[Mesorah] question re 4-30:9

[Dov Bloom]

MPoppers wrote "I think it was better being on "v'im" than on "b'yom," because that way "b'yom" is more strongly connected to the "shmo-a'...osahh" phrase.

I think MPoppers is absolutely correct. The "im" in 30:9 couldn't be hyphenated with "b'yom" because "b'yom sh'moa ishah" is one phrase and the hyphenation would divide the pasuk (wrongly) as [v'im b'yom] tlisha gedola - a MAFSIK and then [sh'moa ishah].

See Perlman's "Dapim LeLimud Taamei HaMikra" page 547 in book 7 for the structure: Telisha Gedola  - Kadma  - Munach  - Zarka ... Segol.

 Breuer has a 17 page chapter on hyphenation (Maqaph) where he ends up by stating that all the rules for Maqaph only ALLOW the maqaph but don't actually mandate it.  

Note that the MISHNE (secondary pausal accent) Zarka is preceded by the Kadma which replaces a SHALISH (tertiary pausal accent) Geresh. The Tlisha Gedola is a second SHALISH (tertiary  pausal accent )  before Zarka, and it is a smaller stop than the Zarka on "Ishah".
If there are two or more SHALISHIM before a MISHNE their relative power cannot be determined by rules alone but depends on the pasuk. 

This is unlike the cases for instance of 2 MISHNIM before a Tipha, Zakef or Segol, where there is a predetermined hierarchy ( a Tevir is a smaller MISHNE than Revia and the order is Revia followed by Tevir) but if the hierarchy is reversed, (the stop before the Tevir is smaller rather than bigger than the Tevir) then the Tevir will be preceeded by a SHALISH like a Geresh and not a second MISHNE like a Revia.

MPoppers comment that "A few of the p'suqim in this parashah are emphasized by the use of the zarqa and segol" is out of place, though. The Segol usually appears in psukim that have a large "first half" (tzela rishona) before the etnach and it is hard to claim that the segol and its MISHNE Zarka - that only comes in a pasuk with Segol, are there for "emphasis". Someone did some work on occurances of Segol, either Perlman or his student Himmelfarb-Widovsky, but I can't lay my hands on it now. 
What do the experts think? DB the elder?

Dov A Bloom
dovb at netvision.net.il
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