Questions tagged [chazzan-prayer-leader]
Questions about the person who leads Jewish prayers when a minyan is present.
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How can we get people to stop talking (much, loudly) during minyan?
I know that lots of minyanim have the talking problem; has anybody solved it?
I daven with a weekday shacharit minyan that has a noise problem. A couple of people are the main sources of the problem ...
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Why do we still do chazarat hashatz?
This question assumes that the purpose of chazarat hashatz is to allow for those who were unable to say their own shmoneah esrei (assumedly due to Hebrew illiteracy) to fulfill their obligation to ...
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What are the oldest Jewish songs (tune plus words) that are still popular today?
When I say "song", I mean the combination of tune and words; and yes I'm probably thinking Ashkenazically here. It seems like any European old-timer I've met knows the "good old fashioned" tune for ...
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How to say go-al Yisroel before Shacharis Amida
When the leader gets to just before the Shacharis Amida, how should he say the blessing
go-al Yisroel: aloud or saying the word Yisroel so the end of it cannot be heard?
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How do we know what the Chazzan should say aloud?
In many siddurim, the text indicates a position, toward the end of each normal paragraph of prayer, where the Chazzan is supposed to start reading aloud, so that everyone knows when it's time to go on ...
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Which parts of the prayer service must be said clearly out loud?
I've heard a few different opinions on this. During longer prayer services, such as Shacharit on Shabbat, at least in Nusach Sefard, Pesukei D'Zimrah is quite long and there is a tendency for the ...
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What does it mean for a mourner to "have a chiuv"?
I have noticed that in many synagogues, before davening, the gabbai customarily asks if anybody "has a chiuv". If there is anybody with a chiuv, he is asked to daven from the amud. The people who ...
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why does the chazzan stand for the entire davening?
From what I have seen, other than tachanun (nefilat apayim) the chazzan stands for the entire davening. Why is this so? Why not sit for things like krias shema?
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Minhag of bothering the chazzan on Simchas Torah
I have seen the custom of bothering the chazzan during the musaf service on Simchas Torah. I have seen people tie the chazzan's gartel to a chair, or try to move the chazzan to a diffrent place. I ...
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When there are four aveilim (mourners), Is it better to have one minyan of 40 people or 4 minyonim of ten each?
Today I was in a shul where there were four parallel mincha services because four mourners wanted to lead the services. I thought there was a principle of ברב עם הדרת מלך?
What sources are there that ...
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Can you learn during chazarat hashatz?
Are you allowed to learn Torah silently during the chazzan's repetition of Shmonah Esrei?
(This is a case where you are davening with that minyan.)
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saying "יתברך" when the שליח צבור says "ברכו"
The Artscroll סדורים (prayer books) — "Ashkenaz" and "Sefard" editions, Hebrew-English and Hebrew-only editions, at the morning and evening prayers for holidays, Saturdays, and weekdays — indicate ...
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Refusing to Daven from the Amud
According to Bruchos 34a, one should initially refuse to Daven for the Amud, so as to feel unworthy of the duty and to not look too eager to do it. The first time one is asked he should refuse, the ...
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When may one do a Hechi Kedushah?
May a Chazzan decide on his own to do a Hechi Kedushah, or are there rules for when it is appropriate/mandated?
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Why does the congregation recite something different during the repetition of the hoda'ah -- but nowhere else?
During the repetition of the amidah, during the hoda'ah (modim) the congregation recites a different text while the shaliach tzibbur recites the text we all did during the silent amidah. (1) Why do ...
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Are there any restrictions about a chazzan if there are questions about his orthodoxy?
If someone comes up to daven as a chazzan, and you have questions about how kosher they are or whether they're truly shomer shabbos, are you allowed to still use him as a chazzan, or are there ...
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Any good sources for Ashkenazi prayer modes and melodies for the whole year?
Anyone know of any good sources for Ashkenazi prayer modes and melodies for the whole year? I'm looking for traditional Ashkenazi nusach, but perhaps not embellished like concert chazzanut. A good ...
