One of the verses in the "Az Yashir" song which our ancestors sang after the miracle of the splitting of the Yam Suf – and which we recite each morning toward the end of Pesukeh De'zimra – is "Mi Chamocha Ba'elim Hashem, Mi Kamocha Ne'edar Be'kodesh." Although both halves of this verse begin with the same two words ("Mi Chamocha"), the pronunciation is not identically the same in both halves. At the beginning of the verse, the correct pronunciation is "Mi Chamocha," whereas in the second half, these words should be pronounced "Mi Kamocha." The phrase "Mi Kamocha" in the second half of the verse marks an exception to a rule of Hebrew grammar. The basic rule is that a Bet, Gimmel, Dalet, Kaf, Peh or Tav at the beginning of a word receives a Dagesh (dot), in which case, in principle, the letter Kaf at the beginning of "Kamocha" should receive a Dagesh, and should thus be pronounced "Kamocha." However, when the previous word ends with a Heh, Vav or Yod – such as the word "Mi," which ends with the letter Yod – the Dagesh is not added. Hence, according to the rules of grammar, the phrase should be pronounced "Mi Chamocha." Nevertheless, the second half of this verse is exceptional, and the Dagesh is, in fact, added to the Kaf, resulting in the pronunciation of "Mi Kamocha." When one recites this verse, he must ensure not to say the words "Hashem Mi Kamocha" rapidly, such that it sounds like he says, "Hashem Micha" – as though declaring that Micha is G-d, Heaven forbid. Micha was the person responsible for creating the golden calf at Mount Sinai, and one must be careful not to imply that he is a deity. Sepharadim make a distinction in their pronunciation between a letter Gimal that has a Dagesh, and a letter Gimal that does not. In the phrase "Am Zu Ga'alta," the Gimal at the beginning of "Ga'alta" receives a Dagesh. According to the rule mentioned earlier, this letter should not receive a Dagesh, because the previous word ("Zu") ends with the letter Vav. The reason why this Gimal nevertheless receives a Dagesh is that without a Dagesh, the word would sound like "Ga'alta" spelled with an Ayin (as opposed to an Alef), which would mean that Hashem is repulsed by Beneh Yisrael, Heaven forbid. Pronouncing the Gimal with a Dagesh makes it clear that the word is "Ga'alta" with an Alef, which means that Hashem has redeemed Beneh Yisrael. A similar exception is made earlier in this verse, in the phrase "Yidemu Ka'aben." The Kaf at the beginning of "Ka'aben" should, in principle, not receive a Dagesh, because it follows a word that ends with the letter Vav. Nevertheless, the Dagesh is added to the Kaf, as otherwise this phrase might sound like "Yidemucha Aben" – "stone silences You," indicating that stone has some kind of power to defeat the Almighty, Heaven forbid. At one point in "Az Yashir," the Egyptians' drowning is described with the words "Salelu Ka'oferet Be'mayim Adirim" – the Egyptians plunged into the water like lead. There is some question as to the implication of the word "Adirim" – "mighty" – at the end of this verse. Several Poskim, including the Mishna Berura, Ben Ish Hai, and Kaf Ha'haim, explain that this word describes the Egyptian warriors who drowned. Accordingly, these Poskim maintain that when reading this verse, one must make a pause between the words "Mayim" and "Adirim," as otherwise it sounds as though one describes the water as being mighty. However, Rav Meir Mazuz (1945-2025) found a poem written by Rav Yehuda Ha'levi (Spain, 1075-1141) indicating that he understood the phrase "Mayim Adirim" to mean "mighty waters," referring to the turbulence of the waters as they descended onto the Egyptians and drowned them. According to this reading, this phrase should be read without a pause between "Mayim" and "Adirim." It is customary to repeat the final verse of "Az Yashir" – "Hashem Yimloch Le'olam Va'ed." One reason this is done is so that we end up mentioning the Name of "Havaya" in this song 18 times, which has special significance. Additionally, the verse is repeated to mark the conclusion of the song. We then recite the Aramaic translation of this final verse ("Hashem Malchuteh Ka'em…") and then the verse immediately following the song – "Ki Ba Sus Pharaoh…"