[Avodah] Fwd: Maoz Tsur

[SBA Gmail]

From: SBA Gmail sbasba at gmail.com
 I noticed  last week's Dushinsky Torah newsletter mention that in the verse
'Yevanim', the correct version in "uminosar kankanim" is "NAASOH (with a
kometz) neis lashoshanim".I have always said and heard it as NAASEH (with a
segol)....So I checked Artscroll, Otzar Hatefillos and Avodas Yisroel (Baer)
and all have it with the kometz.

So my question is, is this a charedi/chassidish common error, or do others
also say it thus?
>>>

Reply from THE man...
  ---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mandel, Seth <mandels at ou.org>
R SBA, please post in my name.

Most payet/zmiros have significant grammaical errors that crept in over
time. Some are close to k'fira, as in Koh Ribbon; some are gross, the
equivalent to saying in English "he am want a apples," like "v'se'orev
l'fonekho", and some are relatively minor, such as the confusion of past and
present in Maoz Tsur.  If peoplle did not hear it from the ShaTz every day,
they went home and made mistakes.  Very few siddurim were reviewed by
Talmidei Chachomim.  Similarly the Targum Onqelus printed in Ashkenaz
siddurim
Morenu vRabbenu Arthur Scroll Shleeeta has allowed only minor corrections
under the copout "our sainted ancestors used siddurim with these mistakes,
so who are we to change,"  no matter that they use the mistaken
"corrections" introduced by various grammarians against rabbinic opposition
in the late 18th and the 19th Centuries. These grammarians fixed some things
and ruined others, but did not introduce changes to payet or zmiros.
Best would be to go back to the olb mss. used before print, but that would
never fly, because a) it would be the end of sfard and chabad changes (the
nusach of the Ari is different than either), and b) early Ashkenaz used
qomatz and pasach interchangeably, and also tzeire and segol, which would
bring down the wrath of most grammarians, who are ignorant of history and
linguistics.
I do sound like a Gnostic, but that is the fate baz'man hazzeh of people who
know linguistics and are serious about the dictum of the Kabbala to be
careful about what you say in prayer or similar dicta from other Rishonim.
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