Mi Yodeya is a question and answer site for those who base their lives on Jewish law and tradition and anyone interested in learning more. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
Can a Jew who does not observe Shabbat act as a shaliach tzibur (to lead prayers on behalf the congregation)? I know that many are lenient and find reasons to count a mechalel shabbat for a minyan, but I am not certain if there is a stricter standard for allowing them to lead a service and have their prayer represent other people's. Is it relevant whether the particular service is on Shabbat (like that could be scoffing in a way that a weekday wouldn't)?
Inspired by this question.
There's a theoretical halachic category of someone who publicly, purposely violates the Shabbat; but practically, that's not what you'd call your average non-Shabbat-observing Jew today.
A community could certainly enact its own higher standards, but essentially it's permissible. Rabbi Moshe Shternbuch has a responsum to a small town in South Africa which has to choose a cantor for high holidays. Candidate A keeps a traditional Jewish lifestyle, but drives on Shabbat. Candidate B keeps Shabbat, Kashrut, etc. 100%, but is married to a non-Jewish woman. (He's a kohen, so it wouldn't help if she converted.) Rabbi Shternbuch felt that B was preferable; many other poskim feel that A is.
