chazzan

A ''hazzan'' (; , lit. Hazan) or ''chazzan'' (, plural ; ; ) is a Jewish musician or precentor trained in the vocal arts who leads the congregation in songful prayer. In English, this prayer leader is often referred to as a cantor, a term also used in Christianity.

The person who leads the congregation in a public prayer is called the '' sh'liaḥ'' (Hebrew for ' emissary of the congregation'). Any person is called a ''sh'liach tzibbur'' while they are leading a prayer. However, the term ''hazzan'' more commonly refers to someone who has special training in leading prayers, or who is appointed to lead prayers on a regular basis in a particular synagogue.

Qualifications

Jewish law restricts the role of ''sh'liah tzibbur'' to adult Jews; in Orthodox Judaism, it is restricted to males. In theory, any layperson can be a ; many synagogue-attending Jews will serve in this role from time to time, especially on weekdays or during a Yahrzeit. Proficiency in Hebrew pronunciation is preferred. In practice, in synagogues without an official ḥazzan, or in the absence of one, those with the best voice and the greatest knowledge of the prayers typically assume the role.

Even in the earliest times the chief qualifications demanded of the ''hazzan'', in addition to knowledge of Biblical and liturgical literature as well as the prayer motifs (), were a pleasant voice and an artistic delivery; for the sake of these, many faults were willingly overlooked. The ''hazzan'' was required to possess a pleasing appearance, to be married, and to have a flowing beard. Sometimes, according to Isaac ben Moses of Vienna (13th century), a young ''hazzan'' having only a slight growth of beard was tolerated. Maimonides ruled that the ''hazzan'' who recited the prayers on an ordinary Shabbat and on weekdays need not possess an appearance pleasing to everybody; he might even have a reputation not wholly spotless, provided he was living a life morally free from reproach at the time of his appointment.

But all these moderations of the rule disappeared on holidays; then an especially worthy ''hazzan'' was demanded, one whose life was absolutely irreproachable, who was generally popular, and who was endowed with an expressive delivery. Even a person who had ever litigated in a non-Jewish court, instead of a Jewish court, could not act as ''hazzan'' on those days, unless he had previously done penance. However many authorities were lenient in this regard, and as long as a cantor was , desired by the congregation, he was permitted to lead the prayers even on the holiest of days.

Today, a ''hazzan'', particularly in more formal (usually not Orthodox) synagogues, is likely to have academic credentials—most often a degree in music or in sacred music, sometimes a degree in music education or in Jewish religious education or a related discipline. The doctor of music degree is sometimes awarded to honour a ''hazzan''.

History

Early sources in the Mishnah refer to a position called ''chazzan hakenesset'', which involved leadership roles in public prayer, although not necessarily involving music or singing. Later, as public worship was developed in the Geonic period and as the knowledge of the Hebrew language declined, singing gradually superseded the role of sermons in synagogue worship, and the role of ''chazzan'' began to focus on chanting or singing of the prayers.The Development of Chazanut in the Medieval Period
/ref> Thus, while the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources, the office of the ḥazzan increased in importance with the centuries, evolving a specialized set of skills and becoming a career in itself.

Professional status

The role of the ''hazzan'' as a respected full-time profession has become a reality in recent centuries. In the last two centuries Jews in a number of European communities, notably Germany and Britain, came to view professionally trained ''hazzanim'' as clergy and the ''hazzan'' as the deputy rabbi. After the enlightenment, when European nations gave full citizenship and civil rights to Jews, professionally trained ''hazzanim'' were accepted by the secular governments as clergy just as rabbis were.

Paradoxically, the United States government recognized cantors as the first Jewish clergy, even before rabbis were recognized: as a congregation could be organized and led by a committee of Jewish laypersons, who would not have the expertise in liturgy a ''hazzan'' would have, newly forming congregations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries sometimes hired a ''hazzan'' for a synagogue (and made sure that a kosher butcher was established in the neighborhood) for some time before setting about hiring a rabbi, seeing the ''hazzan'' (and the shokhet, or kosher butcher) as a more immediate need. The ''hazzan'' therefore solemnized marriages and otherwise represented the congregation in the eyes of civil authorities.

In the United States, many ''hazzanim'' supplement their ministry by also earning certification as and working as mohels, for bris ceremonies.

In the United States there are three main organizations for professionally trained ''hazzanim'', one from each of the major Jewish denominations:

*American Conference of Cantors—Reform Judaism
*Cantors Assembly—Conservative Judaism
*Cantorial Council of America—Orthodox Judaism

Training

Many members of the Cantors Assembly are trained at the H. L. Miller Cantorial School and College of Jewish Music at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Many members of the American Conference of Cantors are trained at the Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music at Hebrew Union College—Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. Both of these programs offer a five-year training program. Members of the Cantorial Council, the Orthodox cantorial association, can train at the Philip and Sarah Belz School of Jewish Music at Yeshiva University in New York.

ALEPH, the Alliance for Jewish Renewal, includes a cantorial training program as part of its ordination program.

Full cantorial training is also offered by the Cantorial School of the Academy for Jewish Religion (California) in Los Angeles, the Cantorial Program at the similarly named Academy for Jewish Religion in New York, and the School of Jewish Music at Hebrew College. These institutions are unaffiliated with any particular Jewish denomination.

The curricula for students in these programs generally include, but are not limited to:

* Hebrew: modern, Biblical (Torah), and liturgical (''siddur'')
* ''Nusach'' (liturgical tradition)
* Laws and traditions pertaining to Jewish prayer service
* History and content of the ''siddur''
* Music theory, sight-reading
* Playing an instrument, usually a piano or guitar
* Singing technique
* Cantillation—tropes for the liturgical chanting of biblical books
* Choral conducting
* Jewish history
* Tanakh

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