Question: May a 29-year-old serve as chazan on Yamim Nora’im?
Short Answer: Even though the Rama writes that we should choose a chazan who is at least 30 years old, many Acharonim disagree.
Explanation:
I. The Source
The Darchei Moshe (Orach Chayim 581:2) cites the Kol Bo, who holds that a shul should search for a proper chazan for the Yamim Nora’im because the davening represents the avodah. Thus, the chazan must be the age of someone who could perform avodah, which is 25. The ideal, however, is that the chazan be at least 30 years old, as this is the age where his heart is heavy and “broken.” The chazan should also be married, similar to the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur.
The Rama (Orach Chayim 581:1) codifies this Kol Bo, holding that the chazan for S’lichos and Rosh HaShanah should be at least 30 years old and married.
II. Mishnah B’rurah’s Attack
The Mishnah B’rurah (Orach Chayim 581:12) explains the Rama, that 30 is (i) the age of avodah and (ii) the age when the chazan’s heart will be heavy and broken. The Shaar HaTziyon (21) notes that even though the Darchei Moshe said that age 25 was the start time of avodah, the Rama wrote 30 based on the actual words of the Kol Bo, that the person starts learning avodah/t’filah at 25 but becomes an expert (and ready to serve) at 30.
The Shaar HaTziyon (22) also challenges the second reason of the Darchei Moshe/Kol Bo. Why is a 30-year-old considered someone with a heavy heart and broken? If anything, a 30-year-old is in his strongest physical health! Rather, the Shaar HaTziyon makes two suggestions. First, perhaps there is a printing error in the Kol Bo and the correct age should be 60. However, the Orchos Chayim, the source of much of the Kol Bo, also writes 30. Thus, a second option is that it means that a 30-year-old is better than a 25-year-old because a 30-year-old has more of a heavy heart and broken soul.
III. Divrei Yatziv’s Attack
The Sanz-Klausenberger Rebbe (Divrei Yatziv 2:250) likewise challenges the Rama. First, if we are comparing a chazan to a Kohen Gadol (i.e., that he needs to be married, why is there an age minimum? Only Leviim had such age requirements, not kohanim. Second, why is 25 the age to start? Leviim could not actually do service until 30? Third, why is a 30-year-old deemed to be broken? Even if you say that a 30-year-old is more broken than a 25-year-old, how is this true?
To answer the first question, the Divrei Yatziv cites the Gra, that these days are the y’mei ha’din, which is represented by the service of the Leviim. He explains that this is a kabbalistic concept.
Regardless, the Divrei Yatziv questions the entire premise of 30 for the Leviim, as the Gemara (Chulin 24b) states that there is NO minimum age for Leviim in the Beis HaMikdash, only in the midbar (when they needed to carry heavy items and thus needed strength)? Further, even if you assume that we are following the rules of the midbar, is a chazan pasul after the age of 50?
The Divrei Yatziv answers that there is one opinion in the Kesef Mishneh that holds that for the avodah of singing, the age minimum exists even in the Beis HaMikdash. Thus, perhaps the age 30 for chazan is comparable to the singing avodah.
Going back to our second question above, where does 25 come from, as the Leviim were still training until age 30? The Divrei Yatziv answers based on the Ramban (BaMidbar 8:24). The Ramban explains that “training” from 25 to 30 simply means that they were not yet experts or in leadership roles until 30. Certainly, though, the Leviim started doing avodah from 25.
To answer the third question, the Divrei Yatziv cites the Komarno Rebbe that a 30-year-old has reached the age where his nefesh is complete. He can now know the proper way to act in a manner that appears broken and humble before Hashem. And that is why we don’t care about people older than 50, as he surely has reached this age of humility before Hashem.
Accordingly, the Divrei Yatziv concludes that it is preferable to choose a chazan who is in kollel and has Toraso umnaso more than a 30-year-old, as the talmid chacham will certainly have these midos of humility before age 30.
Interestingly, the Chashukei Chemed (Pei’ah, p. 110) writes that we choose the kollel person even if most of the tzibur wants the 30-year-old.
IV. The Sheivet HaLevi
The Sheivet HaLevi (5:66) similarly rules that it is preferable to choose a married person than a person above 30, as the attribute of 30 is merely a nice idea based on the Leviim. But, as explained above, even the Leviim could serve in the Beis HaMikdash under 30.
Rav Mordechai Willig shlita (Batei Yosef, Yamim Nora’im, p. 212) holds that the most important attribute is for the chazan to be a y’rei Shamayim and an expert in the nusach of the t’filah. Rav Willig adds that, in particular, nowadays it is not truly necessary to seek a chazan who is at least 30 years old.
Rabbi Ephraim Glatt, Esq. is the Associate Rabbi at the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, and he is a Partner at McGrail & Bensinger LLP, specializing in commercial litigation. Questions? Comments? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
