Bookbinding pictures

Here are the pictures I promised you: ( Cut for size and bandwidth )

Shabbat morning, I was asked to be sh'liach tzibbur (prayer leader) and I was delighted to use my siddur for the first time in that capacity. I did feel that the beauty of the page inspired me to beauty in my singing.

Having the musical notation worked exactly as I had hoped in two spots. When we reached the piyyut (song) "El Adon," I blanked on a melody, so I simply picked #4 in the book and started singing. It was a melody that I like but that I can never come up with under the pressure of the moment. Perfect. And between Sh'ma and Amidah I often have trouble getting back into the Shabbat morning nusach (prayer modes) from chanting the Sh'ma using the Torah cantillation. Again, I just glanced at the musical notes to remind my brain of where it was supposed to be and I recovered.

I haven't yet gotten the chance to add the musical notation to the Hallel, and I actually blanked at Hodu Lashem Ki Tov --- but by that point I was riding high and simply improvised a new responsive tune. The congregation was enough in my groove that they handled the de novo call-and-response just fine, and I felt that unique elation that comes from leading the joyous singing of the Hallel.

When I set the siddur down while carrying the Torah scroll around, my rabbi picked it up and started leafing through it. His assessment: "This is really coming along nicely. You should publish it commercially when it's done." That was just the icing on the cake. (The chrein on the gefilte fish?)

The whole experience convinced me that I'm on the right track with this project. It made my tefillot (prayers) more beautiful and more spiritually satisfying. It made me a more effective sh'liach tzibbur (prayer leader). And although I started off trying to create something for myself, I seem to have stumbled on something that other people value as well.

Bookbinding pictures

Here are the pictures I promised you: ( Cut for size and bandwidth )

Shabbat morning, I was asked to be sh'liach tzibbur (prayer leader) and I was delighted to use my siddur for the first time in that capacity. I did feel that the beauty of the page inspired me to beauty in my singing.

Having the musical notation worked exactly as I had hoped in two spots. When we reached the piyyut (song) "El Adon," I blanked on a melody, so I simply picked #4 in the book and started singing. It was a melody that I like but that I can never come up with under the pressure of the moment. Perfect. And between Sh'ma and Amidah I often have trouble getting back into the Shabbat morning nusach (prayer modes) from chanting the Sh'ma using the Torah cantillation. Again, I just glanced at the musical notes to remind my brain of where it was supposed to be and I recovered.

I haven't yet gotten the chance to add the musical notation to the Hallel, and I actually blanked at Hodu Lashem Ki Tov --- but by that point I was riding high and simply improvised a new responsive tune. The congregation was enough in my groove that they handled the de novo call-and-response just fine, and I felt that unique elation that comes from leading the joyous singing of the Hallel.

When I set the siddur down while carrying the Torah scroll around, my rabbi picked it up and started leafing through it. His assessment: "This is really coming along nicely. You should publish it commercially when it's done." That was just the icing on the cake. (The chrein on the gefilte fish?)

The whole experience convinced me that I'm on the right track with this project. It made my tefillot (prayers) more beautiful and more spiritually satisfying. It made me a more effective sh'liach tzibbur (prayer leader). And although I started off trying to create something for myself, I seem to have stumbled on something that other people value as well.