[Avodah] answering Amen to various brachot

[Michael Poppers]

RSP replied to me:
> Excuse my ignorance, but what is "1-18:3"?

Forgive my unorthodox citation shorthand. I'm referring to Pereq 18,
Pasuq 3 within the first book of Chumash, what an official Bible-citation
notation might refer to as "Gen 18:3."

> since you come from Elizabeth

I don't, but it is my community at the present time and has been for
some time.

> what is the practice today where many an American is brought up with
> sefardi pronunciation. A ba'al teshuva or new native who has to daven for
> the amud and was brought up with Sephardic pronunciation is not allowed to
> daven for the amud?

Anyone who wants to be a SHaTZ must (or at least should :)) hew to minhag
hamaqom as it applies to his shlichus, and if his personal minhagim/minhag
avos publicly conflicts, he must (or, again, at least should :)) shelve
those personal/family minhagim during the course of his community service
as SHaTZ. There are many aspects to this serious mission of shlichus,
some (and I emphasize some ;-)) of which have been documented online in
http://elmora.thejec.org/avodah/customs.pdf . Most violations of the
minhag are unintentional, and I dare say that many do not approach the
seriousness of the one under discussion, but violations they would be.

All the best from
Michael Poppers * Elizabeth, NJ, USA