314. The Morning Service

Tefillah u’Birkas Kohanim 8:12

A person who cannot distinguish between the pronunciation of an alef and an ayin should not be designated as prayer leader, nor should one who is generally inarticulate. A teacher may designate one of his students to lead the service in his presence. A blind person may recite Shema publicly and serve as prayer leader. If a person’s shoulders are uncovered, he may recite Shema publicly but he may not serve as prayer leader until he is covered.

Tefillah u’Birkas Kohanim 9:1

The order of the morning service (following Pesukei d’Zimra) is: with the congregation seated, the prayer leader descends in front of the ark and recites Kaddish. Everyone responds “Amen, yehei shmeih rabbah…” with all their strength, as well as “Amen” at the end. The leader recites Barchu and the congregation responds with “Baruch Hashem haMevorach....” The leader then recites Shema and its brachos out loud, the congregation responding “Amen” after each bracha. One who knows how to recite the brachos and Shema should do so himself, through the bracha of “Ga’al Yisrael.”