Published February 25, 2010
ha-mo-LEICH, (Achashveirosh) who rules… The word is MILRA (accented on the last syllable) and must be so because a MIL’EIL accenting is the name of a pagan god (that the Torah repeatedly warns us about).
SHUSHAN HABIRA and SHUSHAN
For Ashkenazic and Teimani pronunciations: Notice that when the name SHUSHAN occurs on its own, the second SHIN is voweled with a KAMATZ (SHUSHAwN), but when followed by HABIRA, that SHIN has a PATACH (SHUSHAN). Israeli pronunciation does not distinguish between the KAMATZ GADOL and the PATACH.
AL RITZFAT BAHAT VA’SHEISH V’DAR V’SOCHARET
On pavement (or flooring) of green and white and shell and onyx marble.
The first syllable of the second word above is RI. The TZADI has a SH’VA NA and begins the second syllable TZ’FAT. The FEI has no DAGESH in it. RITZ-PAT refers to glowing coals, not the floor. RI-TZ’FAT. This, notwithstanding that floor is RITZ-PA.
MORDECHAI: Some printed Megilot have a CHATAF-KAMATZ under the DALET; most have a SH’VA NA. Whichever, the pronunciation is like a SH’VA NA. (Some will exaggerate the SH’VA sound to approach a quick, short KAMATZ.) Under the CHAF is a PATACH except at an ETNACHTA and a SOF PASUK. So to in Eshter 4:12 (reason unknown). Israeli pronunciation will not distinguish between the two. Ashkenazic and Tei- mani will. MOR-D’CHAI and MOR-D’ CHOI.
1:17 - that the king ordered Vashti to come before him, V’LO VA-a, and she did not come. VA-a (which is BA-a with the DAGESH dropping out because of the ALEF of V’LO) is past tense. The word must be pronounced MIL’EIL (as indicated by the upper- and lowercase. All other occurrences of ba-A are MILRA and are in present tense. This misaccenting (either way) requires the BK to repeat the word correctly. So too, sha-VA, as in 2:14 - In the evening she ba-A abd in the morning she sha-VA to the harem…
50 Amot tall - ga-VO-ahhh (and NOT ga-VO-ha). The PATACH under the HEI at the end of a word behaves exactly like a CHET with a PATACH at the end of a word. Apple is ta-PU- ach, not ta-PU-cha. Same with ga-VO-ahhh. Note: S’fardim give the CHOLOM a W sound, ga-VO-wahhh, ta-PU-wach. Ashkenazim just sound the PATACH first, as if it were under an invisible ALEF, and then the final letter. ga-VO-ahhh. Remember too that the HEI is sounded. ahhh!
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