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From: rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu (Russell Hendel)
Date: Mon, 30 Dec 1996 14:13:27 -0500
Subject: Trup for Deut 33,16

Ovadiah Dubin's inquiry on the trup in Deut 33,16 can be answered by
analogous trup in Psalms 46,5. There are two ways of looking at this verse
If Psalms 46,5 had said [Palgay Nahar Yesamchu Ir Hashem]
        (The tributaries of the river) (will make happy the city of G-d)
then the trup would break up the verse as shown by the parenthesis (munach
tipchah followed by munach ethnachtah).
However Psalms 46,5 really says [Nahar, Plagauv Yesamchu Hashem]
        (The river:) ({Its tributaries} {make happy the city of G-d})
and the trup separates river (with a Revii) from the rest of the verse.

The general rule is: Trup DO NOT break up a construct state (..of..) but
trup DO break up words that are in opposition or parenthetical afterthought.
Some well known examples from the daily davening are
        Ps 33:18 (..G-ds eyes are on those who fear him) (who wait for mercy)
        Ps 146:3 (Don't depend on wealthy people) (men who have no salvation)
        Ps 98:5  (Sing to G-d on the Lyre) (On the lyre & with melodious voice)

Returning to Deut 33,16: If the verse had said: [Rson Shochn Seneh]
        (The will) (of He who dwells in the thornbush)
Then the trup would NOT breakup the construct state "He who dwells in the bush"
Since however the verse actually says: [Rson Shocni Seneh]
        (The will of My dweller) (--by the thornbush)
then the trup DOES breakup the parenthetical afterthought "by the thornbush".
Although the grammatical construction of the verse is rare and therefore
people are not used to it nevertheless GIVEN this construction the trup are
correct.

I am indebted to (MJ) Rabbi Daniel Wasserman of Pittsburgh (also an
excellent Baal Koray) for a delightful conversation we had in Succoth of
95 from which the content of this posting was derived.

Russell Hendel, Rhendel @ mcs drexel edu