Towards Better Davening and Torah Reading

NU? again!

A number of weeks ago, we introduced the following topic, which we will now review - but with a serious application this time.

N. Sharoni in EIM LAMIKRA HASHALEIM (the sefer most involved in this column’s creation and continued existence) lists 6 different words in Parshat Mishpatim with the same feature. Let’s take one example.

TIKACHENNU, as in Sh’mot 21:14 -
....ME’IM MIZBACHI TIKACHEINU LAMUT:

If a person intentionally kills someone (and then flees to the Mishkan for sanctuary), you shall take him even from the Mizbei’ach to which he clings - in order to execute him (after trial, etc.)

The NUN in the word has a DAGESH CHAZAK in it, making the word third person singlar - take HIM. Without the DAGESH, the word would be first person plural, take US. (In that case, not only is the NUN not DAGESHed, but the vowel under the CHET is a TZEIREI rather than a SEGOL.) The way these words are said with an Israeli pronunciation are only distinguihed by the emphasis on the DAGESHed NUN or lack of emphasis on the NUN without a dot. So if a BK (Baal K’ri’a or Baal Korei as some people call him) reads the word TIKACHENU with a soft NUN, he must be told to repeat the word and emphasize the NUN: TIKACHENNU. This, according to the Kaf HaChayim, would be so because the meaning of the word has been changed by de-emphasizing the NUN.

It is possible (probable?) that when a BK pronounces his SEGOLs and TZEIREIs differently, then saying TIKACHENU can still be understood as “take him”, because “take us” would be TIKACHEINU. And it is also possible, that people who have lost the distinction between yes or no DAGESH, can get away with a flub.

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