moshiach now

(1) The ideal time for praying the morning Amidah is at sunrise, as it is written: "So they will fear You when the sun shines."¹Psalms 72:5. Nevertheless, if you prayed after day-break, your obligation is fulfilled. The time for prayer continues until the [first] third of the day,²The day is reckoned from sunrise to sunset. Daybreak is approximately an hour and twenty minutes before sunrise. and must not be delayed longer. Nevertheless, if it so happened that you delayed longer, even intentionally, you may pray till noon. Even though the reward is not the same as when you pray at the proper time, you will still be rewarded for praying. If you willfully delayed until noon without praying, you can no longer make up for it, and concerning such a person it is said: "What is crooked cannot be made straight."³Ecclesiastes 1:5. Cases where the delay was unintentional or because of circumstances beyond control, will be discussed in Chapter 21.

(2) Before saying, Tehillos le'eil elyon,⁴“Praises to the most high Almighty.” you should stand and prepare yourself for the prayer of Shemoneh Esrei [Amidah]. You should rid yourself of phlegm and saliva, and anything that may distract your thoughts; then walk back three steps and say: tehillos le'eil elyon, and continue till [Ga'al Yisrael],⁵“Who redeemed Israel.” then return [to your position] by walking three steps forward in the manner of one approaching a king. You should not make any interruption between Ga'al Yisrael and Shemoneh Esrei, not even [in response] to Kaddish, Kedusha, or Barechu, because [the prayer of] redemption must be joined to the [Amidah] prayer. It is best to be precise in concluding the berachah of Ga'al Yisrael simultaneously with the chazzan, because should you finish first and the chazzan afterwards, there is a question whether to answer Amein to the berachah of the chazzan;⁶However if you finished before the chazzan you should answer Amein to his berachah. but when you conclude the berachah with him, you are certainly not required to answer Amein, because you do not answer Amein to your own berachah. (See Chapter Six, paragraph eleven.) In the ma'ariv service, since the berachah preceding the Shemoneh Esrei [does not] end with Ga'al Yisrael, an interruption is permitted, as it is permitted at any place between one chapter and another. [See Chapter 16 paragraph 2] Before praying Shemoneh Esrei, we say the verse: "Hashem, sefasai tiftach" [My Master open my lips]⁷Psalms 51:17.. This is not [considered] an interruption because it is relevant to the prayer; but the verse: "Ki Sheim Hashem ekra," etc.⁸“When I proclaim Hashem’s Name.” Deuteronomy 32:3. should not be said [before the Amidah], except at musaf and minchah prayers, before saying, Hashem, sefasai tiftach.

(3) When praying, you should be mindful that the Divine Presence is before you as it is said in Scriptures: "Pour out your heart like water before the Presence of Hashem."⁹Lamentations 2:19. Arouse your concentration, and rid yourself of all disturbing thoughts, so that your thoughts and concentration are purely on the prayers. Consider, if you were speaking before a mortal king,¹⁰Lit. a king of flesh and blood. how well you would organize your words and concentrate on them properly, taking care not to blunder. Certainly then, before the King, Who is King of kings, the Holy One, blessed is He, you must concentrate your thoughts before Him; because to Him, blessed is His Name, thought is the same as speech, and He scrutinizes all thoughts. Before praying, consider the exalted [majesty] of the Almighty, blessed is His Name, and the insignificance of man, and banish [the thoughts] of all humanistic pleasures from your heart.

(4) When praying you must concentrate on the meaning of the words that you utter with your lips, as it is said: "Guide their heart, let your ear be attentive."¹¹Psalms 10:17. Many prayer books have been published with translations,¹²Obviously this is also true of the Prayer Books that have been translated into English and other languages. enabling everyone to study and understand the meaning of the prayers. If you are unable to concentrate on the meaning of the words, at the very minimum, while praying, you should think about matters that humble the heart and direct your thoughts towards your Father in heaven. Should a profane thought enter your mind in the midst of the [Amidah] prayer, you should be silent [cease praying] and wait until the thought vanishes.

(5) Your feet should be placed next to each other as if they were only one, to resemble the angels, of whom it is said: ''And their feet were straight feet."¹³Ezekiel 1:7. In Hebrew, regel means one foot. Which means their feet [ragleihem] appeared as one foot [regel]. Your head should be bent slightly, and your eyes closed, so as not to gaze at anything. If you are praying from a Siddur¹⁴I.e. a prayer book. do not remove your eyes from the Siddur. Your hands should be upon your heart, the right hand upon the left. You should pray wholeheartedly with fear, reverence and humility, as a poor man standing at the door;¹⁵In the manner of a beggar pleading for alms. and pronounce the words with concentration and exactness. Everyone should pray according to his [accustomed] form [of prayer], whether it be Ashkenazic or Sefardic,¹⁶There are various texts of the Siddur prayers. or another, [for] they are all based on sacred origin. However do not intermingle words from one form with another, because the words of each form are numbered and counted, based on important mystical concepts, and nothing should be added or subtracted from them.¹⁷One should follow the text of the Siddur he is using.

