Column #91. 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. Some more on unusual dots in letters (I'm still not
calling them DAGESHes). EB found two more. Ezra 8:18, another VAYAVI-U U (which
Koren Tanach does not have, but others do). And Iyov 33:21, in the ALEF of the
unusual word RU-U U This last-mentioned occurrence of a dotted ALEF messes up
YL's theory - see last week's TBDATR column. EB adds that the Minchat Shai says
that the reason for the dot in the ALEF is Kabbalistic. I do not think we can know why just these (two) instances... have a DAGESH in the ALEF... Evidently the Ba’alei HaMesorah had a tradition that in these (two) places these words are pronounced slightly differently from their other occurrences in Tanach. It seems to me that the correct way to read them is to make a more pronounced glottal stop for these ALEFs than usual. A related phenomenon, also rare, is an ALEF at the end of a syllable that is not silent, for example NE’DARI and (both in Az Yashir, Sh'mot 15:6,11) and V’YA’DIR (Yesha- yahu 42:21) which we say at the end of Uva L’tzion. The SH’VA under the ALEF and the DAGESH in the DALET of these words indicate that the ALEF is not silent and that it closes the syllable. Presumably the correct way to pronounce these words is to make a brief glottal stop at the ALEF. I do not agree with all that you wrote about the dots in the LAMED of MOSHE LEIMOR and in the NUN of HOSHI’A NA... almost any letter can take a DAGESH at the beginning of a word according to the rules of DACHIK and ATEI MERACHIK. Thank you DL. We'll save the rest for another column. Let's change the topic to something completely different. Nothing in the realm of DIKDUK, but rather concerning "bad davening habits". We've had this topic before, but it bears repetition, based on its widespread occurrence. It is forbidden to walk in front of someone saying the Amida (within 4 amot - about 6-7 feet). Whether the person should be standing where he/she is or not does not change the rule. The person cannot waive this rule for you (by waving you on, pun intended); it is a matter of respect for G-d, which is NOT subject to our M'CHILA (waiver). It is improper for a person to say the Amida in such a location that will block other people. This is not so crucial when everyone is saying the Amida, but if you take a long time to say yours, or you started late, then it is important to find a "good spot" to stand that will not inconvenience others. Standing in the wrong place will either be a MICHSHOL, pitfall, "stumbling block before the blind" for others who will walk in front of you (with or without realizing that you are davening; with or without knowing that there is a problem; with or without caring about this rule...) — or — you will be inconveniencing someone who knows to wait until you are finished before crossing your path. Please take this seriously. [The Parshat Lech L'cha Homepage]
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