Q. Rav, If someone gets an aliyah at a shul with a different Nusach (tradition of pronunciation) than his, which version of the bracha should he say? For example, a Sephardi would add "et Torato" in the bracha after the aliyah. Is that appropriate to do in an Ashkenazi minyan? And should an Ashkenazi add it when at a Sephardic minyan? Have any Poskim deal with this specific question? Thanks!
A. The accepted tradition in our days is that a person receiving an Aliya can recite the brocho following his own singular pronunciation, whether it is Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Chasidic etc.
On question 3150 regarding one who pronounces Hebrew and davens with Ashkenazi pronunciation and is given an aliya at a Sephardic shul, where the Baal Koreh (Torah reader) pronounces the reading of the Torah following that tradition, should he when standing by the Torah, follow reading quietly the Sephardic pronunciation, or use the one he always uses? He is afraid that since he is not familiar with the reading, he probably will make mistakes if he reads on his own. What is correct?
To what we answered “Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that if he will make mistakes while reading on his own, he should better follow and quietly repeat the Sephardic reading of the Baal Koreh.
See also question 1848 regarding someone with background in Ashkenazi and Sephardi communities, and is able to daven with either pronunciation.
He always davens with Ashkenazi pronunciation. Can he daven for the omud in a Sephardi shul with Sephardi pronunciation, or avoid davening for the omud?
Is it same the other way around (someone that always davens with Sephardi pronunciation, daven for the omud in Ashkenazi shul)? The question is about pronunciation, not Nusach.
To what we answered: In regard to the reading of the Torah especially in regard to Parshas Zachor, there are various opinions if one can comply when reading or listening to another different pronunciation than one’s own.
(See a collection of different rulings on Ribavos Efraim O.H. 6: 376 and others).
In regard to Tefila, Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is to follow the many Poskim that maintain that if one davens before the omud, he should follow the established pronunciation accustomed in that congregation, even when different to one’s own and he would still comply with his obligation. (See similar in Yalkut Yosef – Tefila 105: 5, Igrois Moshe O.H. 4: 23 and 65, Minchas Yitzchok 3: 9, Oz Nidberu 3: 48, et. al.)
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller and Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu Shlit'a
Important Numbers
