Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading
Parshat B'har-B'chukotai

Column #25. 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.

Not only is the Sefer upon which this column is based very humbling, but so is the feedback that I get from a few readers who are obviously knowl- edgeable enough about the subject to write their own books. Do not think I am complaining; I much appreciate feedback in general, and on this column, in particular.

Here are two points related to statements made in last week’s column.

The CHATAF KAMATZ is not really a KAMATZ KATAN. It is essentially a SH’VA NA that gets a longer vowel sound that a SH’VA, let’s say, in the direction of the KAMATZ KATAN. That’s not exactly the way it was put, but it will do.

The second point is more serious. Last week, we suggested that Ashkenazim were possibly ‘wrong’ for not distinguishing between the two types of KAMATZ. Yet, even though there is a DIKDUK distinction between them, they might sound exactly like one another, based on the rule: One symbol, one sound. This, it was pointed out, is the approach of Masoretes of Tiberias (the one exception being the SH’VA NA and NACH).

Be that as it may, let’s plunge right ahead in giving the situations for KAMATZ KATAN. (See last week’s column for the beginning of the KAMATZ KATAN story.

KAMATZ that is followed by a letter with a DAGESH CHAZAK is a KAMATZ KATAN. CHO- NEINU (favor us - one of our pleas in Avinu Mal- keinu). The KAMATZ under the CHET would have been GADOL had it not been for the DAGESH in the first NUN. That DAGESH doubles the NUN, sort of, and closes the first syllable as CHON (CHawN), as if the fist part of the double NUN has a SH’VA NACH. Hence, the KAMATZ is KATAN. awZZI, my strength. KAMATZ KATAN under the AYIN, because of the DAGESH in the ZAYIN.

However, if the KAMATZed letter is accented, then the KAMATZ is GADOL. SHAMma, there, accent on the first syllable, therefore the KAMATZ under the SHIN is GADOL. 

And, there are exceptions to the first part of the rule. BAYIT, house, BATIM, houses. KAMATZ under the BET is GADOL, even though it is followed by a TAV with a DAGESH CHAZAK, and even though the accent is MILRA, on the last syllable. ANA (aw-Naw), please. First ALEF is KAMATZed and the NUN is DAGESHed. And the first syllable is unaccented. The rule would say that the KAMATZ under the ALEF is KATAN. But it isn’t. (And neither is the KAMATZ under the NUN.)

With rules and exceptions, accented and unaccented syllables, it is really hard to determine with any confidence whether a KAMATZ is KATAN or GADOL. So how are we supposed to know? You’ve just got to know. 

If you think it’s been complicated until now, read on.

A word whose last vowel is a KAMATZ followed by an “real” SH’VA NACH (remember that this includes letters with a sound, even without a SH’VA - you’ll see in a moment what it does not include), AND the word is connected to the following word with a MAKAF (high-dash), then the KAMATZ is KATAN. B’CHOL-L’VA-V’CHA, TIZ-KOR-LANU, MOR-D’ROR.

But, if the KAMATZ is followed by a silent ALEF or HEI, or if the KAMATZ is under a CHAF-SOFIT or TAV (which is the last letter of the word), then the KAMATZ is GADOL. MIKRA-KODESH. The REISH of MIKRA has a KAMATZ and the ALEF after it is silent. The KAMATZ is GADOL. (In Ash- kenazis, we’d still say MIKRaw, but that doesn’t change the KAMATZ; it’s still GADOL.)

Similarly, NEGDA-NA, L’CHA-NA, V’A-SITA-NA.

More on the KAMATZ story next week IY"H