Prayer

Our congregation is without a rabbi now, and we are looking for someone to answer our question what to do when the following happens: This past Shabbat, the chazzan during his repetition of the amidah, in the middle of a blessing, in the middle of a sentenced, seemed to get tired and stressed. Midway through a verse in the blessing for the day, he said in English “I can’t do this anymore,” and then he walked out. All of us were concerned for his health, but he returned for Mincha that day as if nothing were unusual. When we asked him if he was okay, he said everything was fine and dodged our questions on the subject. A congregant talked to his wife, who said nothing seemed out of the ordinary with him and he went to work today like normal. He is in his 50s and has grown children and no major health issues we know of. What we would like to know is, what should a congregation do if their chazzan quits and walks out in the middle of the amidah like this? Where should they resume with a new chazzan? We had no idea what to do.

Hi Rabbi, I was in services on Shavuot and noticed a special prayer being said called Yizkor. Would you please tell me more about it? Thanks

I know from some answers I’ve seen on this site to some questions others have asked that one is not supposed to pray in a non-orthodox congregation. But suppose someone does, have they fulfilled the mitzvah of having prayed with a tzibor? For example, if one is in his year of mourning and recites kaddish in a non-orthodox congregation, has he fulfilled his obligation to say kaddish? If one hears the shofar blown in a non-orthodox congregation, has he fulfilled the mitzvah of listening to the shofar?

I went to a different synagogue this Shabbat than I usually do. At this synagogue they recited Avinu Malkenu on Shabbat. They announced they were doing it because of the hostages in Gaza. What makes the recitation of Avinu Malkenu permitted on Shabbat? Under normal circumstances, Avinu Malkenu is never recited on Shabbat except for Yom Kippur Neilah.

First off I asked this somewhere else, but only got one halachic opinion so I want to see if another one exists.There is a Halachic option that says if there are otherwise 9 adult (above bar mitzvah age) Jewish males, an underage (pre bar mitzvah) Jewish male can be counted to make a minyan (which normally requires 10 adult males). My question is, if a Jewish woman is pregnant with a male baby/fetus, and there are 9 adult Jewish men present, can her child be counted as a minyan with her present? Do any poskim disagree with the shulchan aruch’s requirement the child has to be 6+? And has a rabbi ever commented on this specific question? Sources appreciated

Dear Rabbi, I am a doctor. Is it appropriate for me to say any special prayers for the good health of my patients (of any denomination), besides of course treating them medically to the best of my ability? Thank you

Dear Rabbi, The recent controversy in Tel Aviv on Yom Kippur about holding prayer in public without a partition has me wondering. What is the reason for having a physical separation in a place of prayer? Thanks!