Misreading Hebrew for new meaning

In the (Sefardi and Mizrachi) sedur^Note1 we read (erev Shabat, just before לכה דודי that R. Elazar said in R. Hanenah's name that it is written that students of the hakhamim bring peace to the world we should read בניך (your children) as בוניך (your buildings).

Previously I mentioned that I wrongly read (in the Akedah) שניהם יחדו (together) as שניהם ידו (hand-in-hand).)

So it comes as no surprise to me that I did it again in the public guilt offerings^Note2 זבחי שלמי צבור ואשמות paragraph, reading שיחה חריפה (harsh words, lit. "spicy" words) instead of שפחה חרופה (violating a female slave, alternatively, maid servant^Note2).

For me, the misreading is both logical and a good thing.

Anyone who has following my ramblings from the beginning knows I sometimes (too often?) say things I come to regret later, so when I came to, and misread, שפחה חרופה I was reminded to consider the damage my tongue can cause/has caused - both to the person to whom or about whom I was speaking and to the speaker as well.

Even though I know שפחה חרופה has nothing to do with שיחה חריפה, the "watch your words" admonishment from the misreading remains.

And after all, if R. Elazar in R. Hanenah's name can "massage" words for a positive end, why not this scrivener.

If nothing else, today's exercise reminded me that the "standard" Ashkenazi sedur and the my Sefardi sedurim, while they have a very high degree of commonality, are different. As Jews, we have variety, but "bottom line," we are more alike than different.

 

Note 1: The sedurim most frequently used by this scrivener are
וזרח השמש and אבותינו, both "נוסח מרוקו" .

Note 2: Artscroll sedur translations

 

Three final words on sedurim: "Index Avascular Necrosis." Proving there is humor in this, you are invited to view the video linked from Jewish Humor Central.