Shliach tzibbur halachos

Question:

1- Does a shliach tzibur (chazzan) say amen to the brachos of the Kohanim?
2- Does the shliach tzibbur take 3 steps back after completing chazaras hashas?

Answer:

1. The shaliach tzibbur does not answer amen to the birkas hamitzvos that the kohanim say before starting the actual birkas kohanim. However the amen after each of the three brachos if the chazzan is using a siddur, and won’t get confused by answering amen then he does answer.
2. In most instances the chazzan does not have to take the three steps back after Chazoras Hashatz because the 3 steps after kaddish are really his three steps back. (As a side point for this reason, the chazzan should be careful not to talk idly until then, i.e. on Monday and Thursday when the sefer torah is taken out, because it is still part of his shemona esrei.)  There are a few instances when the will say “yihiu l’ratzon…” and take the three steps back. 1. If he didn’t daven the quiet Shemona Esrei, or if for some reason he wasn’t yotza it (i.e. e forgot to say v’sain tal umatar). 2. If he is davening the Chazoras Hashatz as a makeup Shemona Esrei (Tefillas Tashlumin), because he didn’t daven the tefilloh prior to this one.  3. If the chazzan is not going to be continuing until after saying Kaddish Tiskabel, i.e. a different person is continuing from ashrei, then he should  and take the three steps back after Chazoras Hashatz.

Best wishes

Sources:

1. O:CH 128-19, M:B 128-71, Shar Hatzion 62.
2. O:CH 124-5, 124-18,19, 20, Keztos Hashulchan 22-11, Piskei Teshuvos 124-4.