Is it necessary to say Yishtabach with a minyan?

Yishtabach--the after-brocha of Pesukei D’zimrah—should ideally be recited upon the completion of Pesukei D’zimrah. It is also appropriate to avoid a break between Yishtabach and the Kaddish which is said afterwards. Therefore, in a case where the chazan is waiting for a minyan (to say Kaddish), he should wait to say Yishtabach as well. When the tenth man arrives, he should say Yishtabach followed by Kaddish. Those assembled, though, should say Yishtabach immediately after finishing Pesukei D’zimrah. If the Chazan already said Yishtabach, he should say any three pesukim once the minyan arrives so that Kaddish will be immediately preceded by a recitation of pesukim.

סעיף ג וס"ק ט ו־יא; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 1

Should tefillin be put on before Yishtabach or afterwards?

A person who only got a tallis and tefillin when he was in the middle of Pesukei D’zimrah should pause at the end of a perek, recite the brochos, and put them on. The customary pesukim should not be said. If he only procured them at the end of Pesukei D’zimrah, he should not interrupt to put them on. Instead, he should say Yishtabach first and put them on afterwards. This will prevent an interruption between Pesukei D’zimrah and its after-brocha. A chazan in this situation, however, should put his on before Yishtabach so that he will not have an interruption between Yishtabach and Kaddish.

סעיף ג, ס"ק ה, ו ו־ח, וביה"ל ד"ה אין; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 13

What qualities should a shaliach tzibur have?

The shaliach tzibur should be an honorable, righteous person with a long-established sterling reputation. The poskim disagree about whether it is appropriate to appoint a person with an obvious physical defect to be the chazan. Some encourage this, since the prayers of a broken-hearted person do not go unnoticed. Even those who are stringent do not disqualify him according to the letter of the law. Therefore, he may be the one to lead the davening if there is no one else available who can read.

סעיף ד, ס"ק יג, ושעה"צ ס"ק יד ו־טו; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 23

• L’chatchilah, one should recite all of the Birchos Hashachar before he begins davening. Otherwise, they should be said after Shacharis, before the end of zman tefilah.

• According to some Achronim, if one did not say Elokai Neshama before davening, he may not say it after davening. This is because it is possible that one may have been yotzei by saying Mechaye Meisim, a brocha with a similar theme, in Shemoneh Esrei. Others disagree, since Mechaye Meisim refers to the future resurrection of the dead as opposed to the daily revival discussed in Elokai Neshama.

• In the brocha of Yishtabach there are fifteen terms of praise of Hakodosh Boruch Hu. Some poskim do not include the words brochos v’hodaos and count only thirteen praises. The praises must be said successively, and one who interrupts is subject to punishment.

• Does a chazan for a ta’anis have different qualifications than a chazan for the rest of the year?

• Can one be demoted from his position because of rumors?

• Which nusach must the chazan use for his quiet Shemoneh Esrei?