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Last week's TBDATR column was about MAPIK-HEI. That most MAPIK HEIs are some feminine form of words is clear. There was a suggestion that maybe all were. Several TTreaders responded that this is definitely not so, and cited examples of MAPIK HEI words that are not feminine. Among them are one of G-d's names, YUD-HEI, KAHHH. Some included MAPIK-HEI words with a PATACH (G'NUVA) under the HEI. These were not included in the look at MAPIK-HEI words.

The beginning of this week's sedra has the travelog of Bnei Yisrael. And they traveled FROM... In Hebrew, the prefix MEM means from. The MEM is voweled with a CHIRIK in most cases - MIMARA, MIDAFKA, MI- TACHAT, MIYATVATA... When prefixed to a place-name beginning with ALEF, HEI, CHET, AYIN, and REISH, the MEM is voweled with a TZEIREI - MEIRA'M'SEIS, MEI-ALUSH, MEICHATZEIROT, MEI-AV- RONA...

And they camped IN... the prefix this time is BET, voweled with a SH'VA in most cases, before a letter with a SH'VA the BET has a CHIRIK, and before a CHATAF-PA- TACH, the BET has a PATACH.

B'TARACH, B'DIVON GAD, B'FUNON... but BIRFIDIM, BIVNEI YAAKAN, and BACHA- TZEIROT, BACHARADA.

Menashe's leader at the beginning of B'midbar is GAMLIEL b. P'DA-TZUR. The HEI has no vowel and is therefore silent. Naftali's leader at the end of B'midbar is P'DAHHH-EL b. AMIHUD. The HEI has a SH'VA under it, making it the equivalent of a MAPIK-HEI, and it is sounded. (Although most Chumashing have the SH'VA, Minchat Shai seems to say that it shouldn't be there and the name would be P'DA'EL. And the DALET would not have a PATACH, but a KAMATZ in that case.)