No Such Thing as Parsha?

Real questions [in this case, a comment], submitted by actual OU Torah followers, with their real answers. NOTE: For questions of practical halacha, please consult your own rabbi for guidance.

Q. There is no such word as "parsha." The word is "parasha" with a kamatz under the peh, resh and shin.

A. Thanks for sharing your observation, to which I have three thoughts:

1. You are correct from a strictly grammatical standpoint, but "parsha" is the colloquial pronunciation, like "hagba," "shaloshudos" and "yasher koach." We know that they're not proper dikduk but that's what happens when importing a word from one language into another. When speaking Hebrew, we do pronounce them more formally.

2. "Parsha" is, in fact, a word, just not a Hebrew word - it's the Yiddish pronunciation. I assume that this pronunciation entered English via Yiddish just like the pronunciations "yuntif" and "Erchin" did.

3. Technically speaking, it's not a "parasha," either - it's a sedra (sidra)! A sedra, as I'm sure you are aware, comprises many parshiyot. But as with "mezuzah" (which means the doorpost but we use for the scroll) and "challah" (which means the portion burned but we use for the bread), we use words in the vernacular even though we know they are not technically accurate.

I hope this sheds some light on the use of a word of Hebrew origin in English in this colloquial form.

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