Shalom alechem: i couldn't avoid the fact you talk in a peaceful way and trying to bond the brothers and sisters around the world . i wanted to say Yishar Koach! May Peace be always in your dwell shalom

Anyone wanting to be a Cantor Is just too weird. Oh please people listen to me sing just listen to my great voice. It's all about pride. So yes Rabbi is right. It takes a real righteous person to go Lead the prayer.

Somebody who does not believe the words he is saying has no business being a chazan.

So Al Jolson´s father in the Jazzsinger should not have taken any comfort, in his dying moments, from his son's cantorial role leading the congregation in Kol Nidre? Sorry, Rav Yosef, too harsh.

he is honet more than n utter but secular in a senagoge is nutter more than honest . . what you need more ???

wow, The blind leading the blind. How can a man leade with human righteousness when he can't even see the biggest thing we've been warned about. Love the LORD thy GOD with all thy heart! This world is run by the love of money. A paid servant of the LORD? What spiritual wine is everyone drinking. Even in this prophecy is being fulfilled! No prophet, annointed KING of the Jews where paid to replace unrighteous behavior. Give me a break! By the way, If you were without hair would you be unloved by HOLY GOD? Hmmmm How many enslaving laws must humanity endure by the sights of men. Righteounsness without love is dead!

1. The reason the Beit Hamikdash was destroyed was because the enemy was stronger...and there was dissension in the ranks of the Jews from both sides. 2. Rav Yosef is continuing the lashon harah that he, and others like him such as yourself, began a long time ago. 3. I’m sure there were many religious that fought in 1948 to establish the state, and later on in many wars to keep it. Most, however, were secular. And you speak of wanting them to leave? Don’t bite the hand that feeds you, and defends you, literally. History is repeating itself, if you haven't noticed it. The more you denigrate the secular, those who began the state when many of the orthodox said it shouldn’t be done, you are causing the same rift as in the time of the Beit Hamikdash. Follow your own advice: Have some respect for your fellow Jews. What goes around comes around.

But I agree as a character he was a Jew.

confused people like "rav" Yosef destroy the Jewish people.

So all those haredi who defile the Shabbat by throwing stones on Bar-Ilan Road, or at Mamilla Parking Garage are also banned. Great. (For whatever good our comments will have on those fanatics.)

If you are a synagogue attendee then you know on yom kippur we recite a formula to allow us to pray with sinners. That formula should also include the prayer leader. Obviously in the rabbi's opinon the prayer leader should be religious but who has not sinned at sometime or orther. No one could be completly without sin so according to the rabbi no one could be a prayer leadedr.

i'm not Notzri, but the circumstantial evidence that Jesus actually existed is fairly convincing. The christian scripture was compiled hundreds of years after his death by people who had an ulterior motive - but the Tanakh also was not compiled in the form we know til the Babylonian returnees wanted to grab 100% of all shrine taxes & sacrifices. It wasn't only Shlomo's shiksas who were worried that only gifts to Ashteret would ensure a pregnancy. Of themselves and of the livestock. Moderns don't comprehend how iffy life was, before mechanization of agriculture.

This rabbi is talking to his community. Can't he do so? I am a reform guy, I respect everybody, it's not a problem to me what he says; I prefer get along with them, the haredim, than antisemitic Muslims. Think about that, be well.

what's with yediot and its readers? Wwhy the cheap, lowclass responses, and why does ynet love to "bait" Ovadia Yosef? In this matter, as some have already said, the Rav is underlining that a cantor must be genuinely religious, because he is the intermediary and messenger before HaSHem. Nu, for this all the idiots out there call the Rav ugly names? Disgraceful, and shows how unJewish and lowclass are so many of yediot's talkbackers.

It's a straight forward Halacha that we do not count a Shabbat desecrator for a minyan, let alone allow him to lead the service. This is nothing new. The shaliach tzibur who leads the congregation must be properly observant. Using a straight razor to shave is a Torah prohibition, but most -- but not all -- electric shavers are permitted. The only novelty is Rav Ovadiah's objection to Jewish Israeli civil court judges, which I confess I don't understand.

For a women's service women cantors are fine. Some Orthodox synagogues in London have once a month a women's Shabbat service. Parts that require a minyan require some adjustment. Some opinions allow women to lain as well, but one may have to adjust the birkas haTorah.

Most people believe this has to do with Jews who were forced to convert and live like Catholics to avoid the Inquisition. Kol Nidrei refers to vows and that's why we give this permission at Kol Nidrei. No one is without sin, that's not the issue. The Cantor must be someone observant and respected by the members of the kehilloh.

If you can figure out why, you are that much closer.

The chazan is not an intermediary, as the rabbi is not an intermediary. Yes, they lead the prayers; and if not a chazan, then a bal tefilla of a bal choray. But not an intermediary. Each Jew speaks to HaShem, prays to HaShem, directly. "Intermediary" is a Christian idea, aka Jesus.