The pronunciation tag has no wiki summary.
4
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2answers
159 views
What's the difference between LaZman and LeZman?
In the Mishnah Brurah (676:1) it says:
והגיענו לזמן הזה הלמ"ד בחיר"ק ולא בפת"ח
That in the Bracha of Shehechiyanu, the Lamed in the word Lazman should be said with a Hiriq and not with a Patach.
...
11
votes
1answer
175 views
Where did the sing-song chant that Jews often use while contrasting points come from?
I am having a very hard time coming up with a good way to describe the phenomenon that I am thinking of, but many people will recognize it. I am talking about the kind of singing rhythm that people ...
3
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2answers
88 views
May one say the letters of Hashem's name i.e. “Yud hei vov hei”?
We know we cannot pronounce the 4-lettered name of Hashem.
Is it allowed to say the letters of Hashem's name ie “Yud hei vov hei” as in the meditation before counting the Omer or must one say “Yud ...
2
votes
1answer
31 views
Hamracheim or Hammerachim?
In Modim in the Shmoneh Esre we say המרחם כי לא תמו חסדך the question is whether the מ in המרחם should have a daggesh or not, and thus what sort of Shva should be under said מ?
2
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2answers
51 views
Niqqud for שְׁיָרֵי in Zevachim mishnah
I am really no expert in Hebrew grammar and I know there are many variants of same word. In particular I think there is no tradition for the puntuaction of the Mishnah.
However in my siddur ...
4
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0answers
76 views
Is there a tradition to pronounce kamatz katan as “a”?
There are many ways of pronouncing Hebrew in prayers and when reading the Tora. Most of these are tradition-based: one pronounces it the same way his parent or teacher did, or a close approximation. ...
3
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0answers
65 views
Correcting tav/sav
If someone who usually pronounces the letter "ת" without a dagesh as "sav" is leining Torah, and he accidentally says "tav" in a place where he would normally say "sav", should the gabbai correct him? ...
2
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0answers
84 views
How could different pronunciations arise when we are obligated to pronounce the Shema precisely?
If one does not pronounce the Shema correctly, one has not fulfilled their obligation (שולחן ערוך או"ח סימן סב). If so, then how could different pronunciations of the Hebrew words arise? Shouldn't at ...
0
votes
1answer
58 views
Is the angel named uriel or oriel
There is a significant difference, where one means: my fire is of god's and the other means: my light is of god's.
Since the spelling is the same in Hebrew, it is not apparent from some sources what ...
10
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3answers
200 views
Were our symbols for trope and nekudos created by the Masoretes, or transmitted by them?
It is commonly said in secular sources that the shapes of the trope and nekudos we use today were invented by the Masoretes (7th to 11th Century CE), but I cannot find any source in our mesorah to ...
2
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0answers
65 views
Which Names of Hashem can/can't we say [in regular conversation]?
Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (6:3) writes that one shouldn't say Hashem's name except by way of praise or blessing whenever required, or when learning (Torah)
[see this answer and this question ]
Indeed, ...
6
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2answers
76 views
Why are Chazal asking if words are spelled with א or ע?
In Shabbos 77a-77b, Chazal ask about the spelling of a series of words, questioning whether the words are spelled with an alef - as in גראינין - or with an ayin - as in גרעינין. Wasn't ayin vocalized ...
5
votes
1answer
111 views
Why is it “Beiz”?
I understand the Ashkenazi pronunciation of Hebrew is that the letter 'ת' with no דגש is an 's' sound.
So why do (many) Ashkenazim pronounce the name of the letter 'ב', which is normally spelled ...
4
votes
1answer
84 views
What is the correct pronunciation of last letter in the Hebrew alphabet?
I have heard mixed answers as to how to pronounce the letter תּ
Is it taf or tav?
(I'm referring to the halachic pronunciation not the common street way.)
Is there a difference between Ashkenazi or ...
4
votes
1answer
151 views
Was Pharoh's daughter named Basya or Bisya?
Was Pharoh's daughter named Basya or Bisya? Sources please!
4
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0answers
160 views
How do people daven so quickly, and what's the support for it?
I learned that one must clearly enunciate every word of tefila. At the least this would include Shemoneh Esreh and Shema, but one might presume it includes all of davening. This question can easily ...
