Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim Siman 94

Siman 94

Presented here for study, not as a practical ruling. The Shulchan Aruch rules by Sephardi custom, the Rema's glosses by Ashkenazi custom, and the Kitzur follows Ashkenazi custom. For a practical question, ask your rabbi.

א בְּקוּמוֹ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, אִם הָיָה עוֹמֵד בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ, יַחֲזִיר פָּנָיו כְּנֶגֶד אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיכַוֵּן גַּם לִירוּשָׁלַיִם וְלַמִּקְדָּשׁ וּלְבֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקָּדָשִׁים; הָיָה עוֹמֵד בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, יַחֲזִיר פָּנָיו כְּנֶגֶד יְרוּשָׁלַיִם וִיכַוֵּן גַּם לַמִּקְדָּשׁ וּלְבֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקָּדָשִׁים; הָיָה עוֹמֵד בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, יַחֲזִיר פָּנָיו לַמִּקְדָּשׁ וִיכַוֵּן גַּם כֵּן לְבֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקָּדָשִׁים; הָיָה עוֹמֵד אֲחוֹרֵי הַכַּפֹּרֶת, מַחֲזִיר פָּנָיו לַכַּפֹּרֶת.

1 One Needs to Focus Towards the Land of Israel and the Law of One who is Riding, or Sitting on a Boat, containing 9 s'ifim When one stands to pray: if he is standing in the Diaspora, he should face toward the Land of Israel and focus [his mind] also towards Jerusalem, the Temple, and the Holy of Holies. If one is standing in the Land of Israel, he should face towards Jerusalem and focus [his mind] also towards the Temple and the Holy of Holies. In one is standing in Jerusalem, he should face towards the Temple and focus [his mind] also towards the Holy of Holies. If one is standing behind the Ark-cover, he should face towards the Ark-cover.

ב אִם מִתְפַּלֵּל לְרוּחַ מִשְּׁאָר רוּחוֹת, יְצַדֵּד פָּנָיו לְצַד אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם הוּא בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ; וְלִירוּשָׁלַיִם, אִם הוּא בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְלַמִּקְדָּשׁ, אִם הוּא בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם. הַגָּה: וְאָנוּ שֶׁמַּחֲזִירִין פָּנֵינוּ לַמִּזְרָח, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָנוּ יוֹשְׁבִים בְּמַעֲרָבָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְנִמְצָא פָּנֵינוּ לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל (טוּר וּסְמַ"ג). אֵין עוֹשִׂין מְקוֹם הָאָרוֹן וְצַד הַתְּפִלָּה נֶגֶד זְרִיחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מַמָּשׁ, כִּי זֶהוּ דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּינִים, רַק מְכַוְּנִים נֶגֶד אֶמְצַע הַיּוֹם (הַגָּהוֹת אַלְפָסִי הַחֲדָשִׁים). וּמִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְקַיֵּם אָמְרָם: הָרוֹצֶה לְהַעֲשִׁיר יַצְפִּין אוֹ לְהַחְכִּים יַדְרִים, מִכָּל מָקוֹם יְצַדֵּד פָּנָיו לַמִּזְרָח.

2 If one prays [facing] one of the other directions, one should turn one's face to the direction of the land of Israel if one is in the Diaspora; and to Jerusalem if one is in the land of Israel; and to the Temple if one is in Jerusalem. Rema: And we who turn our faces to the east, it is because we dwell to the west of the land of Israel, and so our faces are towards the land of Israel (Tur, Orach Chaim 94:1 and Sefer Mitzvot Gadol). We do not make the place of the ark [in our synagogue] and the direction of prayer exactly opposite the sunrise because that is the way of the heretics; rather we direct [ourselves] opposite [the direction of the sun] in the middle of the day (Hagahot Alfasi haChadashim) And one who wants to uphold their saying (i.e. that of the Sages): "The one who wants to gain wealth turns northward or to gain wisdom turns southward", nevertheless should turn one's face towards the east

ג מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְכַוֵּן הָרוּחוֹת, יְכַוֵּן לִבּוֹ לְאָבִיו שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם.

