[Avodah] a sinner as chazan

[Eli Turkel]

apropos some recent discussions there is an article in the latest
techumim whether a sinner can be chazan
The article is by R. Shmuel Davis the rabbi of Afula.
The question revolved about someone who uses a razor
The article is some 10 pages long and I only bring his conclusions

1. Rav Amram and other early authorities and some later ones including
MB and Kaf Hachaim say that a sinner cannot be chazan even
occasionally (be-akrai)

2. Rambam and others say that a sinner can be chazan except for Yomim
Noraim and taanit

3. In our days many sinners are "omer mutar" or "tinok she-nishba" and
one can be lenient

4. The chazzan today no longer is "motzi" the kehilla. Many halachot
today have changed because of the change in the function of the
chazzan

5. It is customary in many places to allow someone to be chazan even
when it is known that he is a sinner

6. Mechilla of kavod hatzibur can help bring back the sinner to do teshuva

He concludes the article that in the actual case he invited the man to
be chazzan for musaf on shabbat. Some 4 months later he met the person
on the street and said that since the rav allowed him to be chazzan he
bought an electric shaver and no longer uses a razor !

-- 
Eli Turkel