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0answers
132 views
Inhaling prayers?
Elsewhere I ask whether it's sufficient to pray in a whisper. See there, please, for a description of whispering and how it differs from speaking quietly.
Answers to that question indicate that ...
7
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2answers
174 views
Stress of הושיעה and הצליחה in Hallel
Why is הושיעה Mileel (penultimately stressed) whereas הצליחה is Milra (ultimately stressed) in Psalms 118:25?
3
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7answers
377 views
Hebrew Pronunciation of the Conservative Movement
Why does the Conservative Movement pronounce Hebrew in a quasi-Sephardic pronunciation, even though their engagement in Wissenschaft Des Judentums would have led them to embrace the Yemenite ...
0
votes
1answer
107 views
The vowel making the “i” sound and the vowel making the “ee” sound [closed]
While I have no unicode to show my predicament, I'd like to describe it. I know the vowel for i, such as in the English word "bit", is represented by a dot under the consonant. I know the vowel for ...
4
votes
1answer
94 views
Making mistakes in shemone esri
I would assume at some point, too many uncorrected mistakes during the shemone esri (not talking about the things that would make it avodah zara here) would make it invalid/useless as it simply loses ...
0
votes
2answers
167 views
Pronunciation for אלוהים הוא אלוהים שלי
I got this from translating 'G-d is my G-d' on Google Translate. However I don't know how to pronounce the Hebrew. Can somebody give me the pronunciation on this and is there a Hebrew name that means ...
3
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2answers
201 views
Question about Ashkenazi pronunciation
BS"D
I was at an Ashkenazi beith kneseth this past shabboth and noticed that they didn't distinctly pronounce their Shuruq's and Hholam's and instead substituted them with Hhireq's. I'm not sure if ...
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0answers
99 views
Pronunciation of “Two”s in Hebrew
Thomas O. Lambdin calls out the words שְנַיִם and שְתַּיִם as exceptions to "shewa as the initial vowel in a word is always vocalized," i.e. it is "shtayim" and "shnayim". That's a secular expert's ...
8
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3answers
401 views
What is the correct pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton?
I come from Christianity.SE, where I asked almost the same question. Isaac Moses assured me that the question would not be disrespectful and could be asked here.
God's name is written as the ...
2
votes
0answers
104 views
Pronunciation of מסכתא (tractate)
Sometimes I hear מסֶכתא (pronounce: masechta) pronounced as מסִכתא (pronounce: masichta) by some people, particularly in Ashkenazi circles. Why is this?
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6answers
301 views
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8answers
283 views
How do you extend the sound of a daleth in Shema?
How does one extend the sound of the daleth in the echod of the shema as prescribed in OC 61 (6)?. The letter as we say it does not seem to allow extension. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalet ...
5
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0answers
96 views
Good resource for learning vowel pronunciation
In trying to improve my leyning, I'm trying to get the finer points of vowel pronunciation down.
What is a good resource to learn, e.g., the difference between a patach and chataf-patach or a ...
2
votes
1answer
88 views
Is it “Vay-SHA-vucha” or “Va-YASH-vucha” in Anim Zemiros?
Is it "Vay-SHA-vucha" or "Va-YASH-vucha" in Anim Zemiros? I've heard both, and seen both in different siddurim. Any insight?
3
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2answers
85 views
Why refer to alcoholic beverages as Yash?
In many Chasidishe and Heimishe Shuls - Vodka, Whiskey and the likes are known as "Yash" which is an acronym for Yayin Saraf - יי״ש. However would it not be more appropiate to call it Yas? Then why do ...
1
vote
2answers
108 views
Midrash/Medrash
Can anyone explain to me the difference between Midrash and Medrash? Is one of them known to be more correct (i.e. most likely older)?
13
votes
2answers
207 views
Whispering prayers?
Can one whisper t'fila (prayer)? I'm thinking of obligatory t'filos like sh'mone esre and "Sh'ma".
I know one can speak t'fila quietly, even very quietly; in fact, sh'mone esre is said quietly. I'm ...
0
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2answers
145 views
Ve-dibarta BAM? or bam?
