When we walk into the high holy services at Temple Ramat Zion, we expect to see our choir, clothed in white robes at the side of our bimah. Many years ago, while we could not see them, we knew that they were there, music at the ready, and prepared to bring a new level of dimension and sacredness to our worship service
We Jews have the right to such an expectation. According to our tradition, every Levite from the age of 25 to 30 was required to take instruction in singing, in order to participate in the Tabernacle ritual. After the Temple was built, the age limitation was eliminated, and the Levite choristers were chosen on the basis of ability and not age. In Second Chronicles, v. 13, we read: “Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang.” The Temple choir had at least 12 adult singers, and uncounted young voices, chosen to “sweeten” the music.
The Second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE, and the rabbis subsequently prohibited music and worship as a sign of national mourning. However, this point of view was probably extreme, and modified quickly. In Talmud – Mas. Gittin 7a, we read:
“Rejoice not, O Israel, unto exultation like the peoples, for thou hast gone astray from thy God.8 Should he not rather have sent the following: They shall not drink wine with music, strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it?9 — From this verse I should conclude that only musical instruments are forbidden, but not song; this I learn [from the other verse].”
Maimonides specifically permitted the choir to sing at the synagogue and at all religious feasts.
Our honored tradition of being critical of our presenters was best exemplified by Rabbi Isaiah Hurwitz, of Safed. Rabbi Hurwitz, who lived in 16th century, criticized the choir custom of prolonging their singing at the end of benedictions. He believed that this interfered with the congregation’s ability to say a swift “Amen,” and wrote: “Surely the choir of our holy Temple was sweet and pleasing both to God and men, with due respect to precision and correct pronunciation of every letter of the words. This example we must follow.”
He also wrote that the choir’s version of the Adon Olam was not the way he remembered it growing up, and was, therefore, wrong (no not really wrong but not to his liking).
In Germany, at the beginning of the 19th century, two contending Jewish schools of thought arose: the neo-Hasidim in Poland and the Reformers in Germany. They agreed that singing in worship was essential, and disagreed only in the genre and method. The Hasidim all joined together in singing at services, while the Reformers chose to use a trained choir. They introduced the organ in 1817, and shortly thereafter, permitted a mixed choir of men and women. As you might expect, this was not without comment from the Orthodox. Representing the Orthodox thought, Rabbi Moses Sofer quoted Talmud in support of the idea that, “to listen to the voice of a woman is leading to lusting after her.”
So, we do, in fact, have the right to expect to hear a choir at our worship services. Moreover, since the Reform movement has eliminated the division/distinction among the tribes of Israel, I would contend that the Levitical obligation to sing at worship is now upon us all, although I would qualify that obligation with the following: if your family tells you that you can sing, there is a 50-50 chance that you actually can. If your family, the ones who love you, tell you that you should perhaps dance instead, there is a 100% chance that you can neither sing nor dance, and your family is merely urging you to an activity you can enjoy in private. Nonetheless, at TRZ, I encourage you to sing with us at all times regardless of what your family may chide.
If you are among those who can sing, and have been appropriately vetted, I recommend/invite/urge/cajole you to join with us in the High Holy Day choir and continue throughout the year. Let us assume for a moment that my poorly disguised attempt to guilt you into doing so is unsuccessful. You might ask, “what’s in this for me?” Fortunately, I have a ready answer.
Singing in the choir is wonderful. It was fun. Singing with others is totally different from singing by oneself. When one sings by oneself, the person is the instrument. As good as a person thinks he or she is, and as good as he or she actually is, the inherent limitation is that the person is only as good as he or is alone. If this sounds like a silly statement, I am comparing solo singing to the experience of singing with others. Every time a person adds his or her voice to that of another person, the result is not just two people singing. It is the creation of an entirely new instrument. My high school band director once discussed the melody line in a score where the flute and the oboe were playing the same notes. He said that he did not want to hear a flute and oboe. He wanted to hear something entirely new, which he called the “floboe.”
So it is with choral singing. Two voices together is a unique creation in the world. Every time another voice is added, the addition is geometric. Three voices are not just one plus one plus one, but one entirely new creation times another entirely new creation. The product is something that has never been heard in the world before. When 15 voices sing together, we truly become partners with the Holy One in creation.
If you believe I am overstating this, ask any member of the Choir. I venture to say that any one of them will tell you that there have been moments when they have been transported to a place of awareness, transcendence, or dare I say it, spirituality, which would not have been possible had they not been singing with others. I will also tell you that the Choir has a sense of joie de vivre and comradery which is enviable. Once you have become part of it, you would not want to be without it.
What’s in it for you? A brand-new worship experience; wonderful friendships; being at the heart of worship; and the perpetuation of a musical tradition that goes back at least 3000 years, and probably more. Regardless if you choose to join the choir or not please sing out with all your heart and soul while at services; In essence we are all the choir as we join together in prayer singing to God.
But, if you are so inclined to elevate your harmonic experience, please do consider calling me to talk about becoming part of our choir. You will not regret it. As always, I look forward to seeing you at temple.
I wish you all a wonderful New Year,
Cantor Friedman
