But if a prayer leader is just trying to have people hear his own voice, and is rejoicing in the mere quality of his voice – this is a travesty.
- Shulhan Arukh, Orah Hayyim 53:11 (#130), translation from The Torah of Music by Joey Weisenberg.
Sometimes, when a person sings, he cannot raise his voice. But when someone comes to help and sings strongly, this in turn gives the first person the ability to raise his own voice [to match]. This is of the secret significance of uniting, soul to soul.
- Pinhas of Koretz, Midrash Pinhas, vol. 1 (Lvov, 1872), translation from The Torah of Music by Joey Weisenberg.
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are nearly upon us, and I need your help. Please help everyone in the HEA community connect soul to soul by raising your voice and helping others raise their voices. Every singing voice is welcome at HEA. And please help me avoid the travesty mentioned in the Shulhan Arukh – if you sing strongly with me, you will help me avoid any suspicion that I am singing merely to rejoice in hearing my own voice.
We in the music department will be introducing several new melodies for the High Holidays, both in Shir Hadash and the Traditional Service. I’ve included links to some of the new melodies below so you can listen and learn the tunes. There are also two upcoming opportunities to learn these melodies with me in person before Rosh Hashanah:
Post-kiddush high holiday song learning sessions at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow, September 3, in the chapel
Thank you! I can’t wait to sing with you and connect with you!
Eitan Kantor, Music Director
NEW SONG LIST
Ochila by Rabbi Yosef Goldman and Eitan Kantor (this song has not been officially released yet, and this file is not the final version – keep an eye out for the official track release in the next few weeks!) El Nora Alila by Eliana Light Ya’aleh Koleinu by Joey Weisenberg Min Hameitzar by Deborah Sacks Mintz Elul Nigun by Eitan Katz Modim by Cantor Alisa Pomerantz-Boro Rachamana, a classic Chabad Nigun Mima’amakim by Joey Weisenberg
