Read Torah

Learning to Read Trope

Have you ever wanted to sing or chant a Torah or Haftarah portion without having to memorize the tune from a recording?  People often memorize the tunes that accompany Hebrew text so they can have the honor of reading from the Torah, but they find themselves limited by not knowing how to read the trope. By learning Trope, the signs that appear above and below Hebrew text indicating the tune to be chanted, a person has the ability to chant any portion of the Torah.

Trope vary regionally, and even by teacher, but no matter which trope a person learns, trope is an essential part of reading the Torah.  Not only does the music created by the trope elevate the text and give it the sense of holiness the Torah deserves, the melody creates pauses in the ‘reading’ of the text, adding subtle but important meanings to the text.

View the basic Torah trope staff music while playing the corresponding audio files below, hearing the differences in the trope.  Each mp3 file corresponds to a line on the staff music. If you would like to learn Trope, contact Adele Sufrin, one of Beth El’s leading Torah readers and instructors.

Reading Torah At Beth El

Members and non-members are welcome to read from the Torah and/or read a Haftarah portion.  To make arrangements, please contact Fern Schwartz.  While you do not need to know how to read trope to receive this honor, non-members of Beth El will need to be tested on their reading in advance of the service, to ensure they are prepared and able to read the Hebrew text accurately.

Aliyah

If you will be called to the Torah for an aliyah, you can familiarize yourself with the blessings ahead of time.  This pdf is a copy of the card that is kept by the torah for those called to do an aliya.  There is no need to memorize any of the blessings.

Torah Corps

If you would like to be added to the Torah Corps (to be called on to read Torah on a regular basis), please Email Fern Schwartz.

Related Links

• Learn the Shabbat Service
• Read Haftarah
• PocketTorah App (contains Hebrew text, translation, commentary, and click on-demand audio for weekly Torah and Haftarah for every parshah.)
• PocketTorah Trope App (Teaches the proper sounds, pronunciation, and phrasing of Hebrew Trope for Torah, Haftarah, High Holiday Readings, & Megillot.)