Please excuse me if this question seems like criticism; it is not. I’m simply asking about something I observe. At several synagogues I have attended, each person called to the Torah zooms through the Blessings at a mile a minute. For my part, I feel the ‘Borchu’ part of the blessing is a call to attention that should be clearly sung out, and the blessing itself should match the seriousness and splendor of the moment. Am I overdoing it? Is the ‘hurry’ I think I see really just everyone wanting to keep things moving or get to reading as soon as possible? Please let me know your point of view.
I don’t believe you are overdoing it, and even if you had meant you comments as a criticism, that criticism would be justified to a large extent. You are absolutely correct that ideally, the blessings, and any prayer should be said in a deliberate pace with concentration and intent. We are speaking to G-d, and as such, our words should be clear and meaningful. I don’t think anyone could argue with that.
However, and by no means do I intend to justify the hurried pace you observe, but I do want to try and undestand why people tend to rush. The fact is that when one says the prayers every day, and so many things are running through a person’s mind, it can be very easy to slip and forget the purpose of the prayers. Of course, if a person was cognizant of the power of his words during prayer, no one would consider rushing through their prayers. But it takes mental energy to keep that recognition at the conscious level, and it is all too easy for that awareness to slip to the unconscious.
As an example, we should always speak positively and affirm our love to our spouse, children and other loved ones. They are beloved and deserve to be reminded of it. But unfortunately, humans tend to slip and at times, we can project negativity toward those loved ones, since we have allowed that recognition of our love for them to slip from the conscious. G-d is our beloved and deserves that our prayers to Him be said with feeling and meaning, but as humans, our concentration can slip.
Again, I in no way mean to justify the rushed prayers. As servants of G-d, certainly we should strive to always have the presence of G-d before us. But as humans, with human failings, we can slip from that mission. At the same time, we are given the tools with which to climb back up after we fall.
Be well,
Rabbi Yoel Spotts