The sh'liach tzibbur - the leader of the community's prayers - faces a real challenge.
On one hand, the sh'liach tzibbur represents the community, and his prayers should be calibrated to match the community's needs. If people are in a rush to get to work, or if they are not accustomed to extended singing, or if it's Pesach night and they want to get home to start the Seder, he should not take his time and embark upon his own personal journey of spiritual and musical discovery, lest he frustrate the people and cause disgrace to the davening as they talk or leave. [Of course, rabbis are often cynical regarding cantorial song; see my 2009 post, "Cantors Behaving Badly", for an example.] And the reverse is true: if people are into singing, or they embrace a longer davening, he should not impose his own haste upon their pace.
On the other hand, the sh'liach tzibbur is still a private citizen, with a right to his own davening, and his own connection with Gd. Particularly when the sh'liach tzibbur is not a volunteer, but rather he agrees to lead services because no one else is available, he should not be denied the right to his own spirituality. If we may exercise an imagined right to impose upon him to lead, by what right do we remove his personal prayer?
And then there is a third hand: Perhaps the sh'liach tzibbur should be viewed as a leader, a source of inspiration, his music and his passion bearing the community aloft to spiritual heights even when they are not, initially, of such a mindset? Is he obligated to do so? And ought we to let ourselves go, abandoning our personal baggage and adopting the mood of the leader?
What do you think?
Showing posts with label Tefillah: Chazanim and Choirs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tefillah: Chazanim and Choirs. Show all posts
Monday, January 28, 2013
Monday, November 1, 2010
Davening with secular tunes
[Take a look at this Haveil Havalim edition, linking to tributes to RivkA, a"h, of Coffee and Chemo]
I'm teaching a class Monday night on the Music of Jews in Arab Lands, and that will lead into the general question of the propriety of adopting secular music for prayer. Here are some of the sources I will use in the discussion; note that some of the sources are about general singing of secular tunes, and others are about prayer, specifically.
Responsa of Maimonides, 12th century Egypt, #224
A question from Aram Tzova: Is it permissible to hear the Hazor Arab songs?
The answer is known: The song and tunes are prohibited even without words, as we are taught, ‘The ear that hears music should be uprooted.’ The Talmud explained that there is no difference between hearing songs or playing on strings or hearing pleasant things without words; whatever causes joy and stirs a person is prohibited. They linked this to the prophet’s prohibition, ‘Do not be joyous, Israel, like the nations.’
The reason for this is very clear: One must conquer and prevent and rein in this desire, lest it become active and arouse him. We do not pay attention to the exception, of whom there are few, who is brought to greater spiritual care and intellectual awakening or humility before Gd [by this music]; the laws of Torah were written for the many and the normal…
We have already explained in our commentary to Avot that there is no difference between Hebrew and Arabic; the prohibition is based upon the content. In truth, one is prohibited from listening to stupidity even without song, and if it is played with instruments then there are three prohibitions – stupidity and obscenity, and verbal song, and song upon strings…
Responsa of Rabbi Yitzchak Alfasi, 11th century Morocco, #281
Regarding the synagogue chazan, of whom they have heard that he behaves improperly, such as singing Ishmaelite songs – should they remove him or not:
The leader who speaks improper words, such as vulgarity, singing Ishmaelite songs, should be removed. Regarding this it is said (Jeremiah 12:8), ‘She raised her voice upon me, and so I hated her.’
Rabbi Moshe Isserles, 16th century Poland, Darchei Moshe 53:10
A leader who acts inappropriately, such as speaking vulgarity, such as singing Arabic songs, should be subject to protest. Should he not listen, they should remove him.
Rabbi Chaim Palaggi, 19th century Turkey, Kaf haChaim 13:6
Would that they would warn poets and singers not to sing Kaddish and Kedushah in the garb of the nations, with the maqam. One who knows it will come to bad thoughts, and so the leader sins and causes others to sin. This is an offering with inappropriate intent, and it will not be acceptable. That which is impure cannot enter the hall of Gd, and its presence causes goodness to be absent. Regarding this it is written (Psalms 39:4), ‘Fire burns when I speak.’