3 One who is not able to determine the [compass] directions, [should] direct one's heart to one's Father who is in Heaven.

ד הָיָה רוֹכֵב עַל הַחֲמוֹר, אֵין צָרִיךְ לִירֵד וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל, אֲפִלּוּ אִם יֵשׁ לוֹ מִי שֶׁתּוֹפֵס חֲמוֹרוֹ, אֶלָּא מִתְפַּלֵּל דֶּרֶךְ הִלּוּכוֹ; וְכֵן אִם הָיָה בִּסְפִינָה אוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי קָרוֹן, אִם יוּכַל לַעֲמֹד, עוֹמֵד; וְאִם לָאו, יוֹשֵׁב בִּמְקוֹמוֹ וּמִתְפַּלֵּל. אוֹ אִם הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ בְּרַגְלָיו, מִתְפַּלֵּל דֶּרֶךְ הִלּוּכוֹ אַף אִם אֵין פָּנָיו כְּנֶגֶד יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, אֲפִלּוּ שֶׁלֹּא בִּמְקוֹם סַכָּנָה, כִּי אִם יַעֲמֹד וְיִתְפַּלֵּל יִקְשֶׁה בְּעֵינָיו אִחוּר דַּרְכּוֹ וְיִטָּרֵד לִבּוֹ וְלֹא יוּכַל לְכַוֵּן וְהַכֹּל לְפִי הַדֶּרֶךְ וּלְפִי הַמָּקוֹם וּלְפִי יִרְאָתוֹ וְיִשּׁוּב דַּעְתּוֹ. וְיֵשׁ מַחְמִירִין לַעֲמֹד בְּאָבוֹת, וְרָאוּי לָחוּשׁ לְדִבְרֵיהֶם אִם הוּא שֶׁלֹּא בִּמְקוֹם סַכָּנָה.

4 If one was riding on a donkey, there is no need to get down and to pray even if one has someone to hold on to his donkey, rather, one [should] pray while he is going. And so too, if one was on boat or on a wagon - if he is able to stand, he [should] stand, if not, he [should] sit in his place and pray. Or if one was walking by foot, he [may] pray while he is going, even if he is not facing towards Jerusalem, even if he is not in a dangerous place, because if he would stand and pray, the delay in his travels would be difficult in his eyes, and he would become anxious and would not be able to focus. And all [this] is according to the route and according to the place and according to one's fear and peace of mind. And there are those who are strict to stand during Avot [i.e. the first blessing of the Amidah]. And it is appropriate to heed them if one is not in a dangerous place.

ה הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בִּסְפִינָה אוֹ בַּעֲגָלָה, אִם יוּכַל לַעֲמֹד בִּמְקוֹם הַכְּרִיעוֹת, עוֹמֵד כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כּוֹרֵעַ מְעֻמָּד, וּפוֹסֵעַ ג' פְּסִיעוֹת. הַגָּה: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיּוֹשֵׁב בְּכָל הַתְּפִלָּה, מִכָּל מָקוֹם אִם אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לַעֲמֹד, יַעֲמֹד, כְּדֵי לְקַיֵּם הַכְּרִיעוֹת וְהַפְּסִיעוֹת כְּדַרְכָּן. (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם ס"ח [א"ח]) וְאִם אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ, כְּגוֹן שֶׁרוֹכֵב עַל הַבְּהֵמָה, יַחֲזִיר הַבְּהֵמָה שְׁלֹשָׁה פְּסִיעוֹת לְאַחֲרֶיהָ, וְעוֹלֶה לוֹ כְּאִלּוּ פּוֹסֵעַ בְּעַצְמוֹ (הַגָּהוֹת אַלְפָסִי הַחֲדָשִׁים ס"פ תְּפִלַּת הַשַּׁחַר).

