Let's revisit the topic that inspired this column in the first place: the prefixed VAV that switches the tense of a verb from past to future (or command).

Let's sing the words from Parshat Eikev that are quoted in Birkat HaMazon. Here is a representation of the way it sounds, with loads of misplaced accents.

ka-a-KA-tuv v'a-CHAL-ta v'sa-VA-ta u'vei- RACH-ta...

Let's start with the first word and get it out of the way. The correct pronunciation is ka-ka-TUV. The extra -a- comes from singing and I don't know if we need get rid of those extra syllables that always come into singing the davening, benching, etc. Reader feedback on that is welcome. The singing of a MIL-RA word as MIL'EIL in this case does not change the meaning of the word, but we should (maybe) try to sing words correctly, in all cases.

But now let's look at the other three words - three verbs. All second person, singular. Each, without the VAV in front of it, would be past tense, and accented MIL'EIL (next-to- the-last syllable). a-CHAL-ta (you ate), sa-VA-ta (you were satisfied), bei-RACH-ta (you benched). The tense-flipping VAV also (usually) sends the accent to the last syllable. v'a-chal-TA, and you shall/will eat. Not v'a-CHAL-ta, like most of us sing it (and probably say it). And this time, the meaning of the word changes. v'a-CHAL-ta means "and you ate" - not what the pasuk is saying. We need to learn to accent these words correctly. As we've said in this column many times in the past, it is hard to change habits that have been reinforced over years of davening and benching, etc. But v'a-CHAL-ta is just as wrong as v'a-TAL-cha would be. Let's get into the habit of saying v'a-chal-TA -- even when we sing it! The same goes for the fourth word above. u'vei (the DAGESH drops out of the BET with the VAV prefixed to the word) rach-TA ET ha-SHEM elo-KE-cha.... And you shall (mitzva) bless G-d... Not "and you blessed", u-vei-RACH-ta.

What about the third word - v'sa-VA-ta? That one stays MIL'EIL. The accent does not shift to the last syllable when the word is at the end of a pasuk or at an ETNACHTA (strong stop, like a semi-colon). Also, if the three-letter root of the word ends with an ALEF or HEI, then the accent stays put when a tense-flipping VAV is attached. u'an-NI-ta (and you will build - root BET-NUN-HEI), stays MIL'EIL. So does v'ka-RA-ta (and you shall call his name Yitzchak, for example). ka-ka-TUV v'a-chal-TA v'sa-VA-ta, u'vei-rach- TA... It's really important to get these kind of words right. The SH'MA has many too.