Guidelines for Rosh Hashana for Patients

By the Rabbanim of the Beis Medrash Gavoha l’Halacha u’Refua

Shli’ach Tzibur

1. The Shli’ach Tzibur must stand throughout the Tefila, not just Chazaras haShatz.^[1] Therefore, a weak or elderly person shouldn’t serve as Shli’ach Tzibur if he will be unable to stand,^[2] even if he is otherwise appropriate for the role.^[3]

However, if he arranges a small Minyan in his home and asks Mechila from the participants, he may serve as Shli’ach Tzibur while sitting, aside from during Chazaras haShatz.^[4]

2. Some say that the Shli’ach Tzibur may sit during the lengthy Piyutim during Chazaras haShatz of Yamim Nora’im.^[5]

3. One who uses a hearing aid may serve as Shli’ach Tzibur, even according to those who do not consider it Sh’mia.^[6]

Blowing and Hearing the Shofar

4. The Ba’al Tokea must stand while sounding the Tekios^[7] and when reciting the Brachos.^[8] He may not lean on something substantially (to the extent that he would fall if it were removed).^[9] Bedi’eved, if he sounds the Tekios while sitting, one is Yotze.^[10] A weak or elderly person may support himself completely.^[11]

5. The Tzibur must also stand during the Tekios, both for the Tekios before Mussaf (the “Tekios d’Meyushav”) and those during Mussaf (the “Tekios d’M’umad”).^[12]

6. An elderly person or one who is weak may sit during the first Tekios.^[13] However, he should try to stand if he will not hear the later Tekios.^[14] If that is too difficult, he may lean on something or sit.^[15]

Tekias Shofar or Hearing the Shofar In an Unclean Place

7. If a person’s body isn’t clean or he is in an unclean place, which prevents him from reciting Devarim sheb’Kedusha, and he cannot clean himself or change locations before the time for Tekias Shofar elapses, he may listen to the Tekios but should not recite the Brachos.^[16] Some say that if he can perform the Mitzva later when he is clean or in a clean place he should do so, but he should not recite a Bracha.^[17]

Hearing Aids

8. One who uses hearing aids but can hear at a short distance should stand near the Ba’al Tokea for the Tekios.^[18] Some say that he should remove the hearing aids.^[19]

9. Some say that a person who uses a hearing aid in one ear certainly fulfills his obligation via his other ear.^[20]

10. Others hold that according to those who do not consider hearing via hearing aids to be Sh’mia, one would be required to remove the aids from both ears.^[21]

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[1] See Sefer Chasidim (756). The Sefer Minchas Aharon (12:27) gives two reasons for this: Either it is due to Kavod haTzibur (Mishne Halachos 7:15 also offers this reason), or because the Shli’ach Tzibur is compared to a Kohen performing the Avoda who must stand. See the Mordechai (Brachos 1:15) who explains that it is due to the Pasuk, “La’amod l’Shares”. The Sefer Chashukei Chemed (Yoma 20b) quotes R’ Elyashiv zt”l who attributes it to the fact that during Tefila a person is “Omed Lifnei haMelech – standing before the King”. In Avnei Chen (Zilberstein, 2, Kanfei Ruach 11:3, footnote), he further quotes R’ Elyashiv as ruling that if a person will not be able to stand to recite Chazaras haShatz, he should not serve as Shli’ach Tzibur, even if he is more worthy in other ways. Standing during the Tefila is a basic requirement and trumps other factors.

[2] See Shu”t Rivash (412) who rules that a Shli’ach Tzibur may sit during the parts of the Tefila that he says quietly and is not being Motzi the Tzibur.

[3] Sefer Chasidim ibid.

[4] Mishne Halachos ibid; Sha’arei Zevulun (Inyanei Shat”z, p226).

[5] Mishne Halachos ibid.

[6] There are several reasons for this leniency; see Teshuvos v’Hanhagos (1:101). R’ Ovadia Yosef zt”l (Yabia Omer, 7, O.C. 18) and R’ Asher Weiss Shlit”a (Kuntres “Ozen Avdecha” p90) rule similarly.

[7] Shulchan Aruch, O.C. 585:1.

[8] Mishna Berura ibid. 1.

[9] Magen Avraham ibid 1.

[10] Magen Avraham ibid.

[11] Birkei Yosef (C.M. 17:3). His ruling is cited l’Halacha b’Sha’as haDechak by the Sha’ar haTziyun (ibid. 1) and Da’as Torah (ibid. 1).

[12] Mishna Berura ibid. 2.

[13] See the Mishna Berura (ibid.) who explains that although he Minhag is to stand, a person may sit during these Tekios.

[14] Mishna Berura ibid.

[15] This is because mei’Ikar haDin the people listening to the Shofar do not need to stand (Mishna Berura ibid., Sha’ar haTziyun ibid. 4 citing the Radvaz, Birkei Yosef, Matei Ephraim, and Derech haChaim).

[16] Halichos Shlomo (Tefila, 20, Devar Halacha 36.). Teshuvos v’Hanhagos concurs (1:340, 2:280), arguing that although the Bi’ur Halacha (588 s.v. “Shema”) rules that one may not perform a Mitzva without a Guf Naki, that is only if one will be able to perform the Mitzva later.

[17] Matei Ephraim (588:5) regarding Shofar.

[18] Several Poskim hold that a person does not fulfill his obligation if he hears the Tekios while wearing hearing aids. However, R’ Elyashiv is quoted (Ashrei haIsh, O.C. 3:43:18) as ruling that if he can hear without them but the aids improve his hearing, he fulfills the Mitzva even while wearing them. R’ Ovadia Yosef ruled similarly regarding the use of a microphone for Megila reading (Chazon Ovadia, Purim p57). If the reading could also be heard without it, the microphone is permissible. According to this approach, there is no need to remove hearing aids when standing close to the Ba’al Tokea. See next footnote.

[19] Piskei R’ Shmuel Kamenetsky Shlit”a (Purim 8:8). This also appears to be R’ Asher Weiss’ view in his Teshuva. See Teshuvos v’Hanhagos (1:743) who discusses whether the use of a microphone for Kri’as haMegila means the actual voice with an artificial voice.

[20] R’ Zalman Nechemia Goldberg zt”l (Kovetz Techumin 29, p385).

[21] R’ Asher Weiss Shlit”a (Ozen Avdecha p79); Shu”t Mishnas Yosef (10:97).