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From: rhendel@king.mcs.drexel.edu (Russell Hendel)
Date: Sun, 11 Aug 1996 16:12:04 -0400
Subject: A Blashphemous Mistake

I would like to add to our growing list of davening/layning mistakes by
pointing out a mistake where the words and accents are all OK and yet
the mistake (at least according to one author) is semi blashphemous.

I refer to the Hertz Chumash edition of the Haftorah for VESHCHANAN.  The
verse in question is

             Mi tikan eth ruach  Hashem.

The correct cantillations are merchah tipchah ethnachtah so the pause is
as follows

       Mi tikain eth ruach?  Hashem   (Who has fixed spirits?  God)

This (ingenious) translation is given by Mordechai Breuer in his excellent
book on Teamim in the Chapter on how to use Teamim to achieve Parshanuth..
good biblical commentary.

However the Hertz Chumash makes the cantillations: mahpach pashtah koton so
that the pause is as follows:

    Mi Tikain eth ruach Hashem?  (Who has fixed God's spirit?).

According to Breuer the cantillations deliberately tried to avoid that
interpretation since it sounds (semi)blashphemous to even ask the question
(who has fixed God's spirits).

In conclusion, to echo the MJ theme, should a person who lained according to
the Hertz Chumash be made to go back if he used these incorrect Teamim.

Russell Jay Hendel, PH.d., ASA
rhendel @ mcs . drexel . edu