Getting Gemara Grammar

Garden Path Sentences

Some more linguistics coming up…

The Aramaic noun ‘Latusa’ literally means a curse. In the Gemara, we often find the noun used as a verb (Layit).

The term can mean either real cursing or just condemning. Cursing always refers to an actual person, while condemnation can be of both persons and ideas.

Throughout Shas one can find the verb of ‘layit’ joined up with either “Alah” or “Aman”, but not both. Alah means on that (object), Aman means whoever (person).

So “Layit ala” is “he denounced… (An idea)”, and “Layit aman” is “he cursed\denounced… (Whoever would do something)”.

Here are some examples of each:

‘Alah’: Ta’anis 29b; Shabbos 120b; Kiddushin 33b.

‘Aman’: Berachos 13b; ibidem 15a.

Only in two places (Yes, I did a computer search) are both used together, and both are on Berachos 29.

The first is on Berachos 29a —

לייט עלה אביי אמאן דמצלי הביננו (במתא)

The second is on Berachos 29b —

לייטי עלה במערבא אמאן דמצלי עם דמדומי חמה

Take the first piece for example. One can say “Abaye condemned Havinenu”, or “Abaye condemned whoever prays Havinenu”. What doesn’t work is: “Abaye condemned regarding it whoever prays Havinenu” (sic). The second case has the same problem.

This is more than just wordiness (see Iggros Chazon Ish 1:30); it’s also vague: Which is correct? Is the act being condemned or are the individuals carrying it out?

The Schottenstein Edition (both English and Hebrew), Mesivta, Soncino, and others, understandably ignore the word “Ala”, going straight with ‘Aman’. They all translate the Gemaras something like this:

1. Abaye condemned\cursed whoever would pray “Havinenu (Give us discernment)”.
2. In the west (i.e. Eretz Yisrael) they condemned\cursed whoever would pray Mincha at the last appearance of the sun.

(Excuse me for not explaining these passages more fully. The job would take forever, and I came down with a case of “Analysis Paralysis” after reading Chidushei Maharam Bennet on 29a.)

As anyone who reads my posts already knows, I am no grammarian, but these phrases look like some quasi-form of Dangling Modifier, or rather ‘Garden Path Sentences’.

My answer is not great, but here goes: By using the non-personal “ala”, the Gemara is toning down the condemnation somewhat. Although it goes on to say the direct “Aman”, the Gemara’s voice is now gentler. I am clueless as to why the Gemara is choosing to be mild.

Does anyone have a better answer?

P.S. This is not the venue for addressing practical Halacha on the Havinenu prayer or late Mincha. To investigate further, cf. Tosafos; R’ Chananel; Orach Chaim 110 (and Biur Halacha ad. loc.), etc. on Havinenu, and Pri Chadash Orach Chaim (end of Chap. 89) regarding late Mincha.