The return of the Shatz

שו”ת › Category: Halacha › The return of the Shatz

asked 5 months ago

Hello.
As is known, the members of the Great Knesset established the Chazrat Shatz for several reasons, the main one being to exclude from the obligation worshipers who do not know how to pray (….). Nowadays, we often encounter the phenomenon that, when a large gathering, even one numbering hundreds of people, approaches the lectern of the public representative, the person who knows the least how to pray of all the holy congregation present there; and especially during Yahrzeit, when – of course – we are talking about Torah bodies, which if they are not observed, Torah will be forgotten from Israel… My question to you is, hasn’t the time come to excuse those people who are reluctant to approach the lectern, by one means or another? Is public honor not a component of this picture? I have come to know that you are of the opinion that if the taste is null and void, the custom is null and void, as you practice in practice with regard to eating legumes on Passover.
Thank you.

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מיכי Staff answered 5 months ago

I don’t think that a taste is a rule. On the contrary, in the column on legumes I explained that this is not a rule or decree or custom but a concern, and for that reason alone it is appropriate to stop with this nonsense. It is true that when there is harm from continuing to conduct when the reason is nullified, there is room for resorting to mitigating interpretations (such as a brief retrial). And in extreme cases, perhaps annulment, but there should be a broad consensus for this (because in principle, annulment of the reason does not invalidate a regulation). You can read my article here on the site about repealing regulations, or the third book in the trilogy. Regarding a Shatz or a reader who is not skilled, this is truly a sick evil, not only because it contradicts the purpose of the regulation, but because in itself it is not appropriate to do so and it is also a hassle and an insult to public honor. I would gently eliminate this by establishing a permanent Shatz or a torah. Of course, if there is harm to the person, then I would not get into it.

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