Rabbi Yisrael Moshe Hazan, 19th century Rome, Krach shel Romi 1
Music, even that which is dedicated for idolatry, may not be compared to a [worshipped] monument [which the Torah forbids as a Canaanite practice]… Music itself is the essence of worship, as it is written, ‘And our lips will complete our bulls.’ This is prayer with humility and a pleasant voice and joy and trembling, with glory and beauty in the house of our Gd! If the sound they use when making music in the house of their idolatry is the sound which introduces humility into the heart, with its type of music and what people are accustomed to hearing… Could it be believed that because fools corrupted it and established it in the house of their prayers, we would be prohibited from using something our nature requires, one of the body’s five senses?!... In that case, we should also prohibit the cup of wine from havdalah, since they bless upon the wine of their libations in their churches!...
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, 20th-21st century Egypt - Israel, Yabia Omer 6:Orach Chaim 7:3
Leave Israel be; if they are not prophets, they are descendants [‘students’] of prophets, and their custom is Torah.
I'm teaching a class Monday night on the Music of Jews in Arab Lands, and that will lead into the general question of the propriety of adopting secular music for prayer. Here are some of the sources I will use in the discussion; note that some of the sources are about general singing of secular tunes, and others are about prayer, specifically.
Responsa of Maimonides, 12th century Egypt, #224
A question from Aram Tzova: Is it permissible to hear the Hazor Arab songs?
The answer is known: The song and tunes are prohibited even without words, as we are taught, ‘The ear that hears music should be uprooted.’ The Talmud explained that there is no difference between hearing songs or playing on strings or hearing pleasant things without words; whatever causes joy and stirs a person is prohibited. They linked this to the prophet’s prohibition, ‘Do not be joyous, Israel, like the nations.’
The reason for this is very clear: One must conquer and prevent and rein in this desire, lest it become active and arouse him. We do not pay attention to the exception, of whom there are few, who is brought to greater spiritual care and intellectual awakening or humility before Gd [by this music]; the laws of Torah were written for the many and the normal…
We have already explained in our commentary to Avot that there is no difference between Hebrew and Arabic; the prohibition is based upon the content. In truth, one is prohibited from listening to stupidity even without song, and if it is played with instruments then there are three prohibitions – stupidity and obscenity, and verbal song, and song upon strings…
Responsa of Rabbi Yitzchak Alfasi, 11th century Morocco, #281
Regarding the synagogue chazan, of whom they have heard that he behaves improperly, such as singing Ishmaelite songs – should they remove him or not:
The leader who speaks improper words, such as vulgarity, singing Ishmaelite songs, should be removed. Regarding this it is said (Jeremiah 12:8), ‘She raised her voice upon me, and so I hated her.’
Rabbi Moshe Isserles, 16th century Poland, Darchei Moshe 53:10
A leader who acts inappropriately, such as speaking vulgarity, such as singing Arabic songs, should be subject to protest. Should he not listen, they should remove him.
Rabbi Chaim Palaggi, 19th century Turkey, Kaf haChaim 13:6
Would that they would warn poets and singers not to sing Kaddish and Kedushah in the garb of the nations, with the maqam. One who knows it will come to bad thoughts, and so the leader sins and causes others to sin. This is an offering with inappropriate intent, and it will not be acceptable. That which is impure cannot enter the hall of Gd, and its presence causes goodness to be absent. Regarding this it is written (Psalms 39:4), ‘Fire burns when I speak.’
Rabbi Yisrael Moshe Hazan, 19th century Rome, Krach shel Romi 1
Music, even that which is dedicated for idolatry, may not be compared to a [worshipped] monument [which the Torah forbids as a Canaanite practice]… Music itself is the essence of worship, as it is written, ‘And our lips will complete our bulls.’ This is prayer with humility and a pleasant voice and joy and trembling, with glory and beauty in the house of our Gd! If the sound they use when making music in the house of their idolatry is the sound which introduces humility into the heart, with its type of music and what people are accustomed to hearing… Could it be believed that because fools corrupted it and established it in the house of their prayers, we would be prohibited from using something our nature requires, one of the body’s five senses?!... In that case, we should also prohibit the cup of wine from havdalah, since they bless upon the wine of their libations in their churches!...
