ערובין-קג

The חזן and the גבאי of a shul had been carrying on a bitter feud for months, which reached its climax one day when the חזן publicly denounced the גבאי as a crook.  Understandably enraged, the גבאי complained to the Rabbi, who promptly sent for the slanderer.   “You have made a very serious charge against an honest man,” the Rabbi said sternly. You know as well as I that the accusation is totally untrue.   I insist that you make a public apology in Shul this coming שבת.  And I don’t want you to mince words.  You will say ‘I made a false charge and I apologize.’”   The חזן grumbled: “Okay, I’ll say it.”  “Let me hear you say it right now,” the Rabbi demanded.  “I made a false charge and I apologize,” the חזן mumbled almost inaudibly.  “That’s no good,” the Rabbi complained.  “You must annunciate your words clearly and loudly so that all can hear.”  “Now just a minute, Rabbi,” the חזן said resentfully. “I don’t tell you how to give a שיעור, so I don’t think you should instruct a חזן in matters of tone and voice.”

05/07/2020