18 Aug Psak Halacha on This Year’s Yom Tov Davening

One Person Serving as the Chazan For Multiple Minyanim for the Same Tefillah

This year presents a unique problem for many communities, as there will be many more minyanim on the Yamim Noraim than usual, due to the need for social distancing. This presents a challenge in finding enough baalei tefillah to service the minyanim.

A melodious Chazan who is uniquely qualified to represent the tzibur may serve in this role for multiple minyanim in one day. Even though he has already served as a chazan at a prior minyan, he may represent the tzibur for an additional chazaras hashatz at a later minyan as well.

In such a situation, the Chazan would not repeat the silent shemoneh esrei a second time. Should the Chazan be needed for multiple Shachris minyanim, he would not repeat the Birchos Kriyas Shema or recite the silent shemoneh esrei.

Shortening Rosh Hashana

Davening to Allow

for Multiple Minyanim

Due to the need for social distancing during the current pandemic, there is a concern about adequate spacing in shuls for the Yamim Noraim. Minyanim will probably have to abbreviate the davening in order to accommodate the many who will be in need of an indoor space to daven.

If need be, all of the Piyutim can be deleted as well as some of the extra shofar blowing that we have the custom to do throughout the davening. (The basic shofar blasts are the ones after maft ir and those included in the chazaras Hashatz).

Should there be a need to abbreviate the Pesukei D’zimra as well, one must still make sure that it is done based on the rules of priority that govern the Pesukei D’zimra. Either way, if the congregation will be convening after reciting Pesukei D’zimra on their own, they cannot begin from “Hamelech” or “Shochen Ad” but rather from Nishmas which is considered the beginning of the paragraph.