3,438
edits
Shmoneh Esrei: Difference between revisions
From Halachipedia
no edit summary
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
==Walking in front of someone Davening== | ==Walking in front of someone Davening== | ||
# It’s forbidden to walk in front of someone Davening within their 4 amot, however on the sides and in back of them it’s permissible. <Ref> S”A 102:4 </ref> There’s a dispute regarding the area in between the front and the side and so one shouldn’t be lenient except in cases of great need or for an actual mitzvah. <Ref> Mishna Brurah 102:16 quotes a dispute between the Magan Avraham who’s strict and the Eliyah Rabba who’s lenient regarding the area between the sides and the front. </ref> | |||
# It’s forbidden to walk in front of someone Davening within their 4 amot, however on the sides and in back of them it’s permissible. <Ref> S”A 102:4 </ref> There’s a dispute regarding the area in between the front and the side. <Ref> Mishna Brurah 102:16 quotes a dispute between the Magan Avraham who’s strict and the Eliyah Rabba who’s lenient regarding the area between the sides and the front. </ref> | ===Taking three steps back=== | ||
# If one finished one’s Shemona Esreh and the one behind him isn’t finished, it’s forbidden to take three steps back, even if the one behind started Shemona Esreh after him. <Ref> S”A 102:5, Mishna Brurah 102:21 adds that even if the one behind him started after him and is now extending his prayers, it’s forbidden to take three steps back. </ref> | # If one finished one’s Shemona Esreh and the one behind him isn’t finished, it’s forbidden to take three steps back, even if the one behind started Shemona Esreh after him. <Ref> S”A 102:5, Mishna Brurah 102:21 adds that even if the one behind him started after him and is now extending his prayers, it’s forbidden to take three steps back. Shulchan Aruch HaMukutzer Einei Yitzchak (pg 130) writes that some are of the minhag to be lenient not to look back after one finished davening to see if one is Davening behind him. He adds that even though this goes against S”A still the minhag has what to rely on. [It seems this isn’t a source to rely on as it contradicts S”A, however one can judge others favorable who aren’t careful about this halacha.] </ref> In cases of great need, for a mitzvah, or if the one who’s waiting is greatly pained by waiting a long time it’s permissible to take three steps back in a diagonal (not to walk directly in front of the one Davening behind him). <Ref> Mishna Brurah 102:18 writes that according to Eliyah Rabba who permits walking in the front sides of someone Davening, one may take three steps back into that area. Accordingly, Arba Amot Shel Tefillah (pg 50) rules that in cases of great need or a mitzvah one may take three steps in a diagonal. Similarly, Sh”t Teshuvot VeHanhagot is lenient if the one waiting is greatly paining by waiting. </ref> | ||
# Similarly, it’s forbidden to take the three steps before Shemona Esreh in front of someone Davening. <Ref> Halichot Shlomo 8:33 </ref> | # Similarly, it’s forbidden to take the three steps before Shemona Esreh in front of someone Davening. <Ref> Halichot Shlomo 8:33 </ref> | ||
# If the one davening behind oneself has finished but didn’t take his three steps back and is waiting for someone else behind him, it’s permitted to take the three steps back in order to go to do a mitzvah like saying tachanun. <Ref> Halichot Shlomo 8:34 </ref> | |||
# If the one | ==Potential leniencies== | ||
# Even if the one Davening has a talit over his face it’s still forbidden to pass in front of the one davening. <Ref> Biur Halacha 102:4 D”H Asur </ref> | |||
# A Kohen who needs to pass someone Davening in order to Duchan, or someone who needs the bathroom is permitted to pass in front of someone who’s Davening. This is only true if the one Davening has his eyes closed, or has his eyes open and not in the siddur, however if his eyes are open but are focused on the siddur, it’s forbidden to pass before him in any regard. <Ref> Halichot Shlomo 8:33 </ref> | # A Kohen who needs to pass someone Davening in order to Duchan, or someone who needs the bathroom is permitted to pass in front of someone who’s Davening. This is only true if the one Davening has his eyes closed, or has his eyes open and not in the siddur, however if his eyes are open but are focused on the siddur, it’s forbidden to pass before him in any regard. <Ref> Halichot Shlomo 8:33 </ref> | ||
# However, it’s forbidden to pass in front of someone Davening or take three steps back in order to say Tachanun. <Ref> Halichot Shlomo 8:33 </ref> | # However, it’s forbidden to pass in front of someone Davening or take three steps back in order to say Tachanun. <Ref> Halichot Shlomo 8:33 </ref> | ||
===An interruption between the Davening and the one passing=== | |||
