(no subject)
Feb. 20th, 2004 11:06 amThese are the things I think about at work...
Okay, plans are now in full swing for my brother Hyim's aufruf. (for the uninitiated, the aufruf occurs the Shabbat before the wedding. Basically, during morning services, the groom-to-be is called to the Torah for an aliyah, and is then pelted from all sides with small bags of candy. Trust me.)
Here's the rub. At my synagogue, it's customary for the groom-to-be to also lead services after receiving his aliyah, which leads to the following set-up:
Dad will probably lead the first half of the service, Shacharis. Daniel, my youngest brother, will be reading the Torah portion, since it's also his Bar Mitzva portion, and he already knows it. Hyim will receive the last aliyah, called Maftir, and will also read the Haftarah (a shorter, non-Pentateuch portion of the Bible that relates to the weekly portion). Traditionally, he'd also lead the next section of the prayer service, Musaf. However, Hyim doesn't have much of a voice, so he's declining. Apparently, I've been tapped as "the only Baronofsky offspring with a singing voice," so there's an even chance that I'll be asked to lead. If I'm asked to, I will, most of it's straightforward, and isn't too difficult.
Except, of course, for Kedusha, which is a responsive section. Generally, the person leading the service picks a specific tune, and shows off a bit, if possible.
My problem:
If I'm asked to lead the service, and I accept, when Kedusha rolls around do I use:
1. A nice, traditional, Old World melody.
2. Something more contemporary, but still Judaic
3. Green Day's "Basket Case" (it scans rather well, if you try it).
The problem with number three is that when Hyim recognizes it, he'll probably vault across the sanctuary and strangle me where I stand.
Opinions, anyone?
Okay, plans are now in full swing for my brother Hyim's aufruf. (for the uninitiated, the aufruf occurs the Shabbat before the wedding. Basically, during morning services, the groom-to-be is called to the Torah for an aliyah, and is then pelted from all sides with small bags of candy. Trust me.)
Here's the rub. At my synagogue, it's customary for the groom-to-be to also lead services after receiving his aliyah, which leads to the following set-up:
Dad will probably lead the first half of the service, Shacharis. Daniel, my youngest brother, will be reading the Torah portion, since it's also his Bar Mitzva portion, and he already knows it. Hyim will receive the last aliyah, called Maftir, and will also read the Haftarah (a shorter, non-Pentateuch portion of the Bible that relates to the weekly portion). Traditionally, he'd also lead the next section of the prayer service, Musaf. However, Hyim doesn't have much of a voice, so he's declining. Apparently, I've been tapped as "the only Baronofsky offspring with a singing voice," so there's an even chance that I'll be asked to lead. If I'm asked to, I will, most of it's straightforward, and isn't too difficult.
Except, of course, for Kedusha, which is a responsive section. Generally, the person leading the service picks a specific tune, and shows off a bit, if possible.
My problem:
If I'm asked to lead the service, and I accept, when Kedusha rolls around do I use:
1. A nice, traditional, Old World melody.
2. Something more contemporary, but still Judaic
3. Green Day's "Basket Case" (it scans rather well, if you try it).
The problem with number three is that when Hyim recognizes it, he'll probably vault across the sanctuary and strangle me where I stand.
Opinions, anyone?