![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
upcoming services
Jul. 16th, 2003 11:24 pmI chanted the Torah portion for my rabbi today. It's in good shape (needs polish), and he pointed out a couple tricks to make some parts easier. What surprised me is that I was nervous while doing this -- enough that he noticed it in my breathing. I hope that problem disappears as I get the challenging bits nailed down more. I'd hate to sound nervous in front of the congregation.
(I was not nervous for the so-called "adult b'nei mitzvah" a few years ago. I was a little nervous the first time I chanted at Tree of Life but not the second. I don't think I was nervous when I chanted for the morning minyan the one time. And I was definitely nervous for the women's service a couple months ago, though the scroll calligraphy on that one was weird. So it's a mixed bag -- sometimes I am and sometimes I'm not, and it's not strongly tied to anything.)
In addition to this service (July 25, for any locals who care), I needed to find a couple people to help with the following week, because the rabbis will still be gone. I mentioned that I was having trouble finding someone to give the d'var torah (sermon, sort of), and he told me to do it myself and to talk about Tisha b'Av, which will be the following week. Ok, I can do that; I'd been trying to give the opportunity to someone else, but a lot of people seem to be intimidated by the idea. (Note for after the fall holidays: get someone to give a class or something in how to write a d'var torah.)
I was kind of surprised by the topic request, because while my rabbi personally observes Tisha b'Av and usually mentions it beforehand, the Reform movement in general doesn't observe this day and our congregation doesn't have special services for it. This year, he said, we're having services. It's a pity I'll be at Pennsic then; I'm kind of curious. Probably not curious enough to make the round trip, though.
(I was not nervous for the so-called "adult b'nei mitzvah" a few years ago. I was a little nervous the first time I chanted at Tree of Life but not the second. I don't think I was nervous when I chanted for the morning minyan the one time. And I was definitely nervous for the women's service a couple months ago, though the scroll calligraphy on that one was weird. So it's a mixed bag -- sometimes I am and sometimes I'm not, and it's not strongly tied to anything.)
In addition to this service (July 25, for any locals who care), I needed to find a couple people to help with the following week, because the rabbis will still be gone. I mentioned that I was having trouble finding someone to give the d'var torah (sermon, sort of), and he told me to do it myself and to talk about Tisha b'Av, which will be the following week. Ok, I can do that; I'd been trying to give the opportunity to someone else, but a lot of people seem to be intimidated by the idea. (Note for after the fall holidays: get someone to give a class or something in how to write a d'var torah.)
I was kind of surprised by the topic request, because while my rabbi personally observes Tisha b'Av and usually mentions it beforehand, the Reform movement in general doesn't observe this day and our congregation doesn't have special services for it. This year, he said, we're having services. It's a pity I'll be at Pennsic then; I'm kind of curious. Probably not curious enough to make the round trip, though.