Question:
bs’d
is it forbidden according to the halacha to use a microphone for the ba’al t’fillah during the service in the synagogue (we are surely talking about the weekdays) or is it ok and allowed by the halacha?
thanks a lot in advance!
Answer:
It is controversial, some poskim allow it and some don’t. If there is a need you may rely on the poskim that permit it.
Sources:
This is a well known machlokes between R’ S. Z. Auerbach zt”l and the Chazon Ish. the former prohibited it ,and the latter permitted it. The machlokes is if we can consider the sound of the microphone to be the actual sound of the person speaking, or not.
As a side point, I personally asked R’ S. Z. zt”l a similar question regarding a hard of hearing person, if he has to take his hearing aid off for the megillah and tkias shofar to hear it with his actual ear. R’ S. Z. Answered me back ( in yiddish) “I am leaning to prohibit it, the Chazon Ish however permitted it. Dvrei Horav V’divrei Hatalmud, who said I am worthy to even be called his talmud!” Therefore he told me that we can surely be lenient. Aside from the actual halacha, we see R’ S. Z.’s tremendous piety.
