Responsa for Taanit 31:15
שנאמר (משלי כח, יג) ומודה ועוזב ירוחם ואומר (איכה ג, מא) נשא לבבינו אל כפים אל אל בשמים:
And let them cry mightily unto God.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' lbid.');"><sup>14</sup></span> What did they say? - They said, Master of the Universe, If one is submissive and the other is not, if one is righteous and the other is not, who of them should yield?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Man cannot force God to yield to him. God should, however, in his great loving-kindness yield to the prayer of a man who humiliates himself before him.');"><sup>15</sup></span>
Teshuvot Maharam
R. Jacob, the cantor of Magdeburg, died and left a son, Hizkiyahu, who was worthy to succeed his father as cantor of Magdeburg, though inferior to him in some qualities. A majority of the membership of the Magdeburg community wanted the son to succeed his father, but a minority of possibly one or more strongly objected to the son. R. Moses b. Hisdai was asked for his opinion in the matter. He advised Hizkiyahu to try any measure in his power to ingratiate himself with the objectors. He asked the leaders of the community to direct their efforts toward effecting a reconciliation with the opposing faction, and expressed his opinion that a single person could not defy the will of the entire community. R. Isaac b. Moses (of Vienna) stated that according to Biblical Law a community could not hire a cantor to whom there was objection even by a single person. R. Meir stated his opinion that a cantor might officiate throughout the year even though not acceptable to a few congregants, but that he was not permitted to officiate on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur or on fast days, if even a single congregant found him objectionable.
SOURCES: L. 109–11; Or Zarua I, 21a.
SOURCES: L. 109–11; Or Zarua I, 21a.
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