(6) Take care to pray quietly so that only you yourself may hear what you are saying,¹⁸This law applies only to the Shemoneh Esrei. but someone standing next to you should not hear your voice, as Scripture says of Hannah: "Only her lips moved [but] her voice could not be heard."¹⁹I Samuel 1:13.

(7) You should not lean on anything¹⁸This law applies only to the Shemoneh Esrei. [for] even the slightest support [is forbidden]. If you are slightly ill you may pray even while sitting or lying down,²⁰If you must lie down, you should turn on your side while praying. provided that you are able to concentrate. If you are unable to utter the words²¹If you are too ill or too weak to articulate the words. you should meditate in you heart.

(8) Nothing should be held in the hand while praying the Shemoneh Esrei²²This law is also applicable when reading the Shema and Pesukei Dezimrah. except the Siddur or Machzor, if needed. Before praying, you should mark the places to be read in the Siddur or Machzor, avoiding the need to search for them in the midst of your prayer. There should be no barrier between you and the wall, as it is said: "And Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall and he prayed."²³Isaiah 38:2. Something is considered a barrier only if it is ten tefachim high²⁴See glossary. and four tefachim wide, but a small[er] article is not considered a separation. Even a large article, when installed permanently, such as a chest or cabinet, is not considered a separation; neither is a person considered a barrier.²⁵When praying in a synagogue it is often impossible to actually stand in front of a wall, since there are usually people in front of you. Thus we are told that a person is not considered a barrier. When there is no other choice,²⁶Except to pray where there is a separation between you and the wall. you need not be concerned, since you close your eyes [anyway] or pray from a Siddur, so that your concentration is not disturbed. You should also not pray in front of a picture, but should it happen that you are praying in front of a garment or decorated wall,²⁷Some walls are decorated with designs or murals which are distracting. you should [certainly] close your eyes. It is forbidden to pray in front of a mirror, even with your eyes closed. You should not pray in an open space, such as a field, for praying in an enclosed area causes one to be imbued with awe of the King, and the heart to be contrite and humbled. When traveling on the road, it is permissible to pray in the field; if possible however, you should pray among the trees.

(9) You must not belch or yawn²⁸Some say that Yegaheik refers to stretching. [when praying the Shemoneh Esrei] but if you cannot help yourself, place you hand over your mouth, so that your open mouth is not visible. It is also forbidden to spit, but if there is saliva in your mouth and it is so annoying that you are distracted from your prayers, you may cause it to be absorbed in a napkin or handkerchief. If you find this distasteful, turn to the left and spit behind you. If you are unable to spit behind you, spit towards your left, if you cannot spit to your left, you may spit towards your right. If an insect is stinging you, you should remove it by moving your clothing, so that your concentration is not diverted, but do not remove it with your bare hand. If your tallis slips off your shoulders, you may retrieve it even though most of it has fallen off, but if it falls off completely, you may not enwrap yourself in it, because that is considered an interruption.²⁹But if it disrupts your concentration to be without a tallis, you may replace it on your shoulders. If a [sacred] book falls in front of you and it is on the ground, and this distracts your concentration, you may pick it up between berachos. All things that are forbidden during the prayer of Shemoneh Esrei are prohibited until you have stepped three paces backward. (However, regarding interruptions there is a difference. See paragraph 14)

(10) [During Shemoneh Esrei, ] we must stand facing the Land of Israel, as it is said: "And they pray to You toward their land."³⁰I Kings 8:48. We should also face Jerusalem, [the place of] the Holy Temple and the Holy of Holies. Therefore, we, in our country,³¹The author lived in Hungary. The same rule is applicable in America as well. who dwell West of the Land of Israel, must stand facing Eastward. (Not exactly Eastward but toward Southeast.) Those living North of the Land of Israel should face Southward, and those living East, face Westward, and those living South, face Northward. Thus, all Jews turn their faces toward one place when they pray, namely toward Jerusalem and the Holy of Holies, for there is the Gateway to Heaven, through which all prayers ascend. Therefore, the Holy Temple is called talpiyos, as it is written: "Your neck is like the tower of David, built magnificently."³²Song of Songs 4:4. It is the hill to which all mouths turn.³³Tel means a hill, and piyos means mouths. Thus talpiyos means a hill to which all mouths turn. Should you be praying in a place in which you are unable to face the Land of Israel, you should direct your heart [thoughts] to your Father in Heaven, as it is said: "And they pray unto God."³⁴I Kings 8:44. If you were facing North or South and remembered during the Shemoneh Esrei that you were not standing correctly, you should not shift your feet, but turn your face Eastward. If you are unable to do so, or if you are facing Westward, you may conclude your prayers in this position and direct your heart [thoughts] towards the Holy of Holies, but do not shift your feet. Also, if you pray in a place where there are pictures on the Eastern wall, you may pray facing any side, even though it is not East.

