Hallel in Your Heart

Nothing signals Yom Tov like those uplifting niggunim that are sung as part of the ultimate paean of praise to Hakadosh Baruch Hu — Hallel. It’s in the chazzan’s hands to navigate that crossroads of tefillah and music, as he starts an appropriate tune while the crowd in shul joins in, feeling their hearts open with the strains of both thanks and supplication.

What tune do you choose to express a heart full of thanks?

Simcha Leiner, singer

I like to pick a theme for Hallel and stick to it throughout the tefillah. One such example is using different “Ani Maamin” tunes. There are faster ones for the upbeat sections of Hallel and slower ones for the pleading supplications. Another example: tunes from Shabbos zemiros or “Tov Lehodos” tunes — by now people know my style and are looking out to try and figure out what theme I’ve chosen.

Shlomo Katz, composer, rabbi, and singer

I use Rebbe Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev’s niggun during “Ana Hashem Hoshia Na”.

While crying out this niggun, I find myself understanding what I’m truly asking for when I ask for yeshuah.

Yitzy Spinner, arranger and chazzan

I enjoy singing Reb Shlomo Carlebach’s “Ana Hashem” in the middle of the Mah Ashiv paragraph. I find it particularly powerful to sing a melody with the words for which it was originally written.