Return to the Talmud Page Image Map However on an occasional basis, one who has reached puberty is permitted to go down before the ark, provided that he is not officially appointed by the community, or by a cantor who is hiring him in order to lighten his workload by praying in his place on specified occasions.
And a person who has reached puberty may lift his hands even by himself.
However this is true only on an occasional basis, but not as a permanent practice, until he has a full beard. At that point he may even lift his hands by himself on a permanent basis.
And if one has reached the age where a man's beard would normally be full, even though his is not full, is considered as if his beard is actually full.
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