(11) You must bend your knees and bow four times during the Shemoneh Esrei, at the beginning of the first berachah and at its conclusion,³⁵The berachah which ends with the words Magein Avrohom is the conclusion of the first berachah. and at the berachah of Modim, at its beginning and end.³⁶The berachah ending with the words Hatov shimecha ulecha naeh lehodos is the conclusion of Modim. When saying Baruch, bend your knees; and when you say atah bow until the vertebrae of the spinal column protrude, and you must also bow your head. Before pronouncing the Name [Hashem],³⁷The Shulchan Aruch states that one should straighten up as he says Hashem. straighten up slowly (as it is said;) "Hashem straightens the bent."³⁸Psalms 146:8. Similarly, when saying Modim, bend your knees and bow,³⁹Our custom, however, is not to bend the knees when saying Modim. and before pronouncing the Name [Hashem], you should straighten up. Do not bend too low, so that your mouth is opposite your belt, because this is an act of ostentation. For an old person or an invalid to whom bending the knees is painful, just nodding the head is sufficient. It is forbidden to bow additionally at the other berachos, either at their beginning or their end.

(12) After the Shemoneh Esrei recite the prayer, Elokai Netzor.⁴⁰“My God, guard my tongue from evil, etc.” Before saying Oseh Shalom,⁴¹“He Who makes peace in His high heavens.” bow and take three steps backward, in the manner of a servant taking leave of his master. These steps should be of average size, the minumum of which is that the toe should touch the heel.⁴²I.e., the toe of one shoe should touch the heel of the other shoe. Do not take large steps, and do not take more than three steps. Step back with your left foot first and then with the right foot, then step back again with the left foot. While still bowed, turn your face to the left, which is to the right of the Divine Presence which is before you at the time of prayer, and when you step back from [your position of] prayer you should say: Oseh shalom Bimeromav;⁴¹“He Who makes peace in His high heavens.” turn your face to the right which is to the left of the Divine Presence, and say: Hu ya'aseh shalom aleinu,⁴³“May He make peace for us.” then bow forward and say: ve'al kol Yisrael ve'imeru Amein.⁴⁴“And for all Israel, and say Amein.” Then straighten up and say: Yehi ratzon… sheyiboneh Beis Hamikdash.⁴⁵“May it be Your will… that the Holy Temple be rebuilt.” Because prayer takes the place of sacrifices, we pray for the rebuilding of the Holy Temple, so that we might do the actual service speedily in our days. The reason for taking the first step with the left foot is because people usually start walking by moving the right foot first, and therefore we take our first step with the left foot, as though to indicate how difficult it is to leave the Presence of God, blessed is He. Therefore a left-footed person, should move his [so called] left foot first [which is actually his right or weaker foot] which corresponds to everybody else's right.

(13) At the place where your three steps end, you should remain standing, feet together, as when you were praying. Do not turn your face toward the West, and do not return to your place until the chazzan says Kedushah. Similarly, when praying privately,⁴⁶Without a minyan. you should remain standing the same length of time.⁴⁷When praying at home, for example, when you conclude the Shemoneh Esrei and step back, you should remain at that spot for as long as it would take the chazzan to begin saying the Kedushah. If the place is narrow and crowded, or when Piyutim are recited,⁴⁸These are special prayers recited on Festivals, High Holidays and other occasions. you may return to your place when the chazzan begins the prayer.⁴⁹I.e., when the chazzan begins the repetition of Shemoneh Esrei.