5 If one is sitting on a boat or on a wagon: if he is able to stand up at the place [in the Amidah prayer] of bowing, [then] he [should] stand so that he is bowing while standing and [while taking the] 3 steps [back at the beginning and end of the prayer]. Rema: Even though one is sitting for the entire prayer, nevertheless, if it possible for him to stand, he [should] stand in order to fulfill [his obligation to] bow and take the [3] steps properly (Beit Yosef in the name of S"Ch). And if it is not possible for him, for example when he is riding on an animal, he [should] guide the animal to take 3 steps behind it, and it is counted for him as if he is taking steps himself (Hagahot Alfasi haChadashim, end of chapter "The Morning Prayer"

ו חוֹלֶה, מִתְפַּלֵּל אֲפִלּוּ שׁוֹכֵב עַל צִדּוֹ, וְהוּא שֶׁיָּכוֹל לְכַוֵּן דַּעְתּוֹ. וְאִם אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, מִכָּל מָקוֹם יְהַרְהֵר בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אִמְרוּ בִּלְבַבְכֶם עַל מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם (תְּהִלִּים ד, ה), (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם א"ח וּפְסִיקְתָא).

6 One who is sick [may] pray even lying down on one's side, as long as he is able to concentrate (And if it is not possible from him to pray, nevertheless, one should meditate in one's heart, as it says "Ponder [it] on your bed" [(Psalms 4:5)] (Beit Yosef in the name of Orchot Chaim and Pesikta).

ז מִי שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ עַכּוּ"ם מִכָּאן וּמִכָּאן, וּמִתְיָרֵא שֶׁמָּא יַפְסִיק תְּפִלָּתוֹ אוֹ יַפְסִידוּ מִקְּחוֹ, יֵשֵׁב בִּמְקוֹמוֹ וְיִתְפַּלֵּל, לִפִי שֶׁאֵין דַּעְתּוֹ מְיֻשֶּׁבֶת עָלָיו; וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת שְׁלֹשָׁה פְּסִיעוֹת בְּסוֹף הַתְּפִלָּה, יוֹשֵׁב וּמִתְפַּלֵּל וְכוֹרֵעַ.

7 One who has [dangerous] non-Jews on either side of him and fears that perhaps they will interrupt one's prayer [i.e. Amidah] or will cause a loss of one's merchandise: one may sit in one's place and pray since one's mind is not settled regarding it. And even though one needs to take three steps [back] at the end of the prayer, [nevertheless, here] one [just] sits and prays and bows.

ח יֵשׁ לִזָּהֵר שֶׁלֹּא לִסְמֹךְ עַצְמוֹ לְעַמּוּד אוֹ לַחֲבֵרוֹ, בִּשְׁעַת תְּפִלָּה.

8 One should be careful to not support oneself on a pillar or on one's friend at the time of prayer.

ט מִי שֶׁהֻכְרַח לְהִתְפַּלֵּל מְיֻשָּׁב, כְּשֶׁיּוּכַל צָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל מְעֻמָּד, וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְהוֹסִיף בָּהּ דָּבָר. הַגָּה: וּמִי שֶׁבָּא בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְהוּא סָמוּךְ לְמָלוֹן, אִם יָכוֹל לְהִסְתַּלֵּק מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁלֹּא יַפְסִיקוּהוּ עוֹבְרֵי דְּרָכִים, יִסְתַּלֵּק שָׁם וְלֹא יִתְפַּלֵּל בְּמָלוֹן שֶׁל עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁלֹּא יְבַלְבְּלוּהוּ בְּנֵי הַבַּיִת; אֲבָל אִם אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לְהִסְתַּלֵּק מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁלֹּא יַפְסִיקוּהוּ, יִתְפַּלֵּל בַּמָּלוֹן בְּאֵיזֶה קֶרֶן זָוִית (תְּרוּמַת הַדֶּשֶׁן סִימָן ו' ב"י סי' צ').

9 One who is forced to pray sitting, when one is able, one needs to go back and pray standing. And one does not need to add anything to [one's prayer]. Rema: And one who is on the road and is close to an inn, if one is able to go off the road to a place where [other] travelers will not interrupt one, then one should go off [the road] there [and pray], and one should not pray at an inn of non-Jews so that the occupants will not disturb one. But if it is not possible to go off the road to a place where they will not interrupt one, one should pray in the inn in some corner (T'rumat Hadeshen Siman 6; Beit Yosef Orach Chaim 90)

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