[Avodah] SMA or SME

[Dov Kay]

>P.S. Notice that we call him the GRA, not the GRE, even though his name
>was Eliyahu.  Thus, the SME (quoted by RZS in another thread) should be
>acronmy-ized as SMA.)

>>The difference is that the initial letter is an alef, which is pronounced
>>A, not an ayin which is pronounced E.

That only makes sense if you apply Yiddish pronunciation, in which the ayin 
is pronounced E.  But why would you do that?  We don't do it for any other 
acronyms I can think of. For instance, it's the Ra'avya, not R'evya (his 
first name was Eliezer with an ayin).

This might be a chassidic/misnagdic split, as I have heard a prominent 
Lubavitcher Rav in town say it SME, but yeshivishe Litvish types say SMA.

Kol tuv
Dov Kay
Manchester, UK

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