The Mishnah Berurah notes that if no one else is available, the congregation may ask a child to answer “Amen” to each blessing of chazarat hashatz.
We rarely see this type of chazarat hashatz done. There is a similar type of chazarat hashatz, however, referred to in Yiddish as “hoiche Kedushah – ‘high’ or ‘loud’ Kedushah.” The Mishnah Berurah writes (Orach Chayim 124 sk8), “When the time is not that pressing [i.e., there is no concern about missing z’man tefillah], only the chazzan begins the Amidah [and all congregants concentrate silently on his words]. Then, after the conclusion of ‘HaKel HaKadosh,’ they begin their silent Amidah, and [the chazzan] too continues quietly [to the conclusion of Amidah].”
This style of tefillah b’tzibbur is commonly practiced by some congregations [or office minyanim where employees have to return to work] for Minchah, especially in yeshivot, where there is a sense of urgency to return to the Seder Ha’limud – the Torah study schedule as the mishnah in Peah (1:1) concludes.
(To be continued)
Rabbi Yaakov Klass, rav of Congregation K’hal Bnei Matisyahu in Flatbush, Brooklyn, is Torah Editor of The Jewish Press. He can be contacted at [email protected].