Ta’amim and the Tikkun Korim

Ta’amim and the Tikkun Korim

The Ta’amim (also called cantillation marks or te’amei hamikra) are the small signs above and below the words of the Tanach. They show which syllable is stressed, where a verse pauses, and the melody to sing. The Sefer Torah itself has no vowels and no Ta’amim, so the person reading has to learn them beforehand.

A Tikkun Korim is the book used to prepare: each column shows the text with vowels and Ta’amim next to the same text exactly as it appears in the Torah scroll. On LearnTefillah each Parasha comes with its Tikkun Korim and recordings by aliya, so you can listen, follow the marks and then practise reading from the unvocalised text.

The melody of the Ta’amim differs between communities. The recordings here follow the Aram Soba reading.