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Obligations of the Chazzan in Communal Prayer (1)

25.12.2016
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Translated by Yoseif Bloch 

Our purpose here is to clarify a number of issues associated with the position of the chazzan (cantor or prayer leader) as well as the practical applications of these concepts.

 

1.        Introduction - the Theory

 

At first glance, it appears that the shatz (acronym for "sheli'ach tzibbur," the delegate of the community) has a straightforward mission. A simple reading of the discussion in Berakhot implies that the job of the chazzan is to recite, in a loud voice, certain portions of the prayer in order to exempt the "non-proficient." This category of the "non-proficient" generally included anyone who did not know the text of that specific prayer by heart, since manuscripts were prohibitively expensive, and the printing press would not be invented for another thousand years. (See Shulchan Arukh, OC 124:1 & 3.)  The role of the shatz seems to apply to two parts of the prayer service: the recitation of the Shema and its blessings (beginning with the call to praise God known as "Barekhu") referred to by the Mishna as "poreis al Shema," and the silent prayer, the Shemoneh Esrei, where the responsibility of the chazzan is to repeat the entire prayer. 

 

However, the Rambam implies that the establishment of the shatz is an essential prerequisite of communal prayer, regardless of the need to fulfill the obligation of the non-proficient.  He writes:

 

The order of communal prayer is as follows: in the morning, all of the people sit and the communal delegate goes down before the Ark, stands in the midst of the people and begins to recite the Kaddish... After this he recites Barekhu... And he begins to recite the Shema in a loud voice, to which they respond "Amen" after each blessing.  One who knows how to bless and read with him should read [himself] until he reaches the blessing of "Ga'al Yisra'el."

                (Hilkhot Tefilla 9:1)

 

In the previous chapter (8), the Rambam treats the concept of "communal prayer" as a value in its own right: "communal prayer is always heard" (ibid. halakha 1); in halakha 4 he writes, "What is communal prayer? One person prays in a loud voice, and everyone else listens." The implication is that the shatz is part of the very definition of communal prayer, and it is not enough that all simply pray simultaneously.  Only later in the chapter (halakha 9) does the Rambam add: "The shatz fulfills for the many their obligation... When does this apply? When one does not know how to pray."  The establishment of the shatz is for the sake of fulfilling the requirement of communal prayer; as an added benefit, this also enables the non-proficient to fulfill his or her obligation through the shatz. 

 

From the words of the Rambam (9:1), it emerges explicitly that the blessings of Shema are included in communal prayer.  However, he does suggest a certain distinction between Shema and the prayer of Shemoneh Esrei with regard to the shatz's mission.  Regarding the recitation of the Shema he says, "And he begins to recite the Shema in a loud voice, to which they respond 'Amen' after each blessing.  One who knows how to bless and read with him should read [himself] until he reaches the blessing of 'Ga'al Yisra'el.'"  In contrast, for Shemoneh Esrei, he writes (ibid. halakha 2): "Everyone immediately rises and prays silently.  Someone who does not know how to pray stands and remains silent until the shatz [finishes] praying silently with the rest of the people."  The implication is that for Shema the Sages originally instituted a communal prayer through the poreis al Shema, and one who knows how to read should do so along with the shatz. He fulfills his obligation with his personal prayer, besides his taking part in the communal prayer.  In the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, however, Chazal instituted originally that one pray silently (the prayer was "in public," but not "of the public") and afterwards the shatz repeats the prayer as the "communal prayer."  Only one who does not know how to pray silently can fulfill his obligation through the communal prayer.  Even after this distinction has been made, it still appears that the repetition of the shatz is not only to help the non-proficient fulfill his obligation, but also as a practical fulfillment of "communal prayer."  Consequently, one who does not know how to pray can also take advantage of the shatz's repetition in order to fulfill the specific obligation of each individual.

 

In chapter 9, halakha 3, the Rambam writes: "After the shatz steps back three paces and stands still, he begins to pray in a loud voice from the beginning of the blessing in order to fulfill the obligation for those who have not prayed." This halakha suggests a much different understanding from what we have just seen.  It appears from here that the entire requirement of the shatz's repetition is to fulfill the obligation of the "non-proficient," and does not constitute an independent concept. 

