Is there a minhag that only a child under 13 should be the chazan for Anim Zmirot on Shabos morning?
Answer:
It is customary in many shuls that a child, under 13, is the chazan for the An’im Zemiros song.
Some mention that this is because of the elevated holiness of the song, which addresses Hashem directly, and which is therefore reserved for children, who are free of sin.
However, in many places the song is led by adults, and where the custom is to sing the song, there is no problem in having an adult lead the song.
Rabbi Horowitz in Shalos Utshuves Kinyan Torah 1:131 also Rabbi Shternbuch in Tshuvas Vhanhuges 2:81 hold thet a Koten should not say Aneim Zmiros by The Umed. And by Chasidim only adults are promitet.
Thanks for the comment. This ruling is cited in Ishei Yisrael (Chap. 36, note 196), who mentions that Rav Chaim Kanievsky replied that it is fine to honor a child with An’im Zemiros. This is clearly the custom in many places. Halichos Shlomo (Chap. 12, note 96) also mentions that Rav Shlomo Zalman zt”l commented that there’s no problem in having a child lead An’im Zemiros.
except that the Gr”a holds it should not be said except on yom kippur, do to it’s intrinsic holiness. this is followed many, especially in E”Y.
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