Halachic Highlights

Question: May a father who is capable of performing a bris milah on his son (i.e., he is a doctor) hire a mohel to perform the milah?

Question: May a chazan start Chazaras HaShatz immediately after finishing his silent Sh’moneh Esrei?

 Short Answer: While some poskim rule that a chazan must pause for a few seconds before starting Chazaras HaShatz, many poskim rule that this is only a custom and not imperative. The chazan can likely rely on the lenient opinion where other factors, such as the embarrassment of the Rabbi (who has already finished his silent Sh’moneh Esrei), are in play.

Question: Should a chazan daven a long private Sh’moneh Esrei or stretch out his davening through extensive singing?

Question: Should the chazan end Chazaras HaShatz with the words “es amo va’shalom” or should he add the pasuk of “Yih’yu l’ratzon imrei fi...”?

Question: May a chazan take three steps back and begin Chazaras HaShatz where other people are still davening Sh’moneh Esrei directly behind him and to his sides?

Question: Is the chazan required to daven his silent Sh’moneh Esrei in the same nusach as the tzibur and with which he will use for Chazaras HaShatz?

 Short Answer: While the chazan must daven Chazaras HaShatz in the same nusach of the tzibur, many poskim allow him to daven his silent Sh’moneh Esrei in his own nusach. Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, however, required even the private Sh’moneh Esrei to be the same nusach as the tzibur.