Let's go back to words in the weekly sedra to review different
topics. In R'UVEIN, the REISH has a SH'VA NA and is part of the first syllable with the SHURUKed ALEF - R'U. With a prefix letter, the SH'VA under the REISH will change to a NACH and join the prefix in the first syllable of the word. KIR-U-VEIN, LIR-U-VEIN, UR-U- VEIN. (There are one each of these in Tanach; the other 68 R'U-VEINs stand alone.) With RUVEINI, we have a different situation. The SH'VA we might have expected under the REISH is dropped. The REISH without vowel followed by ALEF- SHURUK is pronounced as if the ALEF were not there and the SHURUK went with the REISH. RU, not R'U. RUVEINI, not R'UVEINI. The prefix in this case, makes up its own syllable. In Parshat Pinchas, we find MISP'CHOT HA-RU-VEI-NI, the families of Reuven. HEI-KAMATZ GADOL is the first syllable, then RU (completely silent, as if non-existent ALEF), then VEI and then NI. So too LA-RU-VEINI, V'LA-RU-VEI-NI, and V'HA-RU-VEI-NI (that covers the 17 occurrences in Tanach.) If a person reads the word this week as HA-R'UVEINI, it's no big deal, but it isn't accurate and beautiful. + ...SHISHA V'SHIVIIM ELEF V'CH'MEISH MA'OT: [The Parshat Pinchas Homepage]
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