Lesson 4

Tippeha, Etnachta & Siluk טִפְּחָא אֶתְנַחְתָּא סִלּוּק

Combine the te'amim from Lessons 1-3 to read complete sentences.

Ready to go?

Set yourself up for success

  • Set aside at least 30 minutes. We're all busy, but shorter sessions generally limit retention.
  • Find a quiet place. Even after many years, I still need a quiet spot to practice. The great thing is you can be inside or outside.
  • Be in the right frame of mind. Reading requires focus. If you're tired or distracted or angry, you will struggle. Take a few minutes to recenter yourself before you start.

Get everything you need

  • Print out your reading if you can. It's helpful to be able to take notes when you're learning. (Bring a pencil, too!)
  • Use headphones if possible — they help you hear the melody clearly.
  • Wear a kippah — it's customary.
Remember to sing along with the audio examples.
Repetition is key to learning trop!

Putting it together

מֵרְכָ֥א טִפְּחָ֖א מוּנַ֣ח אֶתְנַחְתָּ֑א סִילּֽוּק׃

You’ve already learned these te’amim. Now let’s practice them together.

Important

How these te'amim work together

Remember: etnaḥta marks the middle of a sentence, while siluk marks its end. Tippeḥa appears before both. Together, these three te'amim often form complete sentences! The pattern tippeḥa-etnaḥta followed by tippeḥa-siluk is the basis of the simplest and most frequent sentences in the Torah.

"Normal" Tippeha Siluk

Practice the tippeḥa-siluk pattern for all but the last sentence of an Aliyah.

טִפְּחָ֖א סִילּֽוּק׃

You'll also see merekha, which is often paired with these marks.

Press play to begin
Word 1 of 5

"Final" Tippeha Siluk

Practice the tippeḥa-siluk pattern for the last sentence of an Aliyah.

טִפְּחָ֖א סִילּֽוּק׃

You'll also see merekha, which is often paired with these marks.

Press play to begin
Word 1 of 5

Tippeha Etnachta

Practice the tippeḥa-etnaḥta pattern that marks the middle of a sentence.

טִפְּחָ֖א אֶתְנַחְתָּ֑א

You'll also see merekha and munaḥ, which are often paired with these marks.

Press play to begin
Word 1 of 5

Full Sentences: Tippeha Etnachta + "Normal" Tippeha Siluk

Now practice complete sentences! These combine tippeḥa-etnaḥta (middle) with tippeḥa-siluk (end) for all but the last sentence of an Aliyah.

טִפְּחָ֖א אֶתְנַחְתָּ֑א טִפְּחָ֖א סִילּֽוּק׃

You'll also see merekha and munaḥ, which are often paired with these marks.

Press play to begin
Word 1 of 5

Full Sentences: Tippeha Etnachta + "Final" Tippeha Siluk

Practice complete sentences that end an Aliyah. These combine tippeḥa-etnaḥta (middle) with the final tippeḥa-siluk melody.

טִפְּחָ֖א אֶתְנַחְתָּ֑א טִפְּחָ֖א סִילּֽוּק׃

You'll also see merekha and munaḥ, which are often paired with these marks.

Press play to begin
Word 1 of 5
You have taken a huge step forward and can now read complete sentences!
✓

Great Work!

Go through your reading and practice the combinations of tippeḥa, etnaḥta, and siluk. Be sure to emphasize the correct syllable.

Next up: Zakef — another common disjunctive trop.