- Torah and Jewish Thought
- General Questions
Pronouncing the Name
Question
Shalom, k’vod harav:
I am perplexed by your answer of some 5 years ago to this question, in which you said: "Thus it is clear that Hashem?s name should be pronounced as it is written, while reading Shnayim Mikra V?echad Targum". Surely you couldn’t have meant that the Tetragrammaton is to be pronounced as it is written (which, according to Abba Sha’ul at Mishnah Sanhedrin 10:1, forfeits a person’s ??? ????? ???), and in my copy of the Targum the Name is written as a pair of yods - am I to understand from what you wrote that it should be spoken as "ye-ya"?
Answer
"Scholars, be careful with your words" (Avot 1, 11)
Thank you for bringing to my attention the misleading wording of the original answer. It is obvious that you do not pronounce the Name Yud, Yud – but only the name of mastery Ado-nai. The intention was to stress in response to the questioner that one pronounces God's Name while reading Targum Onkelos and not the term "Hashem". The original answer was amended and instead of "Thus it is clear that Hashem’s name should be pronounced as it is written" it says "Thus it is clear that Hashem’s name Ado-nai should be pronounced while reading Shnayim Mikra V’echad Targum".
Regarding Abba Shaul's opinion you mentioned, that one who pronounces The Divine Name as it is spelled has no portion in the world to come (Sanhedrin 90a). It is recommended to see the commentary of the Rishonim on this. According to Rashi (Sanhedrin 101b and A"Z 17b) it is referring to the Name of forty two letters where one utters it for his own desires. And according to most Rishonim (Tosfot A"Z 18a. Rambam in his commentary on the Mishnah in Sanhedrin. Yad Ramah. Meiri and more) it is referring to the Name of four letters the Name Havayah YH-WH which must only be pronounced as the Name of mastery Ado-nai.

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