Contents of this weekly column are (mostly) 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.
All right. What’s this B’HA-A’LO-T’CHA business at the bottom of every page? Obviously, it’s the name of this week’s sedra, but let’s us it to review two or three things about pronunciation.

First of all, the BET with a SH’VA (NA) at the beginning of the word is not considered its own syllable, but is “linked” to the HA syllable. In other words, the first syllable of the name of this week’s sedra is B’HA. That’s why we write it with an apostrophe, rather than a dash. B’HA, not B-HA.

Next. The AYIN has a CHATAF-PATACH under it. That gives the AYIN a very short vowel sound, not as full as a PATACH. The CHATAF-vowels are considered like SH’VA NAs, so A (the AYIN with the CHATAF-PATACH) is no more its own syllable than the B’ was. The A is linked to the LO syllable and is written here as A’LO. Not A-LO. But a very short “A” sound, like the O in HOT, but shorter, clipped. A’LO.

Next. The LAMED is voweled with a CHOLOM (CHASEIR, meaning without a VAV and DOT over it - just the DOT). The TAV with a SH’VA that follows the LAMED is not part of the LAMED’s syllable. And that also means that the SH’VA under the TAV is not NACH, but NA. As such, if belongs to the following syllable, not the previous one. So the third syllable is T’CHA (or S’CHA in the Ashkenazit pronunciation).

The three syllables that make up the “cumbersome” name of this week’s sedra are B’HA, A’LO, and T’CHA. For the purpose of our notation, the syllables are separated by dashes. B’HA-A’LO-T’CHA.

What’s missing from this way of writing the word is an indication of the syllable to be accented. The word is MILRA, accented on the last syllable. If we use lowercase letters for the unaccented syllable(s), and uppercase letters for the accented syllable, we get b’ha-a’lo-T’CHA as the full transliteration of the name of this week’s sedra.

Don’t worry. SH’LACH is easier.

On another issue that came up in the last few weeks - about NETILAT YADAYIM...

First we wrote that one should be careful to finish the bracha before the hands are completely dry.

Let’s back up a step.

Ideally, brachot for mitzvot (and foods, too) should be recited immediately before performance of the mitzva. ...LISHMO’A KOL SHOFAR, then start blowing the Shofar. ...AL MIKRA MEGILA, then begin reading the Megila. Mezuza ready. In place. Hammer in hand. Nails in position. BRACHA, then TAP, TAP, TAP, TAP - Mezuza affixed. After the BRACHA. BRACHA right before performance of the mitzva. MOTZI-MATZA - two brachot on matza at the Seder table, matza in mouth, bite, chew, swallow.

Get the point?

For some mitzvot - for various reasons - we don’t say the bracha first. NETILAT YADAYIM is one of them. Hands are dirty - physically & spiritually. Wash then first. Cup. R-L-R-L-R-L or R-R & L-L. Mitzva has begun, but it is not yet completed. Hands are still wet. Good. At least the bracha can be said before the mitzva is completed. Hence, bracha completed before hands are dry.

That’s where we started. One TT reader suggested that better than saying bracha while drying hands is to say bracha after washing and before drying hands. Wash. Raise hands, shake off excess water. Pick up towel. BRACHA. Now dry hands. The more I ask around about this, the more I’m convinced that this is the preferred procedure for NETILAT YADAYIM.
Now a reader emails about the NETZIV (Haamek Davar) on D’varim 31:3. Next week, IY”H.

[The Parshat B'ha-a'lo-t'cha Homepage]
[The TORAH tidbits Homepage] [How to use TORAH tidbits]
[About The OU/NCSY Israel Center] [About TORAH tidbits]
[www.ou.org]