Neitz? No, Not.

(Hat Tip to Dov Bear, who is valiantly trying to correct generations of improper Hebrew usage....)

When we daven (pray) at sunrise, we are NOT davening "neitz".

נץ = either 1. hawk or 2. bud; blossom (Alcalay, The Complete Hebrew-English Dictionary, p. 1674)

הנץ = shining, glittering, rising (of the sun) (Ibid, p.430)

הנץ החמה = sunrise (Ibid.)

הנץ is pronounced either HAneitz (with a kamatz) or HEneitz (with a segol).

For more details read Dov Bear's posts:
Shavuos is Coming (2005)
Hanetz not Netz (2006)

In his second, more detailed post, he directs curious folk, who want to see proof with their own eyes, to the Kaufmann Codex, at the National Library of Jerusalem. Here is a direct link to the Mishna ברכות א:ז

Moshe found another source: Shir HaShirim 6:11 (here you see the etemological link between rising and budding)

Pronounce it as you will, if you are praying with the rising of the sun, you are either davening "haneitz" or "heneitz."

See you at the crack of dawn!



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA