Black Fire, White Fire

Although it’s a staple of the synagogue service, the reading of the Torah remains something of a mystery to many. The Torah portion is recited in a language that few congregants know well. Fewer still are familiar with what it takes to perform a proper leining, the intricate origins of the practice, or, for that matter, why we do it at all. Here’s an up-close look at some of the whys and hows that surround this esoteric tradition.