Chapter 26: 13-15
The Mourners Kaddish
13. A person who always prays in a particular synagogue or house of study
[is not given any privileges] should he desire to recite Kaddish in another
synagogue need not grant him any Kaddishim even if he is in the week of
mourning. His standing is worse than that of a guest, since a guest has no
place to pray and recite Kaddish, whereas he does.
14. If a person is able and is fit to lead the congregation in prayer, he
should do so. This is of greater benefit than the recitation of the
Mourner's Kaddish, which was instituted essentially for minors. A person
who cannot lead the congregation throughout the entire service should lead
them at least from Ashrei and Uvo l'Tzion onward.
The same principles - i.e., giving rights to those in the week of mourning
and in the first month of mourning, etc. - that govern the precedence of
mourners regarding Kaddish also apply with regard to leading the
congregation in prayer.
It is customary that a mourner not lead the congregation in prayer on the
Sabbath or festivals.* However, if even before he became a mourner, he
would lead the congregation on these days, he may continue to do so even
while a mourner.
* {In many communities, it is customary for a mourner not to lead the
congregation in prayer on any day when the musaf service is recited. These
restrictions apply only to a person within the year of mourning. However, a
person commemorating a yahrzeit may lead the congregation even on the
Sabbath or festivals.}
15. If two people have equal rights regarding the recitation of Kaddish,
both are equally capable of leading the congregation in prayer, and bother
are equally acceptable to the congregation, they should cast lots between
them. The winner leads the congregation until Ashrei and Uvo l'Tzion, and
the other leads the remainder of the service.
If one is incapable of leading the congregation in prayer or is not
acceptable to the congregation, and, hence, the other led the prayer, the
latter did not forfiet his rights regarding the Kaddishim. Nevertheless, it
is proper for him to forgo his rights and leave the Kaddish for one who did
not lead the prayers - and how much more so for minors.
