Column #115 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.

R' Sharoni points out - in the name of MINCHAT SHAI and MASORA K'TANA - a "Baal Korei's nightmare" in Parshat Acharei, specifically in 17:11,14). In a previous column, we pointed out that the word for he and she, i.e. HU and HI (hee), are both spelled HEI-VAV-ALEF (usually) in the Torah. In most cases, knowing if the word it refers to is masculine or feminine will determine how to read the HEI-VAV-ALEF word. But sometimes it is difficult to make out what the word is referring to. Hence the nightmare in question. Rashi points out that DAM, blood, and BASAR, flesh, are ZACHAR (masculine) and NEFESH, soul, is N'KEIVA. Now look at the two p'sukim and see how tricky it is to figure out what the HU/HI refers to.
(11) KI NEFESH HABASAR B'DAM HU...HI H'DAM HU BANEFESH Y'CHAPER"

(14) KI NEFESH KOL BASAR DAMO B'NAFSHO HU...KI NEFESH KOL BASAR DAMO HU...

In the first instance, HEI-VAV-ALEF refers to the soul (of the flesh in the blood), so it's HI (hee), feminine. The second time it obviously refers to HADAM, the blood, so it's HU, masculine. The third instance, the immediate antecedent is DAMO, its blood - HU. The fourth time it refers back to NEFESH - HI (hee).

The mnemonic devise for keeping these for HUs and HIs straight is that the bride circles the chatan at their wedding. The feminine form surrounds the masculine pronouns in this case. F-M-M-F.

Here's a Torah reading item that has an important ramification for daveners.
The phrase ANI HASHEM ELOKEICHEM appears 34 times in Tanach (28 in Torah), 13 of which are in Acharei or K'doshim. And - most importantly for us - twice in the last pasuk of the SH'MA. Does this phrase mean that G-d is saying to us that, I, HaShem, am your G-d -or- I am HaShem Elokeichem. In other words, do we pause after ANI and say HaShem Elokeichem together, or do we say ANI HASHEM pause Elokeichem. The TAAMIM (TROP, cantillation notes) indicate that the pause is after ANI. Shaarei T'shuva cautions us to say this properly, because pausing in the wrong place can imply that His being our G-d is not exclusive, G-d forbid.

Feedback
Last week (page 11) we were talking about the problem with answering AMEN to GA'AL YISRA'EL, which might be an interruption between GEULA and T'FILA. We concluded that the best procedure is to say the GA'AL YISRAEL bracha together with the Chazan. Two readers pointed out that the Mishna B'rura makes a further suggestion, which can come in handy if one did, in fact, finish GA'AL YISRAEL before the Chazan, and is now listening to him finish the bracha. SInce there are different opinions as to whether, in this case, AMEN should be said or not, (and it is too late, so to speak, to finish the bracha with the Chazan,) the person should start the first few words of HASHEM, S'FATAI TIFTACH before the Chazan gets to the end of the bracha, and then the person is considered to have begun his AMIDA and therefore cannot answer AMEN to the Chazan's bracha. But by not actually starting BARUCH ATA... yet, the person is still considered to be properly davening with the TZIBUR by beginning the AMIDA with them.

Another point: if the Chazan does not taper the bracha off, but says it aloud all the way through, people who are not about to begin their AMIDA have the opportunity to say AMEN.

Notice that our Sages were concern with the proper saying of AMEN, and were loath to let a bracha go without an AMEN, were it not for another consideration.

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