Etnachta (Hebrew: אֶתְנַחְתָּא, with variant English spellings) is one of the most common cantillation marks in the Torah and Haftarah. It is the anchor for the Etnachta group, which in full consists of four different trope sounds, not all of which are always present. These are Mercha, Tipcha, Munach, and its namesake Etnachta.
The Etnachta group marks the end of the first segment of a verse.[1] Therefore, it never occurs more than once in a single verse.
An example is in the first verse of the Book of Genesis, the statement that God created is marked with an Etnachta, showing the completion of God’s creation.[2]
The Hebrew word אֶתְנַחְתָּא translates into English as pause. This name is given because of its central location within a verse.
^Chanting the Hebrew Bible By Joshua R. Jacobson, page 167
^Aspects of Jewish Metarational Thought By Martin Sicker, page 61
disjunctive). Etnachta can appear without a Munach, but Munach cannot appear without an Etnachta (or other following disjunctive). Munach-Etnachta can appear...
the Katon, Etnachta, and Segol groups. One or more munachs can be followed by many different trope sounds, including Zakef katon, Etnachta, Rivia, Zarka...
the melody varies from one use to the next. It is the beginning of the Etnachta group, can be found either once or twice preceding the Sof passuk, or can...
Tarcha, meaning "dragging" or "effort". The Tifcha is found in both the Etnachta group as the second member of that group, and in the Sof passuk group,...
YouTube. 10 March 2019. Israel Broadcasting Authority, Kol Ha-Musika Etnachta broadcast, 30 May 2016 "Oakland Symphony performs a clarinetist's 'Dream'"...
merchot and tipchot do not necessarily have the same melody as those in the etnachta group. Altogether, there are five possible arrangements how these can appear...
in one paragraph and read continuously by the cantillist with only an etnachta between sentences. The first blessing is straight from the minor tractate...
once in the entire Torah. The symbol for this trope is an upside-down Etnachta. The Hebrew words יֵרֶח בֶּן יוֹמ֪וֹ translate into English as day-old...
gadol or katan, will either be followed by another zakef segment or the Etnachta group, usually starting with a Mercha. The Zakef gadol generally functions...
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