From Listening to Leading: Four Pathways into Prayer

Ohila La’el

Shoshi Levin Goldberg, Director, H.L. Miller Cantorial School

As a spiritual leader dedicated to communal singing, I sometimes struggle with the sections of the High Holiday Mahzor that are written for the cantor or prayer leader to sing solo. The liturgical poem (piyyut), Ohila La’el, found in the repetition of the Musaf Amidah on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, is a short but thought-provoking example. Ohila La’el is of unknown authorship and was likely written in the 6th century CE or earlier. This piyyut comprises four lines, followed by three biblical verses. Though the poem is brief, each of these four lines can offer us a method of engaging with moments in our liturgy that may be challenging. 

Our first approach which highlights the importance of showing up, can be found within the opening line of this piyyut:

אוֹחִֽילָה לָאֵל אֲחַלֶּה פָנָיו 

“I pray to You, God, that I may come into your presence” 

Attending synagogue or tuning into a livestream is sufficient, because listening can be true prayer. Witnessing prayerful moments of the service leader, as if attending a performance, is indeed one way to pray, simply by being present. Yet while many people appreciate performative moments in prayer, that modality can be uncomfortable for others. 

The second line encourages us to try active listening as an alternative: 

אֶשְׁאֲלָה מִמֶּנּוּ מַעֲנֵה לָשׁוֹן 

“Grant me proper speech” 

Difficult words and melodies in our Mahzor can serve as a barrier to engagement. Here, the poet acknowledges this challenge, and the line can be understood as an invitation to hum or tap along, perhaps mouthing the Hebrew or engaging with the translation or supplementary readings. This, too, is authentic prayer.  

Sometimes, even active listening isn’t enough, and a congregational tune is needed:

אֲשֶׁר בִּקְהַל עָם אָשִֽׁירָה עֻזּוֹ 

“For I would sing of Your strength amidst the congregation of Your people” 

There is nothing quite like singing together and hearing the voice of the community, which is far greater than the sound of one voice. This experience brings us together and can be deeply moving, especially during these fraught and divisive times. And yet, there is still one additional level of what is possible in prayer—co-creating the service, along with the leader: 

אַבִּֽיעָה רְנָנוֹת בְּעַד מִפְעָלָיו 

“And utter praises describing your deeds” 

When we feel our voices connecting both to our community and to the Divine, individuals have the power to serve as co-leaders of the service. This prayerful presence is palpable.  

When it comes to connecting with our services, performative elements are not the only parts that can prove challenging. There are many reasons to wrestle with prayer in general or with specific sections of our liturgy. Sometimes the words are difficult to read or pronounce. Other times, the melodies are hard to sing. And often, the content of our prayers is emotionally challenging. And yet, it is in that very struggle—with words, melodies, and meaning—that we often discover the most honest and transformative moments of connection.