Thursday, May 25, 2006

Sephardic and Ashkenazic Customs

Q: Hi Rabbi Maroof,

I was asked to lead at "mincha" after school, which is organized by the Ashkenazi minyan. I did not know whether or not I had to modify certain prayers, or which Kaddish I should have said. Could you please tell me what I can keep Sephardic, and what I have to change to Ashkenazi tradition. Thanks a lot.


A: Dear Friend,

When you serve as the prayer leader, you accept the responsibility to act as a representative of the prayer group. Therefore, any part of the prayer that is "public" and that you recite aloud - such as kaddish, kedusha, etc. - should be performed in accordance with custom of the minyan. Anything you say to yourself privately (like the silent amida) should reflect your own personal custom.

Best Regards,

Rabbi Maroof

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What about doing things that are seen by everyone even if one is not saying a word out loud? If one is serving as the community representative, would one be allowed to perform an act that others in the minyan are not performing, such as tachanun?

Anonymous said...

Can we count Ashkenazim in our Minyan I heard not?

Rabbi Joshua Maroof said...

Of course both Ashkenazim and Sephardim count for any minyan.

Anonymous said...

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Thanks