Josh Shalet: How to Improve Davening
My shul pet peeves, some emotional, some halachic
1. Multiple people saying multiple Kaddishim.
If there are a number of mourners, or Yethomim, they should be split up according to the rules set by the Mishna Berura. There is absolutely zero Halachic obligation to say the Mourner’s Kaddish or the Rabbis’ Kaddish more than once per day.
2. Bochurim without Talleithim: zero Halachic justification nowadays.
Older bachelors look like children when they attend Shacharis.
It is a silly custom that must be done away with post haste.
3. Saying Aleinu after Minchah.
Superfluous and redundant: adds a Kaddish needlessly and interrupts the natural flow between Minchah, Kabalath Shabbath, and Arvith.
German, Yemenite, and Italian congregations have kept the original Minhag, there is no reason other communities can’t follow suit other than purely emotional excuses.
4. Depressing or boring tunes for Lechaw Dodi and El Adon.
There are literally hundreds of tunes that a Chazzan could learn and teach the Tzibbur to sing, but alas, we are stuck with the same old basic melodies.
5. Most modern-day Shul tunes lack any depth and are mostly either kvetchy or schmaltzy.
6. People taking off their Tallith after receiving a Kibbud: you’re supposed to leave it on until after Kedushah.
7. The inaudible Hazzan: try opening your mouth!
It helps PROJECT the volume.
8. The wimpy and nervous Bar Mitzvah boy leining; tedious and embarrassing.
There are no standards these days.
When I was taught my Parshah, I received voice coaching and tuning
9. Hazzan is clueless about Hebrew grammar: most congregants don’t have a clue either, so it’s all good by them.
10. The worst offence: God’s name slurred or pronounced completely wrong outright, thus opening a halachic can of worms whether one is yotzi or not.
When I point out this error, I often hear the catchphrase: “There are other opinions/customs/traditions” or “Maybe your hearing is off”
I think ten pet peeves are enough for now.
