[Avodah] (Avodah) Who First Said it?

[D&E-H Bannett]

 Re: RnTK's comment on zeikher/zekher: <<I doubt if anyone 
here older than fifty ever heard it read both ways in his 
youth.>>

I started learn to read the Torah some 75 years ago in 
Flatbush and was taught to read both ways.  We did not 
repeat the entire pasuk but only the phrase "timcheh et 
zeikher Amalek".  I don't remember if I was taught the order 
but, many years later, I decided to read the incorrect 
zekher first and then correct myself by saying zeikher the 
second time.  Similarly, in the megilla, when the megilla 
has the incorrect bifneihem and laharog I read as written 
and then correct myself by repeating the phrase only: 
v'ish.... lifneihem and k'hashmid.... v'laharog.  If the 
megilla is correct I read only once.

Anyone slightly interested in the subject should read 
R'Mordekhai Breuer's article.  Those very interested should 
go directly to R' Prof Penkower's article. He gives the 
entire history, about 45 pages, including statistics on 
manuscripts from the time of ben Asher as well as customs of 
reading, etc.
The double reading evidently started slightly before the 
Hafetz Hayyim made it popular. Penkower cites a ba'al Kriah 
who was instructed by R' Sh'neur Zalman mi'Lublin to read 
twice. This R' Sh"Z died in 1902.  The Mishna B'rura was 
printed in 1906.

I was delighted to read that R' Penkower read twice despite 
his indisputable proofs that zeikher is correct.  A few 
years ago I gave a Friday night talk proving that there is 
absolutely no justification for double reading.  On the 
following morning I read parashat zakhor and read zekher 
followed by zeikher.  I too do as I was taught and do not 
allow myself to be confused with facts.  I am overjoyed to 
find that I follow the derekh of the expert.

It should be pointed out that no eidah other than the 
Ashkenazi ever questioned the correct reading.  AFAIK, 
Yekkes are the only Ashkenazi unaffected by the 
double-reading syndrome.

As to developments in Israel:  One of my grandchildren told 
me his rosh yeshiva told him to read only once (based on 
Breuer).  On the other hand I davenned this year at a 
yeshiva where in addition to reading in Abazit, Ashkenoz, 
Moroccan, and Yemenite they also had Parsi and what might 
have been Iraqi.

I have also heard a ba'al k'riah reading in mivta Ashkenazi 
repeat Machlas and Mochlas, and yahalom and yohalom.  He 
told me that he was told to do so by Harav Nebenzahl.  At 
this rate, it won't be long before we'll be hearing hundreds 
of p'sukim read twice.


David