[Avodah] How much Conformity to local Nusach/Mihag is required for Shatz an d for the Private Worshiper?

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

R' Richard Wolpoe asked:
> How much Conformity to local Nusach/Mihag is required for Shatz
> and for the Private Worshipper?

The Igros Moshe has quite a few teshuvos on this. Check the Yad Moshe for specifics, or ask and I'll send.

IIRC, his basic approach for the Yachid is:

If it has to be said out loud, like Kedusha, then it has to be in the shul's manner. If it has to be said quietly, like Shmoneh Esreh, then he can say it either way. If it can be said either quietly or aloud, like most of the davening, then he *should* say it the shul's way, but can say it his own way provided he is careful to do so quietly.

For the Shatz, he has additional pointers: He explains that the only reason the Shatz says a silent Shmoneh Esreh is as preparation for the loud one, and therefore his silent amidah has to be in the shul's nusach else it wouldn't really be preparation. If being chazan means having to say actual brachos which are not part of his personal minhag -- he uses Hallel on the Seder night as his example -- then he should try to avoid being chazan, and might offer some other comments to, but if he can't avoid it then he says the brachos anyway.

RRW gave many specific applications of his question, but most of them can be put into the topics I've mentioned.

Akiva Miller