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, 20th-21st century Egypt - Israel, Yabia Omer 6:Orach Chaim 7:3
Leave Israel be; if they are not prophets, they are descendants [‘students’] of prophets, and their custom is Torah.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Cantorial Music: An A-choired Taste?
[This week's Haveil Havalim is here!]
I grew up with a visceral distaste for chazanim and choirs.
Part of that was just an immature impatience with all things slow.
Part of it was a dislike for music that didn’t fit the ‘80s pop mold.
And part of it was the cynical feeling – again, visceral rather than intellectual - that people were singing to impress rather than davening to express/build kavvanah.
That distaste continued into my yeshiva days. One Rosh HaShanah I asked the posek in Kerem b’Yavneh whether I should ask mechilah from the Yamim Noraim chazan, for the comments I had made about his cantorial style.
Fast-forward to today, and my taste in music is still decidedly un-chazanish, and my impatience with artifice [in all but myself, of course] is undimmed. So this morning, when I knew a choir would accompany the Shabbat Shirah davening, I was apprehensive. I brought along a sefer, but even with that – would I survive?
I was, to say the least, pleasantly surprised. It was beautiful. More: My sons sitting with me enjoyed it, too. It even helped my davening.
What’s changed in me over the years? Is the choir an acquired taste?
Part of it is the patience that comes with growing older, yes; adults have enough data and concerns in their heads to pass the time.
Some of it is the realization that people who ordinarily chattered or spaced-out during davening were actually paying attention to the words.
A piece of it is just that the choir was really good [and not too slow, either].
And part of it is the fact that growing up, and meeting/working with a diverse sample of humanity has uncynicised my view of people. I find it easier to discount my first-impression suspicion and perceive what’s really there. So when my gut reaction to singing is, “Those are performers,” my next reaction is to ask myself whether I have any basis for that assumption.
Certainly, there is a performance aspect to singing - but the sincere כוונה [focus] of the singers this morning was so blatant as to be undeniable. These were not actors, manipulators of voice seeking approval from their audience. Rather, they were בשר ודם [flesh and blood] turning to HaShem with the gifts at their disposal, and helping others to turn to HaShem likewise.
Bravo!
I grew up with a visceral distaste for chazanim and choirs.
Part of that was just an immature impatience with all things slow.
Part of it was a dislike for music that didn’t fit the ‘80s pop mold.
And part of it was the cynical feeling – again, visceral rather than intellectual - that people were singing to impress rather than davening to express/build kavvanah.
That distaste continued into my yeshiva days. One Rosh HaShanah I asked the posek in Kerem b’Yavneh whether I should ask mechilah from the Yamim Noraim chazan, for the comments I had made about his cantorial style.
Fast-forward to today, and my taste in music is still decidedly un-chazanish, and my impatience with artifice [in all but myself, of course] is undimmed. So this morning, when I knew a choir would accompany the Shabbat Shirah davening, I was apprehensive. I brought along a sefer, but even with that – would I survive?
I was, to say the least, pleasantly surprised. It was beautiful. More: My sons sitting with me enjoyed it, too. It even helped my davening.
What’s changed in me over the years? Is the choir an acquired taste?
Part of it is the patience that comes with growing older, yes; adults have enough data and concerns in their heads to pass the time.
Some of it is the realization that people who ordinarily chattered or spaced-out during davening were actually paying attention to the words.
A piece of it is just that the choir was really good [and not too slow, either].
And part of it is the fact that growing up, and meeting/working with a diverse sample of humanity has uncynicised my view of people. I find it easier to discount my first-impression suspicion and perceive what’s really there. So when my gut reaction to singing is, “Those are performers,” my next reaction is to ask myself whether I have any basis for that assumption.
Certainly, there is a performance aspect to singing - but the sincere כוונה [focus] of the singers this morning was so blatant as to be undeniable. These were not actors, manipulators of voice seeking approval from their audience. Rather, they were בשר ודם [flesh and blood] turning to HaShem with the gifts at their disposal, and helping others to turn to HaShem likewise.
Bravo!
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