Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading

Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading

And G-d

We've done this before; but it bears repeating.G-d's name - either the ALEF-DALET- NUN-YUD name or the YUD-HEI-VAV- HEI name which is pronounced exactly as if it were spelled ALEF-DALET... have the same rule when prefixed by a VAV. Example, B'reishit 24:1 - Now Avraham was old, well on in years, AND HASHEM had blessed Avraham with everything. The ALEF (actual or virtual) of this name of HaShem is voweled with a CHATAF-PATACH. The VAV then, does not get its usual SH'VA or change into a SHURUK (as it does before certain letters), it gets a PATACH - VA, and the ALEF's vowel drops out completely, leaving it totally silent - as if it were not there. VA-DO-NAI (or NOI, but let's not get into that now). Not V'A-DO... VA-DO.
In pasuk 3 of the same Perek, we find BA-DO... Same rule for the BET - but not for now. What is for now is the next phrase in 24:3.
ELOKEI HASHAMAYIM and ELOKEI HA-ARETZ. The vowel under the ALEF of ELOKEI is a CHATAF-SEGOL. The conjunctive VAV that is prefixed to the word gets a TZEIREI and the ALEF loses its vowel completely. VEI-LO-KEI. Not V'ELO... As if the ALEF is not there.
The fact that the YUD-HEI-VAV-HEI name follows the same rules indicates that it must not be pronounced as written, but as we read it - just like ALEF-DALET-NUN-YUD. And, of course, Siddurim and Chumashim that use YUD-YUD - nothing changes.

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