Common Mistakes In Davening

When beginning the Amidah, people should take their steps backwards and forwards, then stop moving their feet before starting the psukim “ki shaim” and “Hashem sfosai.”

Here’s another one for you:

Right before Az Yashir we have the passuk (Shmos 14:31):

???????? ?????????? ???-?????? ??????????, ?????? ?????? ?????? ????????????, ??????????? ?????, ???-??????; ?????????????, ????????, ??????????, ????????

Note the two yuds in the word ???????????. That makes the sh’va under the reish into a sh’va na. Thus the word should be pronounced Vayir’u (as opposed to Vayiru).

It changes the meaning of the word. The word, as written means “and they feared” (or, perhaps “were awed”). If you pronounce it as Vayiru (with a sh’va nach) it become “and they saw” as in the following passuk later in the same parsha (Shmos 16:15):

?????????? ?????-??????????, ??????????? ????? ???-?????? ??? ????–???? ??? ???????, ???-????; ????????? ??????, ???????, ???? ????????, ?????? ????? ?????? ????? ?????????.

Note that here, the word “Vayiru” has only a single yud. That makes the Sh’va under the resh into a sh’va nach. Here the word means “and they saw.”

The Wolf

My pet peeves: I have heard more often than I care to mention the shailiach tzibbur saying “ga-al Yisroel” rather than “go-ail Yisroel” om chazaras hashatz. Also, this is not on wording but I have also noticed quite often the shaliach tzibbur remaning bowed saying Hashem after “Borchu” rather than standing erect. I have seen this most often among yeshiva bochurim. (Yes, I purposely watch out for this) I wonder if they are ever taught how to daven properly.