Question of the Month:

Why was the Cantor standing sideways on the Bima during Rosh Hashanah services?

Rabbi Mark's answer:

In some communities the person leading services faces the Congregation, in others they face the Aron HaKodesh or Ark. Here at Shomrei Torah you'll see both styles depending on who is leading and what they are doing. Even in a Congregation where they leader faces the members, one turns to face the Ark for the Barchu, for the silent Amida and whenever the Ark is open. Additionally, during the time you do the silent Amida you are not to talk or move and for the leader this is true for the entire Reader's Repetition of the Amida. So the problem the Cantor was trying to solve is that 1. Our prayer leaders face the Congregation most of the time, 2. During the Amida she can't move & 3. Periodically, we open the Ark; she solved the dilemma by standing sideways where she could see the open Ark as well as the Congregation and do all of it without having to move while she was leading the Amida