 

It is possible that the Rambam holds that a joint prayer service of the entire community in and of itself achieves the status of "communal prayer."  As such, there is no need for the shatz to pray a second time except in order to fulfill the obligation of the "non-proficient."  Alternatively, one might explain that the Rambam does not intend that fulfillment of the "non-proficient's" obligation is the only purpose of the shatz's prayer.  Rather, he intends to inform us that the chazzan must explicitly intend to exempt the "non-proficient," as this is also part of his mission.

 

It appears that the shatz has a third mission, and this is as regards "devarim she-bekedusha" (Kaddish, Barekhu,etc.)  In chapter 8 (halakha 5), the Rambam mentions that all devarim she-bekedusha must be recited in the presence of ten men, and he makes no mention of the shatz.  However, regarding the specific details of each davar she-bekedusha, the Rambam writes: "The shatz says... and they reply 'Amen'" (See chapter 9, halakha 1, for the law as regards Kaddish and Barekhu, and ibid. halakha 14 concerning Kedusha.)  It would seem that there is an additional requirement that devarim she-bekedusha be recited responsively.  This requirement naturally obligates us to have a shatz to whose call the community responds.

 

2.        The Blessing of "Ga'al Yisra'el"

 

In light of the requirement to juxtapose the theme of redemption (Ga'al Yisra'el) and Shemoneh Esrei (OC 66:7), there is a dispute as to whether one should respond "Amen" after the blessing of "Ga'al Yisra'el," or whether this is an interruption.  The Magen Avraham writes (se'if 11):

 

Those who are meticulous in their actions wait at the words "Tzur Yisra'el" [at the beginning of the paragraph] in order to respond "Amen," and in se'if 9 it is implied that one should wait at "Shira Chadasha."  It would seem that if one wants, he can purposely finish together with the shatz, and he then has no obligation to respond "Amen."

 

The Magen Avraham offers two possibilities to avoid interrupting between Geula and Shemoneh Esrei - either wait at an earlier place where it is permitted to respond, or finish simultaneously with the shatz, thus exempting oneself from the "Amen" response. (One does not answer "Amen" to one's blessing, as the nature of the response is an affirmation, a concept utterly superfluous to the one who is pronouncing the blessing.  Similarly, if two people finish a blessing simultaneously, neither responds to the other's blessing so as not to appear as echoing oneself.)  The Mishna Berura (ibid., s.k. 35) rejects the first suggestion, since it is not proper to wait idly in the middle of the blessing; furthermore, it is best to begin Shemoneh Esrei simultaneously with the chazzan.  He therefore rules that one should finish simultaneously with the shatz and thus be exempt from a response.  The Mishna Berura suggests an alternate possibility, that one begin the verse "Hashem sefatai" ("Lord, open my lips," Tehillim 51:17, the invocation that serves as a prelude to the silent prayer) before the conclusion of "Ga'al Yisroel," thereby exempting oneself from any response, since he is already considered to have begun the Shemoneh Esrei, during which one cannot respond under any circumstances. 

 

     In recent years, a custom has risen where the chazzan finishes the blessing "Ga'al Yisra'el" silently, so as not to obligate the congregation to respond "Amen." This solution to the problem of answering "Amen" is not mentioned in the works of halakhic authorities.  In 1946, Ha-rav Ha-Ga'on Yosef Eliyahu Henkin zt"l ruled (via the "Ezrat Torah" calendar)

 

that one should avoid this new custom, "for it is a decree of Chazal that the shatz pray out loud from the first blessing of Shema until after Shemoneh Esrei in order to exempt the non-proficient. Even if they are all proficient, the decree remains... B'diavad, we fulfill this obligation with an abridgment of each blessing, but under all circumstances the opening of the blessing, which begins with 'Barukh,' along with the conclusion and its antecedent, must be said in a loud voice" (Eidut Le-yisra'el, p. 161). 

