[Avodah] Geshem or Gashem?!

[Professor L. Levine]

>From  https://ohr.edu/this_week/insights_into_halacha/4903


On Shemini Atzeres, as per the Mishna’s instruction[1]<https://ohr.edu/4903#_edn1> and codified by the Shulchan Aruch,[2]<https://ohr.edu/4903#_edn2> world Jewry started reciting “Gevuros Geshamim B’Tchiyas HaMeisim”, better known as the formulaic insert “Mashiv HaRuach U’Morid HaGashem”, in the second bracha of Shemoneh Esrei. This addition, showcasing the Might of G-d by mentioning the fact that He is the only One who has the power and ability to make rain, is considered so imperative that one who forgets to insert it must repeat the whole Shemoneh Esrei.[3]<https://ohr.edu/4903#_edn3>

As there are no vowels in the Gemara or Shulchan Aruch, an interesting question arises: what is the proper way to pronounce the Hebrew word for rain (גשם) in this sentence? Is it Ge shem (with a segol under the letter Gimmel; eh sound) or is it Ga shem (with a kamatz under the letter Gimmel; uh sound)? Although the word for rain is pronounced Ge shem when saying the word by itself, still, its proper pronunciation might be changed when part of a sentence.

Contemporary halachic authorities used various rules of Hebrew Grammar (dikduk) to come up with the proper solution.


Please see the above URL for more.


YL

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.aishdas.org/pipermail/avodah-aishdas.org/attachments/20181005/a41030ca/attachment-0001.html>