Trope is the term for the notation system for chanting Torah. Trope are symbols for when to pause and where to stop in the Torah reading. They each have a different set of associated notes and when strung together become the chant for a given portion. The technical term for trope is Ta'amei haMikra, "the flavor of the reading."

When the words of the chapters assigned to a particular week enter our consciousness and our "soul stream," we can learn something new and interesting about ourselves as individuals, families, humans and peoples. This new awareness is what may be meant by the term "revelation." This is Judaism at its best -- exciting, meaningful, growthful. Torah reading can be a high point of a services. Here is how to give everyone present a greater opportunity to be included in the Torah reading.  I first saw Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi lead a service using this method at Philadelphia's P'nai Or community, and he is indeed, credited with having developed it. During my travels I'm seeing this approach beginning to appear across the full spectrum of Jewish life.

This week's Torah parsha is Parshat Toldot. It begins with the birth of Jacob and Esau. Isaac and Rebecca were barren and had no children until one day when Rebecca became pregnant. The parsha then talks about how Jacob and Esau grow up struggling against each other for power.

There are many approaches to Torah study. My favorites are Remez - finding hints to meaning and Sod (samech daled in Hebrew, pronounced Sohd) - when the text becomes a portal of expanded, seemingly mystical, awareness.

The most important thing when you get up to teach Torah is not what the portion means to you, but rather, as a new leader of our people how you will help those present connect to the weekly Torah reading. Here's a brief "how to" guide for creating a theme for each aliyah in order to help those present connect to the meaning of reading the Torah.