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I became more religiously observant nearly 30 years ago, in mid-college. Ever since, I've been living in a Chareidi environment, where the davening is on the slower side (to give you an idea: Weekday shacharis, about 45 min; Mon and Thurs, 55min).

I understand the davening in the original Hebrew and generally have no trouble keeping up.

But when it comes to certain parts -- like the Long Tachanun on Monday and Thurs, or the parts that are said as the Sefer Torah is taken out, or Selichos -- no matter how fast I try to read, I'm only half way through when the rest of the tzibbur is finished already.

I'd like to be able to keep up with the minyan throughout all the davening. It's especially relevant because it's a big factor holding me back from being a shliach tzibbur, which I'd like to be able to do.

I'm wondering if there might be any techniques that could help me read faster while saying what I'm reading out loud.

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  • I simply interrupt the long tachanun somewhere before ויאמר דוד, do the Torah reading with the community, then continue where I have stopped. Try to be ש"ץ on other days...
    – Kazi bácsi
    Commented Dec 3, 2022 at 22:16
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    Maybe be shatz, say everything, and challenge anyone who complains to actually say it aloud for you faster.
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Dec 3, 2022 at 23:39
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    I heard that Rav Herschel Schechter takes turns doing different parts of the long tachanun. Some Monday, some the next Thursday... Everyone does that for selichos. I have never ever been in a shul that says all the selichos printed in most siddurim. Nothing wrong with that. - Dunno about being shatz though.
    – MichoelR
    Commented Dec 20, 2022 at 4:22
  • @MichoelR Everyone does that for selichos? I don't, and I'm not the fastest reader out there. I suspect most would sooner mumble their way through it than skip parts outright.
    – shmosel
    Commented Jan 18, 2023 at 21:53
  • @shmosel "I don't. Well, do you say everything printed in the selichos? As I said, I've never been in a shul that did. "I suspect most would sooner mumble their way through it than skip parts outright." But why would they, according to that Tur? How is that better?
    – MichoelR
    Commented Jan 18, 2023 at 22:01

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This information seems very promising; speed-reading techniques that could work for reading out-loud, as well:

https://tim.blog/2009/07/30/speed-reading-and-accelerated-learning/

In the mean time, I confessed my difficulty to other members of the shul, including the gabbai. I was strongly encouraged to lead the davening anyways.

One gabbai and even two different Rabbonim told me to just skip a little bit of the tachanun to keep up. And I'm referring to very religious, chareidi rabbonim, who are usually machmir in halachic matters and are qualified as morei hora'ah.

I thought this might be helpful in case anyone else finds himself with the same question.

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