# Even an interruption of 10 tefachim and 4 tefachim wide one should be strict not to pass before someone Davening. However if the interruption is taller than the one Davening, then it’s permissible to walk in front of the one Davening. <Ref> Mishna Brurah 102:2 writes that one may not pass before someone even if there’s an interruption of ten tefachim with the width of 4 tefachim since it still can ruin the kavana of the one Davening. Therefore, if it’s as tall as the one Davening it won’t ruin his kavana and it’s permissible. </ref> | |||
# A shtender isn’t considered an interruption between the one Davening and one passing before him unless the Shtender is 10 tefachim tall by 4 tefachim wide. <ref> Halichot Shlomo 8:33 in the note based on Mishna Brurah 102:2 </ref> | # A shtender isn’t considered an interruption between the one Davening and one passing before him unless the Shtender is 10 tefachim tall by 4 tefachim wide. <ref> Halichot Shlomo 8:33 in the note based on Mishna Brurah 102:2 </ref> | ||
===Someone Davening in a public domain=== | ===Someone Davening in a public domain=== | ||
# Someone who is Davening in a public | # Someone who is Davening in a public walkway of a shul and is blocking the congregation from walking, some say it’s permissible to walk in front of the davener and some forbid since the entire area of the shul is a place of Davening. <Ref>Maharsham in Daat Torah leaves this question as a tzarich iyun. Rav Shlomo Zalman in Halichot Shlomo (8:36) permits if there’s a need (so quotes the Piskei Teshuvot 102:3(5)). Similarly, Yalkut Yosef (Sherit Yosef vol 3 pg 24) permits in cases of great need. However, Dalet Amot Shel Tefillah (8:2, pg 68) quotes Rav Betzalel Stern and implies from Rav Moshe Shternbach that it’s forbidden. </ref> It’s also appropriate to politely rebuke the person who is Davening in the public walkway that he is making an obstacle for the congregation (physically and spiritually). <Ref> Sefer Dalet Amot Shel Tefillah (end of chapter 10) quotes stories of Rav Moshe Feinstein, the Steipler and others who would rebuke the person who davened in a public domain after they finished Davening. So writes Halichot 8:36, Piskei Teshuvot 102:3(5). </ref> However, if that public area is usually used as a place of Davening when there’s an overflow of daveners, it’s permissible to daven there. <Ref>Sh”t Betzel Chachma 30,31, quoted in Piskei Teshuvot 102:3(5) </ref> | ||
# In some shuls, it’s so crowded that many minyanim take place in crevices of rooms or hallways and it’s nearly impossible for a finishing minyan to pass a minyan that’s still praying, this minhag has what to rely on, however, the davener should daven next to a wall, or at least close his eyes or look only into a sefer. Nonetheless, it’s preferable not to pray in such a shul. <Ref>Sh”t Me’at Mayim 1, quoted in Dalet Amot Shel Tefillah (8:5, pg 69) [I personally asked Rav Hershel Schachter about how to leave the kotel hamaarivi if there are minyanim Davening in the way and he answered that it’s permissible to pass-by since a person doesn’t forbid the area of someone else, however, from the perspective of the davener it’s forbidden to cause such an obstacle and one should find a wall. | # In some shuls, it’s so crowded that many minyanim take place in crevices of rooms or hallways and it’s nearly impossible for a finishing minyan to pass a minyan that’s still praying, this minhag has what to rely on, however, the davener should daven next to a wall, or at least close his eyes or look only into a sefer. Nonetheless, it’s preferable not to pray in such a shul. <Ref>Sh”t Me’at Mayim 1, quoted in Dalet Amot Shel Tefillah (8:5, pg 69) [I personally asked Rav Hershel Schachter about how to leave the kotel hamaarivi if there are minyanim Davening in the way and he answered that it’s permissible to pass-by since a person doesn’t forbid the area of someone else, however, from the perspective of the davener it’s forbidden to cause such an obstacle and one should find a wall. (Ike Sultan)] </ref> | ||
==Sitting in front of someone Davening== | |||
# Some say that one shouldn’t sit in front of someone up to as far as he can see (which is assumed to be up to 266 amot) <ref>S”A 102:1, Sefer Amot Shel Tefillah 2:2 pg 5 writes that the measure of as far as a person can see is 266 or 266 2/3 amot based on Shach Y”D 244:8 </ref>, however, this opinion isn’t totally accepted but the achronim hold that it’s proper to follow this opinion. <Ref>Mishna Brurah 102:9 </ref> | |||
# It’s forbidden to walk in front of someone who is Davening. <Ref>Brachot 27a, S”A 102 </ref> Some explain the reason is that walking in front of him prevents his Kavana <ref>Magan Avraham 102:6 </ref> Some explain that the area where a person davens has the shechina and it’s improper to interrupt the one Davening from the Shechina. <Ref> Sh”t Ginat Veradim 1:39 </ref> | |||
# If one was already sitting and then someone came and started Davening next to you, it’s permissible to continue sitting, yet it’s proper to stand. <Ref>S”A and Rama 102:3 </ref> However, that only applies in one’s home, however, in a place of a minyan kavuah or a shul where the area is designated for Davening, one must stand unless one is learning. <Ref> Mishna Brurah 102:13 </ref> | |||
==Interruptions== | ==Interruptions== | ||
