343. Permission to Commence

Tefillah u’Birkas Kohanim 12:7

The reader may not start reading until the most prominent person in the community gives him leave to do so. Even the chazzan or the shul officer may not begin until the community or the most prominent person indicates to do so. Another person should stand next to the reader, just as the chazzan stands with readers.

Tefillah u’Birkas Kohanim 12:8

The reader is permitted to skip from place to place within the same subject, such as from Acharei Mos to the section of “ach be'asor” in parshas Emor, so long as he does not read by heart. The reader is not permitted to recite even a single word by heart; they all must be read. When skipping, the reader is not permitted to take longer than it takes for the translator to translate one verse. (See 12:10-11 for more about the translator.)