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Best practices for well-circulating Hoshanot
What can a congregation or an individual chazzan do to make the Hoshanot work as well as possible, logistically?
I've been to many Sukkot services, especially on Hoshana Raba (HR), in which the ...
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What's wrong with singing together? [duplicate]
I once saw a sign in a synagogue which announced a change in their custom. Originally, everyone would sing Kel Adon on Shabbat shacharit together. Now, each stanza is quietly recited by the ...
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Being Shaliach Tzibbur in a Congregation with a different Nusach
In Yalkut Yosef OC 101:10 rules that a Sephardi who is davening in an Ashkenazi minyan should not daven Nusach Ashkenaz as shaliach tzibbur. He can only be shaliach tzibbur if the minyan agrees to let ...
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Guitar during public weekday prayers
Is anyone aware of any halakhic opinion regarding the playing of musical instruments, guitar for example, in shul on a weekday, not Shabbos. Does it have the same religious stigma and opposition as ...
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Shochen Ad, HaKail, HaMelech - why?
Why does the Shaliach Tzibbur start Shacharis on Shabbos from Shochein Ad, on Yom Tov from HaKeil, and on Rosh HaShana/Yom Kippur from HaMelech?
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What if, when the Kohanim washing their hands, less than ten remain?
Before Birkas Kohanim, the Levi'im wash the Kohanim's hands. In many communities, this occurs during the chazzan's repitition of Shemoneh Esrei, and in a room outside the main shul.
Normally, there ...
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whoever leads s'lichos should lead the rest of the day's prayers: why s'lichos?
Rama 581:1 says whoever leads s'lichos should lead the rest of the day's prayers, and Magen Avraham, followed by others including Mishna B'rura, says this is due to "hamaschil b'mitzva om'rim lo g'mor"...
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At what point does a chazzan take three steps back after chazaras hashatz?
Just a question I've never been able to find a concrete answer to. At what point does a chazzan take his three steps back at the end of chazaras hashatz? Would it be while/after saying "Yihyu l'ratzon"...
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Why does the Chazzan bow when saying "Gadlu" holding the Torah?
There's a widespread custom for the Chazzan to bow, facing the ark, when reciting "Gadlu" with the Torah before carrying it away. The Aruch Hashulach (282:1) says that one should do this, but doesn't ...
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Should the shaliach tzibbur check the tzitzis of a tallis given to him to daven?
Some shuls require the shaliach tzibbur to wear a tallis for mincha which is normally given to him from shul property. Is he required to check the tzitzis before wearing it?
Do we say that it would be ...
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Why should Shat'z say "Hashem Sefatai" silently?
Follow up to this answer
It seems that the Amidah begins with the words ה שפתי תפתח, and not the word ברוך which begins אבות.
O.C. 111:2 indicates that when the Shat'z repeats the Amidah, he should ...
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What is the reason for the lights lit on the desk of the prayer leader?
What is the reason for the candles or lights lit on the desk of the chazzan (prayer leader)?
In a shul today I saw candles lit on a table at least 6 feet from the reader. Does that fulfill the ...
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"Oyoyoy" a hefsek? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Humming during shmoneh esre
Is saying "oyoyoy" in places where you're not allowed to speak (e.g. Shemoneh Esreh) a hefsek (interruption)? Does it make a difference that it ...
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How can people who dress in "only" black lead tefillah, the Mishna warns us against those "machmir" about colors?
We learn in Mishnah Megillah 4:8 that if someone insists on wearing only one color when they pray we do not let them be the "shliach tzibor" (prayer leader).
This is because we suspect he is involved ...
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Is it permitted to have a boy under barmitzvah age sing Anim Zemiros?
Is it permitted to have a boy under barmitzvah age sing the Shir Hakavod (or Anim Zemiros)? Why is it not like any other part of davenning where we use someone over barmitzvah?
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Why no repetition of the Shema in shul?
