Y'VA'RE'CH'CHA HASHEM V'YISH'M'RECHA:
YA-EIR HASHEM PANAV EILECHA VI'CHUNEKA:
YISA HASHEM PANAV EILECA V'YASEIM L'CHA SHALOM:
Above, of course, are the three p'sukim of the B'RACHA M'SHULESHET, the three-fold bracha known as Birkat Kohanim. They are found in this week's sedra, which is why we are taking another look at their proper pronunciation. This review is not just for kohanim - we say these p'sukim every morning as part of Birkat HaTorah, fathers (parents) bless their children with this b'racha on Leil Shabbat, and a shali'ach tzibur needs to pronounce the words accurately, so that the kohanim will be properly prompted.

First word, three syllables. Sounds like (oops, old habits...). Y'VA, RE (as in referee), and CH'CHA. The main accent is on the last syllable, i.e. the word is MILRA. There is a shorter, secondary accent on the first syllable. The second syllable is unaccented. We emphasize this, because it is a common error to say y'va-RE-ch'cha.The correct way to say the word is Y'VA-re-CH'CHA, with the stronger accent on the last syllable.

In contrast, the third word is MIL'EL, with the accent on the M'RE. The word is v'yish-M'RE-cha. So too, vi-chu-NE-ka - note that the final letter has a dot in it - ka, not cha. And so too for the twice occurring ei-LE-cha.

Aside from L'CHA, which is a 1-syllable word, all the others are MILRA, accented on their last syllable. a-do-NOI (3 times), ya-EIR, pa-NAV (twice), yi-SA, v'ya-SEIM, and sha-LOM.

Notice in all of the above that letters with a SH'VA NA do not constitute their own syllable but are rather attached to the beginning of the letter/vowel that follow them. Y'VA, V'YISH, M'RE, etc. Remember, this is G-d's b'racha for His people that we utter on His behalf, so to speak. It should be recited carefully. (And so should all davening and Torah reading.)