Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading
Parshat Bamidbar

Column #26. Contents of this weekly column are based on the sefer: EIM LAMIKRA HASHALEIM, by R' Nissan Sharoni, Ashdod, a guide to correct pronunciation of Hebrew, specifically in davening and Torah reading.

Even though things are getting quite complicated with the KAMATZ issue, we’re committed to finish up on the rules and exceptions. We’ll try to simplify things later (at the suggestion of some readers who have simpler “rules” that cover most of the KAMATZ KATANs).

A word that starts with a VAV-PATACH which is followed by letters with two KAMATZes, AND the accent of the word is MIL’EL (on the next-to-the- last syllable), then the second KAMATZ is KATAN (and the first one is GADOL). When Rivka and her attendants arose to follow Eliezer back to Yitzchak, the word used is va-TA-kom (or in Ash- kenazis, va-TAW-kawm). The second KAMATZ is KATAN. Note that in Israeli Sfardit, there is no distinction made between the vowel under the VAV and the vowel under the TAV, even though the former is a PATACH and the latter is a KAMATZ (GADOL). There is a distinction between the KAMATZ under the TAV and the one under the KUF. In Ashkenazis, there is a distinc- tion between the PATACH and the KAMATZ (as there should be), but no distinction between the two KAMATZes (as there probably should be - according to some scholars, at least). It turns out that this word is good for illustrating the various differences in pronunciation.

Similarly, when Avraham (and Yitzchak) returned to the “lads”, the word is va-YA-sov (va-YAW- shawv). And when G-d confused the Egyptian camp, va-YA-hom (va-YAW-hawm).

The TROP mark will never be on a KAMATZ KATAN. (With a definitive statement like that, there is bound to be someone who will write in with an exception. But maybe not!)

YAA points out that the KAMATZ that comes from a CHOLAM that shortened its sound is a KAMATZ KATAN. He offers as an exaple the word for all - KOL. That is, KAF-CHOLAM (without a VAV) - LAMED. We’ll also take his suggestion as to what to look at as an example. ASHREI.

The word appears 17 times. Only three times is it with a CHOLAM. TOV HASHEM LAKOL. EINEI-CHOL. L’CHOL ASHER... These are the times the word is not directly connected to the following word in a two-word phrase. When there is a connection (a evident from a MAKAF between the two words), the CHOLAM, which is a T’NUA G’DOLA (a long vowel) shortens to a T’NUA K’TANA, in this case, a KAMATZ KATAN. B’CHawL YOM, AL KawL MA’ASAV. KawL OLAMIM, B’CHawL DOR VADOR. U’MAS-BI-A L’CHawL CHAI RATZON. SHOMEIR HASHEM ET KawL OHAVAV... KawL BASAR - to name more than a few, but not all of them.

Note, many Siddurim do not indicate a MAKAF, although there is supposed to be one. This I realized when I looked for the MAKAFs after KawL and didn’t find them. Not in Rinat Yisrael and not in T’filat KawL-Peh. Nor in two other Siddurim I checked. Okay! Just found a Siddur with MAKAFs. EIZOR ELIYAHU, a Siddur according to the GR”A’s nusach, has MAKAFim.

Now, if much of the last bit sounded easy, here’s your exception. Remember that famous statement - the exception that proves the rule? I never understood what that was supposed to mean. But here is an exception that just frustrates those who are trying to learn some of the rules. T’hilim 35: 10 is quoted in NISHMAT KawL-CHAI. It also is one of the origins of SHUKLING, swaying during davening. “May all my bones say: HaShem, who is like You!” KAL ATZMOTAI TOMARNA... The first word in the pasuk is KAF-LAMED, with a KAMATZ under the KAF and no MAKAF connect- ing it to the next word, and a TROP mark on the word in a TANACH. So the KAMATZ has to be GADOL and the word is properly pronounced in S’fardit as KAL, not KOL or KawL. Go figure.