice in Parshat Pinchas (29: 16,25), in the portion describing
the Korbanot Musaf, the pasuk reads, And one goat (as a) CHATAT, besides the
daily Tamid its Mincha and Nesech. G’matriya of each is 2823. Numerically, we can say that our korbanot and Bil’am’s are an
even match. Yet, we come out 10 more because of that missing YUD. The team of
Bil’am & Balak was a formidable adversary, but we “beat” them by 10. The
significance of that “extra” is left for the reader to comment on at Seuda
Shlishit (or whatever). Last week, Salvatori Janek O’Malley (not his real name) came to
Israel with his family to celebrate his Bar Mitzva in the Holy Land and in the
Holy City. A panicked call to the rabbi of the shul in which the Bar Mitzva was to take place started the ball rolling on finding a proper and accommodating solution to the “Case of the Out-of-Sync Bar Mitzva Boy”. In consultation with leaders of the congregation, the following
solution took shape: This solution is halachically sound because Korach is directly followed by Chukat in the Torah and no skipping is involved in the reading. There is, however, another halachic consideration to take into accont — TIRCHA D’TZIBURA, a burden to the congregation. It is much to the credit of the members of the congregation that they graciously accepted the rabbi’s explanation of the situation and enhanced the family’s celebration of the Bar Mitzva with their positive attitude under the circumstances. It is heartwarming to see a constructive interplay between BEIN ADAM LA- MAKOM and BEIN ADAM L’CHAVEIRO issues. Mazal Tov to Salvatori (nhrn) and family and Kol HaKavod to the congregation. [Side points: The same kind of reading of Korach and Chukat was
done at the Jerusalem Renaissance Hotel, where many delegates to the World
Mizrachi Conference and the 34th World Zionist Congress were spending Shabbat.
They all would have missed Korach, having arrived in Israel between Chutz
LaAretz’s Parshat Shlach and our Chukat. For them, the read-Korach-as-
part-of-the-first-Aliya solution did not even have the Tircha d’Tzibura com-
plication.] Ironically, whatever we say of Bilam, we cannot claim that he was master of the curse. For Bilam exclaims, "How can I curse [when] G-d has not cursed!" Moreover, Ibn Ezra notes that the expression "Vayissa M'shallo" - which refers to Bilam's utterance of his parable - indicates, if anything, that Bilam invoked the power of prophecy! The Bechor Shor confirms that despite Bilam's reputation, he was powerless to deliver a curse or even invoke words to that effect. He observes that Bilam's declarations reflected Hashem's will: Just as Hashem never pronounced a curse upon Bnei Yisrael when they were culpable, so Bilam could not do so. Thankfully, we learn this lesson from our own forebears. When Shimeon and Levi were rebuked for wiping out Shechem, Ya'akov proclaimed, "accursed is their rage" - but not the sons. Similarly, King David declares, "Let the sins cease on earth" (Psalm 104), rather than the sinners themselves. Our challenge, then, is not so much how to remove the wicked as it is to educate and plot against wickedness wherever it is found. Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center [The Balak Homepage]
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