Q&A: Appointing a Cantor
Appointing a Cantor
Question
I once read a story about Rabbi Chaim Brisker: in a certain community they wanted to appoint a cantor, and there were two candidates—one had a pleasant voice but lacked the other qualifications, and the other had all the qualifications except for a pleasant voice. Rabbi Chaim said to appoint the one whose voice was pleasant, because that is the essential defining feature of a cantor, as opposed to the other things, which are only qualifications for a cantor.
And now to my question: I didn’t understand where Rabbi Chaim got the idea that the defining feature of a cantor is a pleasant voice. After all, we’re not talking about a singer but about a prayer leader, who is supposed to pray on behalf of the congregation and fulfill their obligation. What does having a pleasant voice have to do with that?
Answer
It’s a well-known story. In principle, you’re right, although that wording is a bit extreme. Clearly, from the congregation’s perspective, the voice is an essential part of the matter. It affects everyone’s prayer. The other issues are between the cantor and the Holy One, blessed be He, and do not affect the worshippers. But obviously this is just a story, and no firm conclusions can be drawn from it.