Grumble against extreme speed-mumbling chazzans

Since the time before the invention of printing, when each synagogue might only have one prayer book, if any, Jewish communal prayer has been led by a single individual. This prayer leader is referred to as the שָׁלִיחַ צִבוּר, the emissary of the congregation. It is their responsibility to say the prayers on behalf of those who are not able to themselves, and it is their responsibility to say the prayers which can only be said in a communal context. As a result of this, it is imperative that they say every word correctly.

Some of Jewish prayer is recited responsively or in union; much, however, is said at speed, and silently, or rather, almost silently, based on Hannah's prayer in the opening of the Book of Samuel:

As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth. Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought her drunk. So Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine!" But Hannah answered, "No, my lord, I am a sorrowful woman: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD."

וְהָיָה כִּי הִרְבְּתָה לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לִפְנֵי ה׳ וְעֵלִי שֹׁמֵר אֶת־פִּיהָ׃ וְחַנָּה הִיא מְדַבֶּרֶת עַל־לִבָּהּ רַק שְׂפָתֶיהָ נָּעוֹת וְקוֹלָהּ לֹא יִשָּׁמֵעַ וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ עֵלִי לְשִׁכֹּרָה׃ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֶיהָ עֵלִי עַד־מָתַי תִּשְׁתַּכָּרִין הָסִירִי אֶת־יֵינֵךְ מֵעָלָיִךְ׃ וַתַּעַן חַנָּה וַתֹּאמֶר לֹא אֲדֹנִי אִשָּׁה קְשַׁת־רוּחַ אָנֹכִי וְיַיִן וְשֵׁכָר לֹא שָׁתִיתִי וָאֶשְׁפֹּךְ אֶת־נַפְשִׁי לִפְנֵי ה׳׃

Some שְׁלִיחֵי צִבוּר recite such passages aloud; I do so myself, when I am taking a service, as it is the only way I can be sure I am not mispronouncing any of the words. Others recite them silently, only saying the first and last words of each paragraph aloud.

Now, I've been reciting Jewish prayers all my life, but, even for prayers I've been saying for thirty years and more and am fluent reading, I'm not an especially fast reader: Often, when the שָׁלִיחַ צִבוּר reads fast and silently, I'll lag behind, and have to catch up as they're singing the closing words of one paragraph and the opening words of the next. The speed of davening of some שְׁלִיחֵי צִבוּר, though, really takes the biscuit.

In some cases, I can believe that they are saying every word silently, rather than simply reading them without moving their lips—I have heard people doing such speed-mumbling aloud at great speed. However, in other cases I find it extremely difficult to credit that they really are saying every word.

An extreme case is afforded by the chazzan of aviva_m's synagogue. Last Shabbos morning, she read the whole of Psalms 146, 147, 148 and 149 whilst I was working my way through Psalm 147. Even given that she's a native speaker of Hebrew, I refuse to believe that she is capable of reading under her breath like this at four times the speed I do; I'm sure she must be just reading the bulk of the prayers in her head.

But, that aside, she is supposed to be leading the congregation, not leaving them behind. I get narked about this every time I go to aviva_m's shul, but I don't really feel I can complain: I'm a guest there; it's not my job to tell their chazzan what to do.

So instead I grumble here on my blog, and achieve nothing by so doing. :-(