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I learned that one must clearly enunciate every word of tefila. At the least this would include Shemoneh Esreh and Shema, but one might presume it includes the entire prayer service. This question can easily apply to whatever definition of tefila one uses.

In many shuls, the prayer leader is generally careful to clearly enunciate every word. However, in some synagogues the pace of prayer is so fast that it seems physically impossible.

Granted, I have been davening for only about eight years, and a lot of these people have been davening for many decades. Still, there's a certain physical limit to rate of speech. It would seem, therefore, that in these synagogues they are not really enunciating every word - that or they are employing some form of kefitzas hadiburim.

I want to stress that I am not in any way condemning this practice or saying that it is in fact better to spend more time on tefila than on learning, which I assume is the impetus to pray quickly in the first place. On the contrary, I think both ways are very good, and I am not passing any judgements at all, Heaven forbid. I'm sure that this practice is well supported.

But please, help me understand:

  • What exactly is the practice here?

    • Slurring all words together into a long drone?

    • Only saying certain words and scanning the rest?

    • Only saying the beginnings and endings of each part?

    • Something else?

  • Also, what is the halachic support for the practice?

unforgettableidSupportsMonica
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yoel
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  • Related: Keeping up with fast davening,Which parts of the prayer service must be said clearly out loud, and What makes prayer take so long – yoel Nov 27 '12 at 01:06
  • Why the commentless downvote? – yoel Nov 27 '12 at 01:26
  • Dunno - wasn't me. But just something you might edit: You seem to be taking for granted that all chasidic / litvish shuls daven fast vs. all sefardi shuls daven slow. I think it would be a lot better if you did something along the lines of "most..." or "some..." – yydl Nov 27 '12 at 01:28
  • @yydl I thought it was a strong inyan in Sefardi shuls, but I guess my experience is limited. Likewise I haven't davened by every Chasid there is. I'll edit accordingly, thanks. – yoel Nov 27 '12 at 01:31
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    Maybe it's simply that the people can move their various mouth muscles very quickly. – msh210 Nov 27 '12 at 02:30
  • @msh210 I have difficulty accepting that, as the practice seems to be prevalent in certain shuls rather than amongst labially endowed individuals. – yoel Nov 27 '12 at 03:35
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM6zPikfOEs – Double AA Nov 27 '12 at 03:49
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    @DoubleAA that's interesting but doesn't really seem so fast - see this video. The speed I'm talking about by far outpaces this. I am talking finishing Shemoneh Esreh in a minute or less. The Jews I see doing this are pious individuals, so they are not just disregarding prayer. Therefore, there is either a halachic basis for "skimming" (or even skipping) or there is something they are doing when davening that I am not understanding correctly. – yoel Nov 27 '12 at 04:30
  • Some people simply can read and speak faster than you. Just because you can not, does not imply that they can't either. But the truth is, that it's mainly memory - once you have every word memorized things go a lot faster. And I know for myself that if I go too slow I loose kavanah and start thinking of random things, so I daven at a speed that keeps my mind fully occupied. – Ariel Nov 27 '12 at 10:39
  • I just watched the video you posted, and I don't really approve - it's a bit mumbled (although I could, with difficulty, make out almost every word). But if you notice it's entirely by memory. Reading something to yourself without moving your tongue, just your lips is much faster than if you had to actually enunciate it. It took him 2 minutes with extra singing, so around 1 minute without singing, and without mumbling seems perfectly possible to me. – Ariel Nov 27 '12 at 10:43
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    @Ariel I thought of the memorization factor but I'm still not convinced. I have Sh"E memorized and can go as fast as the chazan in the video if I don't mind mumbling it (I have the opposite kavanah problem from you, I lose focus if I rely too much on muscle memory). I know some people can no doubt daven faster than me. There still seems to be a standard in some shuls that is impossibly fast. Is there not any support for not really pronouncing every word? If not, then it must be physical speed. I just thought some schools of thought would permit a certain leniency in prayer enunciation. – yoel Nov 27 '12 at 13:34
  • @yoel It would help to know objectively whether they are davening fast or whether it is just your perception, since you happened to daven slower than they did. The only way to know is to time someone with a watch and report how fast they daven. You might be surprised that it isn't really so abnormally fast after all. – Curiouser Nov 27 '12 at 17:03
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    @Curiouser I have in fact done this once and seen a 43-second Shemoneh Esreh from an individual I know to be pious and meticulous. Therefore, I reject the idea that this is sloppiness or without textual support - there must be some way that a person is permitted to daven so quickly. I'm also not looking for a way to excuse myself - I'm really just curious about it. – yoel Nov 27 '12 at 17:21
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    related http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/15922/759 – Double AA Nov 27 '12 at 17:31
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    Maybe they're inhaling their prayers? – Seth J Nov 27 '12 at 18:40
  • @yoel, also consider that the Chazan in the video is pausing for responses. Replace his emphatic exclamations, his singing, and his pauses with regular speech, and you significantly shorten the length of his Tefillah. I think if you've seen someone do this in person, someone whom you actually know, you may just get a better answer by asking him directly why/how he does it. – Seth J Nov 27 '12 at 18:47
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    @SethJ I'm nervous to ask because I don't want them to think I'm judging them. I'm really not, but as was discussed in chat, it's very easy to sound judgmental with a question like this. – yoel Nov 27 '12 at 19:08
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHr_7Uczvfs – Double AA Nov 28 '12 at 04:04
  • Splendid question! But I have not upvoted it, since it includes a phrase I don't understand. What does "kefitzat ha'diburim" mean? Your question is the only Google search result on the entire Internet for those two words. It would be most excellent if you could please [edit] your question and convert the phrase into English. – unforgettableidSupportsMonica Apr 17 '15 at 14:15
  • I have recorded and timed a nusach Ashkenaz with korbanos, long tachanun, krias hatorah, and "Ratza Hakadosh Baruch Hu"+Kaddish Derabbanan: 24 minutes! – Adám Apr 17 '15 at 15:08
  • @NBZ: 1. Were you the prayer leader, or was someone else? 2. Are you proud, or sad? – unforgettableidSupportsMonica Apr 17 '15 at 15:43
  • @unforgettableid 1. No. 2. Sad. (It is the only minyan I ever experianced where the rabbi would always try to hurry up the prayer leader...) – Adám Apr 19 '15 at 14:27
  • https://www.torahmusings.com/2021/12/the-case-for-quick-davening/ – Deuteronomy Nov 30 '23 at 16:16

