The first time I heard his voice, I was struck by its purity, its crystal clearness, and its vitality. To this day, I remember it as an experience that was uplifting and gratifying. Although it sounds cliché, I found the hair on my arms standing up as he began to chant, goose bumps reflexively surfacing. His voice echoed in my synagogue’s sanctuary, so identifiable that if I had walked into Saturday morning services blindfolded, I would have known precisely who was leading our congregation in prayer. It was a remarkably robust voice, despite the fact that he was quite diminutive, his head barely peaking above the table upon which the Torah, the book of Jewish scriptures, was placed. The Hebrew that rolled off of his tongue so elegantly was not his first language, but neither was English. He spoke with a thick Polish accent. I did not know him personally. In fact, I am certain that we had only exchanged minimal words, a Sabbath greeting, perhaps, or a congratulatory acknowledgement of a reading exceptionally well-done. But Nachman, the senior gentleman who was among the routine Torah readers in my synagogue, had been a source of inspiration to me.
Reading Torah, often known as “laining” from the Yiddish term for “reading” is more than simply uttering a series of words. It is a fine art. Musical notes and accents are attached to Hebrew letters, and a degree of experience and skill is necessary for the reader to master the text. When I heard Nachman read Torah, I heard poetry, not prose. This was particularly appealing to me, as a lover of poetry. Like poetry, the words that are being spoken are allusive, suggestive rather than explicit in meaning. The Torah lends itself to interpretation, and the manner in which Nachman’s voice was raised or lowered hinted at deep implications and made me contemplate the week’s portion.
Attending weekly services and having the pleasure of hearing Nachman chant prompted me to join the ranks of Torah readers in my synagogue, and impacted me in several ways. It is noteworthy that in many synagogues, women are prohibited from reading Torah. In mine, this is not the case and, in fact, my Rabbi and the congregation warmly welcome women Torah readers. Knowing that I am a young woman who has been given an opportunity to read Torah is an honor. Reading Torah is a fulfilling experience, a passionate link to spirituality. Chanting Torah transports me inward and allows me to be introspective. I suspect that it is a great deal like meditation. In addition, Nachman’s stirring Torah readings challenged and inspired me, a reserved introvert, to share my voice. Though I have always been a reluctant performer, refusing my friends’ urgings to audition for the cast of our annual high school dramas, and politely declining to join our choir, Nachman motivated me to step out of my comfort zone. Now, as I stand before a crowd and begin to chant, I am grateful to Nachman for his teaching from afar.
