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Should someone want to be and to ask to be shliach tzibur or should this be reserved for someone with yiras shamayim (fear of heaven) and if one does not feel he has this then allow someone else to lead?

Additional detail: -Either everyone or almost everyone has the ability to say the words of the prayers, knows the proper sequence of the prayers, minhagim unique to the shul's nusach, and if applicable minhagim unique to that shul. -edit from chazan to shliach tzibir to show this isn't a question about making parnasa

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    Related judaism.stackexchange.com/q/18794/759
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Jul 17, 2017 at 1:35
  • I believe that if someone asks you to be Shat'Z, you are supposed to refuse twice. I think O.C. mentions this. My question to you - Are you asking about thgis scenario or whether someone should choose to be a professional / paid chazzan? That has very different rules. Please edit the question to clarify.
    – DanF
    Commented Jul 17, 2017 at 2:11
  • OC 53:11 ......
    – Double AA ♦
    Commented Jul 17, 2017 at 4:46

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There are multiple issues regarding being a shaliach tzibbur. O.C. 53 lists a number of requirements. I'll address those items that I believe are related to your question:

  1. Besides the requirements of "pure" behavior, age, and having a nice voice, a key requirement is that the congregation really wants him to be chazzan. Thus, if you read O.C. 53:4 sk #17 he emphasizes that if the potential chazzan had any type of dispute or ill will towards anyone in the congregation, he needs to ask the rav or the congregation for their advice. I infer from this that if someone asked him to be chazzan and that person knows nothing about the problem, the potential chazzan can't just be chazzan without announcing the problem to the rav or someone in charge.

  2. Assuming the other requirements listed earlier in O.C. and that he has no issues with anyone in the congregation, and the shul does not have a regular shat"z present (O.C. 53:15 says that an appointed chazzan should go to the lectern and start davening without being asked. He doesn't address what occurs if that chazzan refuses or if he is allowed to refuse.) O.C. 53:16 says that in absence of a regular chazzan, someone who is asked should refuse twice before he is asked a 3rd time to daven.

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