We repeat the amida in shul for the sake of those who do not know the amida. We read the birkat hamzaon aloud for the sake of those who do not know the blessings. In both cases, we assume that many ...
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Answering Baruch Hu UVaruch Shemo and Amen while learning
If someone is giving Shiur in the same room as people Davening, do the people learning answer Baruch Hu Uvaruch Shemo and Amen to the Hazarat HaShatz?
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When the חזן has finished and a mourner is saying קדיש, at what point is it correct for the חזן to leave the עמוד?
When the חזן has finished the prayers and a mourner is saying קדיש, at what point is it correct for him to remove his טלית (if he is wearing one) and leave the עמוד?
On the one hand it seems ...
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Can the chazzan use the vernacular quietly?
When saying a private portion of the service, such as pesukei de-zimra, may the shaliach tzibur (aka chazzan, or the person leading services) use English, and switch to Hebrew for the portions said ...
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Why is Hashkiveinu different?
Normally, if me and my good friend Shimon complete (finish) a Bracha at the same time, I may not say Amen after his bracha.
However, if I recall correctly, an exception to this is made by the bracha ...
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What is considered a picture for not davening in front of it
I heard that you can't daven in front of a picture
What does this included?
A mogen Dovid?
A flag of israel?
A lion?
What if it is part of the paroiches or Aron kodesh
....
Similar Davening in ...
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If a chazzan has to repeat Shmoneh Esrei, can he use the chazarat hashatz for that?
Let's say a chazzan makes a mistake in his personal Shmoneh Esrei that he would have to repeat it for (e.g. missed yaaleh vyavoh). Can he use the chazarat hashatz as his required repetition, or must ...
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Why are different kaddishes said by different people?
The "Mourners' Kaddish" and the "Rabbis' Kaddish" are said by mourners: either all instances are said by all mourners in the synagogue simultaneously, or each mourner gets a turn at one kaddish, or ...
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Should the chazzan say amen after the Priestly Blessing?
The chazzan says the words of the Priestly Blessing word after word, and Kohanim (priests) repeat after him.
Should the chazzan say "amen" after each blessing?
What about "amen" after the blessing ...
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Praying directly before an aron
It is very common to have a pictorially adorned curtain on an aron kodesh (cabinet that hold the Torah scrolls in a synagogue).
It is also very common to have the shatz (prayer leader) stand before ...
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Why is Amen exclusive to the Chazzan during Tefillah?
Normally, if I hear my good friend Shimon say a bracha, I answer Amen. Nonetheless, if it's during davening, and I hear him finish a bracha, it appears to be common practice to not say Amen.
In other ...
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Anenu if planning to break the fast
I have two related questions about the fast day addition to the Amida "Anenu b'yom tzom taaniteinu":
If an individual is fasting when he says mincha, but he plans to break the fast after mincha, ...
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Shliach Tzibbur and Tashlumim for missed tefillah
The M"B in Siman 108 Sif-Katan 4 brings that someone who missed a tefillah and is now the shliach tzibbur may use the chazaras ha'shatz for his tashlumim.
(Makor in Radbaz Siman 361.)
The Radbaz ...
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Is it permissble to practice parts of davening that require a minyan to be recited?
Generally, an individual may not recite certain sections of the prayer service that are considered "holy" such as Kaddish, barchu, kedusha, chazaras hashatz unless he is part of a minyan.
Would one ...
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Why is the Hineni prayer said before the silent Amida?
The Hineni prayer is said by the Chazan before the silent Amida on the high holidays. In it, the Chazan admits his personal flaws but asks still to be allowed to be a righteous and competent ...
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Why no Chazaras HaShatz at Maariv
Why do we do Chazaras HaShatz for Shacharit and Mincha, but not for Maariv?
(It would be appreciated if you can find a source/support)
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What can a Gabbai do if no one wants to Daven from the Amud?
As a Gabbai Sheni I have noticed that often the Gabbai has a difficult time getting someone to daven from the Amud. Some Shuls have paid Chazonim, yet others can not afford that. What can a Gabbai do ...
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