After the introduction of cantillations by the Masoretes around the ninth century, this additional aspect of the reading job rendered it the domain of the professional (who could memorize the prescribed notes, even as the text remained unannotated). Thus, even though the tradition of appointing the prescribed number of readers (depending on the occasion) remains, such “readers” no longer do any actual reading aloud. Rather, they recite the pre- and post-benediction on reading/studying Toroh aloud18 and let the professional baal koreh do the reading while they mutter along quietly.
