Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading

Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading
The word T'HI means, she will be. In 24:51, we find U’T'HI, which means, and she will be. The VAV is conjunctive; the tense remains future and the VAV is a SHURUK rather than VAV/SH'VA because the first letter of the word is already voweled with a SH'VA. Furthermore, the DAGESH KAL in the TAV drops out (not that you can hear the difference in the S'fardit pronunciation) and the SH'VA switches from NA to NACH. That is UT-HI (sounding like the English "boot he" without the "b" or in Ashkenazis, sounding with "moose he" without the "m"). Later in the same perek, in 24:67, we find Va’T'HI which means, "and she was". The VAV is a VAV HA-HIPUCH, a VAV that switches the tense from future to past. It is voweled with a PATACH, the TAV keeps its DAGESH, which is now a DAGESH CHAZAK, and the SH'VA remains NA. UTT'HI (emphasize the TAV, accent on the HI).

Old Topic Revisited
We've done it before, but it needs repeating. And we're doing it this week in honor of Yitzchak Avinu, to whom we attribute the establishment of Mincha. The following happens at all davenings, but is very common at Mincha, especially during the workday, when some people come on time and others trickle in during the first few minutes of the davening.

We are talking about where to stand and not to stand for the Amida.

The topic relates to the one davening and to the one coming into a shul when the silent Amida has already begun.

One is not allowed to pass in front of some- one saying the Amida (i.e. within 4 amot of the davener). Some authorities hold that if the person's eyes are closed, then walking in front of him will not hurt his concentration and it may be done. Others hold that walking in front of a davener is disrespectful to the Divine Presence and is forbidden regardless of eyes open or closed, of the person gesturing you past him or not.

If you are late and cannot enter the room without walking in front of someone who is saying his Amida, then remain outside and find a good spot there to to stand "18".

Each of us should find a place to stand that will not "invite" someone to violate the above rule, nor block his access to the shul. If a person is standing behind a table, chair, bench, shtender, pillar, etc., one may walk in front of him.

[The Parshat Chayei Sara Homepage]
[The TORAH tidbits Homepage] [How to use TORAH tidbits]
[About The OU/NCSY Israel Center] [About TORAH tidbits]
[www.ou.org]