2 Answers2

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There is no support for slurring words. Many poskim, the Mishnah Berurah among them, speak out strongly against slurring words, skipping, or mispronouncing. See the Mishnah Berurah in his opening to Hilchos Berachos and Pesukei D'zimra. He says that one must say blessings and pray as slowly as one who is extremely careful and meticulous about counting his money. If someone does any of the practices you mention, they certainly have no basis in Jewish law for doing so.

Additionally, Rabbi Avigdor Miller zt"l and also the Mishna Berurah (Hilchos Pesukei D'zimra) says it is better to say fewer things properly, and with the right concentration, than to engage in speeding and slurring. (Though this is generally not followed or practiced as the accepted custom.) One must remember that as they pray they are standing before a King and act appropriately (Mishna Berurah, Hilchos Hanhogos Ha'adam Ba'boker).

However, I do know and have spoken to Hebrew speakers who are able to daven properly and at a considerably faster pace because they know the language significantly better. So, it is possible, but unlikely for many who are not fluent.

Go at your own pace. Just because everyone else goes fast doesn't mean you have to.

unforgettableidSupportsMonica
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Neiro_yair
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    Yalqut Yosef in Hilkhot Tefillah does encourage people who pray slowly to train themselves to pray a little quicker so as to merit Qedushah and Qaddishim. Also, "The King", not "a King" :-) – Lee Feb 05 '15 at 15:15
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I don’t know if this explanation can be applied to everyone who prays fast, and it definitely does not mean that one can actually skip words, but I’ve read somewhere in Sippurei Chasidim of Rabbi Zevin (I don’t remember exactly where in the book) two explanations as follows:

  1. The sages teach regarding sacrifices that “whether one increases or one decreases [he is praiseworthy] - as long as his intentions are for the sake of heaven!”, and the Chassidic interpretation of this passage is that there are some who are so eager and enthusiastic to say each word of their prayers, that they “swallow” their words with gusto, thereby decreasing the amount of time of their prayers for the sake and love of heaven!

  2. Another explanation: being that the Talmud (Bava Basra 164b) teaches that it is very common to have disruptive thoughts during prayers, it is therefor best to keep the amount of time spent praying to the minimum…

User123
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