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I am interested in two cases: 1) the congregation is davening mincha in a rush, and doing a "hechi kedusha" (btw, what is the etymology of this phrase)

2) an individual arrives late for mincha and is able to start shemona esrei with the chazzan.

In each case, should one wait until after kedusha to begin shemona esrei, or try to start with the chazzan and go along word-for-word. In the latter case, should the individual say the entire kedusha or just the standard communal responses? How should he conclude the beracha?

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The Heicha Kedusha can be used for Shaharis as well! See: he.wikisource.org/wiki/… –  Yahu May 27 '10 at 20:01
right, but obviously this is much more common at mincha. But shacharit would provide the opportunity to say Birkat Kohanim, as Shalom points out below. –  Jeremy May 27 '10 at 20:21
Good point, except I thought he was referring to a fast day, on which BK is said by Minha as well. –  Yahu May 27 '10 at 20:45
However, it seems to be standard practice in most Ashkenazic minyanim in the Golah (diaspora) not to say Birkat Kohanim in Shacharit. –  Adam Mosheh Feb 19 '12 at 22:46
Related: judaism.stackexchange.com/q/16998 –  msh210 Jun 11 '12 at 20:56

1 Answer 1

up vote 3 down vote accepted

I've always heard it as "heicha kedusha"; not sure what the etymology is.

Need sources, but off the top of my head here:

1.) Heicha kedusha:

The standard practice is listed as:

A. Ideally, listen to the chazan complete Kedusha, and then start your own Shmoneh Esrei from the beginning.
B. If you're really in a rush, daven along silently with the chazan from the beginning, then everyone continues silently from Ata Chonen.

Students of Rabbi Joseph Dov Soloveitchik (and I believe most Briskers of other influence as well) feel that B is the correct way to do it in all situations.

2.) If I recall, the guidance is to say everything exactly as the chazan does, including his lines in kedusha, the "l'dor vador" conclusion (in nusach Ashkenaz), and even Birkas Kohanim.

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"Heicha" is the Litvish pronunciation of "hoiche" which means "loud". Perhaps it means that the beginning of the Shaliah Tzibbur's Amidah is said aloud by him so that we can answer "Amen" to his b'racha of Kedusha, which is one of the most important b'rachos that one should hear from Hazaras HaShatz. –  Yahu May 27 '10 at 19:48
Do those who do option B respond to kedusha? –  Tzvi May 31 '10 at 1:44
I have seen "Briskers" respond to Kedusha by Heicha Kedusha but that is not proof. If it is not a hefsek for the s"t maybe it is not a hefsek for the tzibbur itself? –  Yahu May 31 '10 at 17:39
B is the Sephardic custom as well. We should follow the sha"tz mila-be-mila until the end of "haEl haQadosh". When the sha"tz concludes "ledor vador" when you say "Ata Qadosh" (as I do), I think you say the latter as it is part of your personal Amida as well. As for the other way around, I'm not sure, but I will err towards saying "Ata Qadosh" for the aforementioned reason. –  B.BarNavi Aug 10 '11 at 2:55
@AdamMosheh Half in Aramaic is "palga"; "heicha" in Aramaic means "where." The correct meaning is as Yahu stated - it's Yiddish for "out loud." –  Dave Jun 11 '12 at 21:08

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