Decantor

[Alex Jacobowitz <Alex_Jacobowitz...>]

B"H Munich

I hope that unqualified individuals would not call them Hazzan.
> 
> Cantor Sheldon M. Levin
>

Hm. And the rest of us Ba'alei Tefilla were praying fervently that
the Reform might stop allowing unqualified individuals
to be called "Rabbi"! 

Comparatively, this "Cantor" controversy is harmless.

But isn't anyone else in this group bothered by the strange habit 
of self-anointed Cantors (or cantors, doesn't matter to me), who 
often try to supplant traditional rabbinical authority?

Idelsohn writes about how Eastern European cantors in the last century
tried to
expand their power, position (and, of course, salary) to be EQUAL
to the rabbis - typical power politics at the expense of "art"! - and
were ultimately unsuccessful. Are we to witness the same vanities
progress into the next century as well? 

"Hey, Cantors! Respect is earned, not demanded or proclaimed!
Just like the rest of the human race!"

Sure, be proud of your accomplishments - privately! But please stop trying
to foist petty
music-school inferiority complexes on the rest of the kehilla!

In the old days, in small communities, people were chosen to lead
congregational prayer
based on their individual PIETY, rather than the "sweetness of their
voice". It's only with
the advent of competitive architecture, competitive membership rosters,
competitive cantors
and the like, that musical virtuosity had somehow become superior to being
spiritually virtuous.

Can we can the Cantors, please?

Next thing you know, the Gabbai, the Ba'al Koreh, the Ba'al Tkiah, the
Shamash,
the Ba'al Psicha, the Mohel, the Schohet, the Am ha'Aretz, and everyone
else
who serves their Creator will Demand Respect! And THEN where would the
world be?

Please change your tune...

Happy Hanuka!

Alex Jacobowitz