In the EIM LAMASORET section of EIM LAMIK- RA HASHALEM by R' Nissan Sharoni (the main, but not only, source for this column) he flags TAZRI'A with a warning to BAALEI K'RI'A to prepare well because of the large number of HUs and HIs. Another warning is to be careful with identical or similar phrases that have differentTROP-notes.

Here's another "heads-up". The word TA-HO-RAH has a KAMATZ GADOL under the TET, which in S'fardit pronunciation is TA and in Ashkenazis is TAW. Same for the KAMATZ GADOL under the REISH - RA or RAW. The CHATAF-KAMATZ under the first HEI is pronounced like a short KAMATZ KATAN, HAW (Ashkenazis) or some- thing close to HO(S'fardit). TA-HO-RA or TAW- HAW-RAW. Of four times the word appears, twice there is a MAPIK (dot) in the final HEI and twice there isn't. BIDMEI or D'MEI TA-HO-RA, silent HEI at the end of the word, meaning "ritually clean blood". Y'MEI TA-HO-RAHHH, meaning her purification period. This is an illustration of a soundedHEI having a different meaning from a silent HEI.

Here's a word that complicates the issue further. Look in Vayikra 13:4 and 20, US (rhymes with loose) ARA, and its hair (referring to a BAHERET, a spot in the skin), in the first case stating that the hair did not turn yellow, in the second case, it did turn yellow. In both cases, the word should be US- ARAHHH with a sounded HEI because of its MAPIK. The one in 13:20 has a MAPIK, the one in 13:4 does not. That this is strange is attested to by the fact that in most Chumashim, the word has an asterisk (or its equivalent) and a footnote (or side note) tells you of the Tradition not to pronounce the word with the MAPIK it should really have. So here's the question. If a BK reads the first US-ARA with an aspirated HEI, do we allow it to stand, because it is the grammatically correct pronunciation, or do we say that the Masoret (Tradition) specifically tells us not to aspirate the HEI and therefore we should consider the word mispronounced to a fault.

In all cases like these, a BK should prepare well enough to be meticulous about all of the fine nuances of pronunciation and TROP. And in all cases, we must avoid embarrassing a BK who does make an error by having a bunch of people "jumping down his throat" when a correction need be made. One of the GABA'IM on the BIMA should both pay careful attention and be knowledgeable about which errors require rereading the word or phrase (or pasuk) and which can be allowed to pass. And the corrections should be made quietly and gently.

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