Would saying "ve-dibarta BAM!!!" (with the letter A pronounced like Apple) help me to discharge my obligation when reciting kriat shema, or would it be better that I say "bam" instead? (the letter A ...
8
votes
1answer
223 views
A Lubavitch custom of reciting zecher and zeicher in “Ashrei”?
My cousin, a Lubavitcher, says both zecher and zeicher (that is, both זֶכֶר with a segol and זֵכֶר with a tzeire) in "Ashrei". I noticed this when I visited him a good few years ago, and assumed it ...
8
votes
1answer
159 views
Jewish names commonly used in a different form than found in Tanach
Some names are popularly used in a different form than the way they're spelled or pronounced in Tanach. A few that I can think of are:
Nochum (נָחוּם) - is written in Tanach (Nah. 1:1) as נַחוּם ...
7
votes
2answers
173 views
How to learn Amidah, Shma and others?
I live 3000km from shul and take conversion classes remotely. I am learning from Koren Siddur. Because I do not ever hear how the words should be spoken, I sometimes wonder if it is a waste of time. I ...
5
votes
3answers
282 views
Silent aleph (no, I mean really silent)
Please explain what is going on with the letter aleph in certain places in Tanakh (e.g. the second to last word of Devarim 3:12, the first word of Tehilim 34:10) where the aleph contributes neither a ...
5
votes
3answers
275 views
How do you pronounce Hashem's name when there is a prefix?
When you have a prefix, such as a lamed, before the name YKVK people pronounce it la | donai instead of la | a | donai. Why?
2
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0answers
87 views
Intonation of questions in ancient Hebrew [closed]
That is, when someone asks a question in English, their pitch goes up at the end. When someone makes a statement in English, their pitch goes down. This is not universal: In German, only some ...
5
votes
1answer
113 views
how do you pronounce the soft reish?
from the sefer yetzirah it seems that there is both a hard and soft letter reish (see 4th perek, aryeh kaplan edition). How do you pronounce the soft reish?
6
votes
0answers
95 views
Prounciation - IM vs YIM? with ים ending
I've read that ידים is to be pronounced ya- DAI - im, yet שמים is to be pronounced sha-MAI-yim.
Both end the same, but are pronounced differently. (This was from a text purporting to teach "Biblical ...
5
votes
2answers
105 views
Correct Niqqud for ואטהר in Sefira Nusach
Context: In the Ashkenaz / Sefard (and possibly others) Nuschaos of Sefira, there is a prayer starting with the words "Ribbono Shel Olam [רבונו של עולם]" that is said. Towards the end of this prayer ...
10
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1answer
202 views
Should I say “amen” to a malformed bracha?
If I hear somebody substantially mispronounce a bracha, should I say amen anyway (recognizing the intent) or remain silent? I'm not talking about nuances like pronouncing 'ayin or distinguishing ...
5
votes
2answers
388 views
Pronunciation of משנה הלכות
Are R' Menashe Klein's volumes of responsa pronounced "Mishna Halachos" or "Mishaneh Halachos"? Can someone provide the grammatical explanation please?
10
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2answers
226 views
Meaning and pronunciation of יישר כחך
What is the exact meaning of the phrase "יישר כחך", and what is the gramatically-correct way to pronounce it?
1
vote
1answer
93 views
What is the vowel associated with the letter “dalet” in the name “Aleph-Dalet-Nun-Yud”?
What is the vowel associated with the letter “dalet” in the name “Aleph-Dalet-Nun-Yud”? I always assumed it was a “cholam” (see here for example) but someone who is (otherwise) careful in his ...
2
votes
1answer
100 views
Pronunciation of Esther's cousin's name.
I have seen a couple of places where Mordechai’s name is spelled with a kamatz katan under the daled. Has anyone else seen this and do you know which is more accurate: Mordechai/ Mordachai/ Mordochai ...
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0answers
103 views
Pronunciation guide by a Gerer Rebbe?
I heard from a friend years ago that one of the Rebbes from Gur (possibly the S'fas Emes) wrote a book describing the proper pronunciation of Hebrew letters and words. I am not able to find any trace ...
4
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1answer
272 views
Hebrew Havarah?
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For example, Ukrainian, Polish and Hungarian Jews pronounce a "Shuruk" as a EE, or a Komatz as an oo (so Boruch ...
