[Avodah] Zechor/zachar

[D&E-H Bannett]

Re:  << I find it noteworthy that (just like zaycher/zecher) 
neither of these variants is noted in the "kri/ksiv" section 
of any Chumash I've seen, and I've wondered if their origin 
is in the same time/place as that of zaycher/zecher.>>

You won't find lifneihem/bifneihem or v'laharog/laharog on 
any k'tiv/kri list because they are not a ketiv/kri.  Every 
accurate k'tav yad as well as the written mesorot state that 
the words are lifneihem and v'laharog.  The source of the 
incorrect versions is the Venetzia mikraot gedolot of 1525. 
Of course ben Hayyim must have copied these errors from an 
older inaccurate source.

As to zeikher/zekher, I refer you to the excellent articles 
by R' Mordekhai Breuer, R' Yhtzhak Penkovsky, and Yossi 
Peretz all of which show what has always been quite obvious. 
There is no real basis for the zekher reading.
Evidently, R' Hayyim Volozhiner knew what he was talking 
about when he wrote in Ma'asei Rav that the Gra did not say 
zekher with a segol under the zayyin.  The double reading 
developed gradually and, thanks to the, MB has lately spread 
rapidly in the Litvish yeshiva world.

And if you want to double read zeikher/zekher, the words, 
the phrases or the sentences, please do not read zeikher 
first because you are then going to "correct the error" by 
reading it the wrong way the second time.

If your megilla is an Ashkenazi one with the incorrect 
bivneihem/laharog, correct yourself by repeating. If your 
megilla is correct, there isn't much in read as written and 
then "correct" with the incorrect. There would be even less 
sense in reading incorrectly first  and then correct by 
reading as it is written.



David