[HANASHIR:5077] Re: prayer/intention

[DurlKare <DurlKare...>]

Per contzius (at) home(dot)com:

<<traditionally one faces the same direction as the congregation. In 
 all this talk of performace v. prayer, perhaps one thing we should be 
 reconsidering is in which direction the prayer leaders should face. >>

Wow, someone finally said what I've been thinking all along.  The whole set up 
of many congregations is for performance.  To many people, it would seem 
strange to have a cantor face the ark, but for those of us who grew up with 
that (such as I did, in an Orthodox shul), it only seems natural.  

I would like to add one other thought to this discussion, regarding intention: 
when the congregational leadership, and the cantor/songleader/choral director, 
etc. become overly focused on whether a mistake will be made in a song (whether 
someone will play a wrong chord, or whether the organ or guitar will be too 
loud, or whether the hired/paid musicians will make a mistake, or whether 
there's a person singing off-key in the choir) RATHER THAN being grateful that 
congregants are participating in the worship service, and that the congregation 
has a dedicated and knowledgeable cantor, songleader, music director, whatever, 
THAT is the point at which prayer becomes a performance.

-Karen Daniel
Jewish songwriter/recording artist
Nashville, TN

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