Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev once asked the local chazan (prayer leader) why his voice was hoarse. The chazan replied that his hoarseness came from leading prayers at the amud, prayer stand.
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak said to him: One who prays before the amud becomes hoarse; but one who prays before G-d, blessed be He, does not become hoarse...
An Unsuccessful Imitation
Rebbe Yisrael of Vizhnitz saw a chassid imitating his voice, melodies, and motions in prayer. The Rebbe said: You will not succeed in doing as I, for I never pray today the same way I prayed yesterday...
Where to Begin
A prayer leader must be “pleasing to the congregation,” but there are two approaches, depending on where you start: there are those who are primarily ba'alei tefillah (prayer leaders) and are also pleasing to the congregation; and there are those who are first pleasing to the congregation — “one who is pleasing to his fellow men” (Ethics of the Fathers 3:10) — and they are also prayer leaders.
(Sefer HaSichot)
At the Threshold
The Rebbe Maharash told one of his chassidim, a prayer leader: A ba'al tefillah stands at the threshold — in his hand lies the ability to bring merit to the community, and in his hand lies the ability to cause the community to stumble.
Three Conditions
One of the chassidim of the Rebbe Rashab requested permission to earn his livelihood as a prayer leader. The Rebbe agreed but set three conditions: That he not approach the prayer stand without immersing in a mikveh; that he cover his head with a tallit; and that he not repeat words during prayer as some chazans do.
I Don’t Understand...
Rabbi Mendel Dubrawsky, Chabad emissary to Dallas, related the following :
“I was turning fourteen and I went into the Rebbe for my birthday. In those days, we were only allowed to have a yechidut (private audience) if we brought with us a detailed report from our teachers, which we had to hand to the Rebbe at the beginning of the yechidut. The Rebbe would look over the report and only then begin to speak.
“On my report, my teacher wrote that I was doing well in nigleh (the revealed aspects of Torah) but that I did not have a gishmak (delight) in chassidus.
“As soon as I walked in, I handed the Rebbe the report. The Rebbe read quickly, and within seconds reached the part about chassidus. “The Rebbe looked up, straight at me, and said, ‘ich farshtei nit, vi ken men nit hoben a gishmak in chassidus?’ (I don’t understand, how one could not have enjoyment while learning chassidus)...’
“Those words penetrated my heart and changed me forever.”
reprinted from The Weekly Farbrengen by Merkaz Anash, on-line at TheWeeklyFarbrengen.com