 

(Every lengthy blessing has the following formula: an opening with the "Barukh Ata Hashem" formula, sometimes absent in the later blessings of a series; an elaboration on the theme; an antecedent, which returns to the theme as it will be expressed momentarily in the closing; and the closing itself.)  Based on this, we would assume that closing the blessing "Ga'al Yisra'el" silently would violate Chazal's requirement of communal prayer.  In light of what we saw in the Rambam, the decree is not only for the "non-proficient."  It constitutes an independent institution of public prayer, and, as Rav Henkin writes, the decree remains in force nowadays, even though the reason may no longer apply.  Thus, one should follow the view of the halakhic authorities that the shatz completes the berakha out loud and the congregation finishes with him.  They do not answer "Amen," and then they all begin Shemoneh Esrei together (cc. Peri Megadim, 11, and Machatzit Ha-shekel ibid.).

 

     Indeed, it is somewhat amazing how this misbegotten practice, which was unknown fifty years ago, has spread to the point that it is now observed in nearly every synagogue.  Moreover, this custom has already begotten progeny: I have heard chazzanim finish the Kaddish before the evening Shemoneh Esrei silently as well, a practice with no halakhic basis whatsoever.

    

Coincidentally, we learn from Rav Henkin zt"l that in order to fulfill Chazal's decree regarding "poreis al Shema," the shatz must say out loud at least that minimum by which we fulfill b'diavad the obligation of the blessing, namely the closing along with the antecedent.  This is why the chazzan generally begins reciting out loud the sentence preceding the closing "Barukh" and one should be careful in this regard.  Rav Henkin added that one must say aloud the OPENING of the first blessing - "Yotzer" in the morning (Shacharit) or "Ha-ma'ariv aravim" at night (Arvit).  As I recall, we do have such a custom at Shacharit, but not at Arvit; the reason why requires further analysis.

 

3.        "Hashem Sefatai"

 

The gemara (Berakhot 4b) explicitly states that this verse is considered an extension of the Shemoneh Esrei, and thus is not considered an interruption between the theme of redemption and the Shemoneh Esrei.  Based on this, it appears obvious that in the repetition of the prayer the chazzan must begin from "Hashem Sefatai," as it is actually part of the Shemoneh Esrei.  This is explicitly decided by the Mechaber and Rama in the end of chapter 123 of Orach Chayim, and no one seemingly disagrees.  The Taz writes that despite the fact that the verse is written in the singular, it is nevertheless applicable for the shatz.  This verse constitutes a prayer for divine assistance in the prayer itself, as it speaks of one's lips and mouth.  Therefore, its recitation is suitable for the chazzan's introduction, as well.  (We will address its complement, the verse "Yiyhu le-ratzon" at the silent prayer's close, in Part II of this article.)

 

We recite the verse, "Ki sheim Hashem,"  ("When I call the name of Lord," Devarim 32:3) before "Hashem sefatai" in the midday prayers of Mincha, Mussaf, and Ne'ila, which do not contain the Shema and therefore do not require connecting the redemption theme to the silent prayer.  The Terumat Ha-deshen (Pesakim, 110) writes:

 

It appears that the shatz must go back and repeat "Hashem sefatai," because it says in the first chapter of Berakhot that once it was instituted by the rabbis, it becomes like an extended prayer.  "Shomei'a tefilla," however  [the verse "Hearer of prayer, unto you come all flesh,"  Tehillim 65:3, which Ashkenazim were once accustomed to say in place of "Ki sheim Hashem"], since he already said it before his own prayer, need not be repeated even at Mincha and Mussaf.  Presumably, the same applies to Shacharit and Arvit, when he did not say it before his own prayer, since we do not differentiate.

  

     In other words, the chazzan need not repeat "ki sheim" in Mincha and Mussaf, since he has already said it before the silent prayer; furthermore, this verse is not truly a part of the prayer.  He therefore entertains the possibility that the communal delegate might have to say the extra prefatory verse in Shacharit and Arvit, since he did not say it in his silent prayer, as it would constitute an interruption between the theme of redemption and prayer.  Since there is no problem of an interruption before the shatz's repetition, he thus could and perhaps should recite this verse.  He concludes, however, that we do not differentiate.  It appears that this is most likely  the reason why the custom has evolved for the chazzan not to include this verse as part of the repetition of Shemona Esrei. 

 

     In Part II, we will deal with the issues that arise in the repetition itself and its aftermath, and hopefully enhance our understanding of the complex mission of the shatz, the communal delegate, and his relationship to the congregation. 

 

 

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