hazzan Diana Brewer was ordained through the aleph ordination program. she leads prayer services regularly at the jewish community of amherst, and is on the staff of the davvenen leadership training institute.

Omer Day 17 תפארת שבתפארת Tiferet SheBeTiferet

Beauty. Harmony. Glory. Balance. Art within Art. Balance. Glory. Harmony. Beauty. 

Harmony within Beauty makes me think of the many wonderful, resonant spaces I’ve had the privilege of singing in over the years. Baroque, Renaissance, Medieval churches and chapels; elegant Romantic era concert halls; angular, HIGH ceilinged modern synagogues; the occasional re-purposed barn. One of my favorites near where I live is a synagogue with high vaulted wooden ceilings. It’s like being inside a giant boat turned upside down, and the sound is absolutely, well, Glorious!

What else is Beautiful inside of all of these Beautiful spaces? Oh, how I love the faces! I always feel I have the best seat in the house performing or leading worship because I get to see all of the beautiful faces. All the faces experiencing just about every emotion that can be experienced. All at once. A magnificent, Harmonious symphony of expression held inside the Glory of the musical Harmony, the tefillah, in turn held within and propelled by the Art of the architecture. (There I go with the architecture again...)  

What is it that makes the faces so beautiful? Surely, it is the Beauty within the Beauty. 

 

Omer Day 18 נצח שבתפארת Netzach SheBeTiferet

Omer Day 16 גבורה שבתפארת Gevurah SheBeTiferet