(14) When saying Shemoneh Esrei, you should not signal with your eyes, or move your lips, or indicate with your fingers.⁵⁰These things are forbidden when used as a means of communication or to attract someone’s attention. You may not interrupt even in response to Kaddish, Kedushah, or Barechu.⁵¹If you are in the midst of praying Shemoneh Esrei, you may not answer Amein to Kaddish, or recite the Kedushah, or respond to Barechu. You should remain silent and concentrate on what is being said by the chazzan and the congregation, and this will be accounted to you as if you had responded and fulfilled your obligation;⁵²By following this instruction, it is considered as though you had actually participated in the response of the congregation. and nevertheless it is not considered an interruption [of your Shemoneh Esrei.] However, when saying: Elokai Netzor, interruptions are permitted for those things for which you may interrupt in the middle of a section of the berachos of Shema, or the Shema itself. (See Chapter 16) Nevertheless if possible you should first recite: Yiheyu leratzon imrei fi;⁵³“May the words of my mouth be acceptable etc.” Psalms 19:15. and if there is still time, you should also take three steps backward.⁵⁴Before making these interruptions.

(15) Some are accustomed to say, immediately after Hamevareich es amo Yisrael bashalom,⁵⁵“Who blesses His people Israel with peace,” which concludes the Shemoneh Esrei. the verse: Yiheyu leratzon etc. and then recite Elokai netzor, followed by Yiheyu leratzon a second time, and this is the proper way. It seems to me that in this manner, it is permissible to interrupt the saying of Elokai netzor to answer Amein [to any berachah or Kaddish.]⁵⁶The opinion of Mishnah Berurah is, however, that you are permitted to answer Amein only after saying the Yiheyu leratzon a second time. Some hold that before saying the verse: Yiheyu leratzon, it is advisable to recite a verse from the Torah or Prophets or from the Writings which begins with the same letter that your name begins, and ends with the same letter with which your name concludes. It seems to me that if you say Yiheyu leratzon twice, the above mentioned verse should be said before the second saying of Yiheyu leratzon.

(16) It has already been clarified (Chapter 12: 3) that if you feel even the slightest need to use the bathroom, you are forbidden to pray until you purge yourself. This is certainly true of the Shemoneh Esrei, which you may not pray when you feel the slightest need to use the bathroom, until you purge yourself. However, if at first you didn't feel the need but later while praying the Shemoneh Esrei, you felt the need, whether it be to defecate or urinate, you should restrain yourself until the end of Shemoneh Esrei. you should not interrupt even if the need is great. You should rather restrain yourself as long as possible⁵⁷Other authorities hold that if a person is in condition where he might be in violation of בַּל תּֽשַׁקְצוּ, “Do not make yourself detestable,” he is permitted to interrupt the Shemoneh Esrei. and not interrupt by going out during the Shemoneh Esrei, until you have concluded [by saying] Hamevareich es amo Yisrael bashalom.

(17) If you feel that you are about to flatuate and cannot restrain yourself [then] if you are praying at home (privately) you should move backward four amos⁵⁸Amah (ah-ma) is a linear measure. Opinions vary as to its length from 18 to 24 inches. See glossary. or [four amos] sideways, and flatuate, and wait until the odor vanishes, then return to your [original] place and say: "Master of [all] the worlds, You created us with many openings with many hollows (blood vessels, ducts, etc.). Our shame and embarrassment is obvious to You; shame and embarrassment during our lifetime, gnats and worms in our death," and complete your prayer. And if you flatuated in your place [of prayer] accidentally, or if you are praying with a congregation [where] it would be embarassing to move backwards [in the midst of Shemoneh Esrei], you are not required to move or say the prayer: "Master…," but you should wait until the odor vanishes and then conclude your prayer.

(18) It is forbidden to sit within four amos in front, behind or along side of a person praying the Shemoneh Esrei prayer.⁵⁹I.e., in a circle around the person praying within a radius of 6 to 8 feet. But, if the person seated is also engaged in that which is related to the "Order of the prayers,"⁶⁰Though he is not involved in Shemoneh Esrei or Kerias Shema but in other parts of the synagogue service which are only a minhag (custom). he is permitted [to remain seated]. There are [poskim] who are lenient [and permit him to remain seated] even if he is not engaged in matters relating to prayer, but is only studying Torah orally.⁶¹Reading aloud or speaking words of Torah. But a God-fearing man should not sit in front of a person praying the Shemoneh Esrei prayer within his line of vision⁶²Even if the distance is greater than four amos. even if he (the seated person) is saying Kerias Shema. But [to be seated] behind or alongside [a person praying Shemoneh Esrei] is not objectionable, and it is permitted to stand in all situations⁶³All the objections mentioned above refer to sitting only. even in front of [the person praying].

(19) If the one sitting [within four amos] is a weak [or sickly] person he should not be chastised (corrected).⁶⁴He should not be asked to stand, but be allowed to remain seated.

(20) If the seated person was first, and afterwards the other one came to stand and to pray [Shemoneh Esrei] alongside him or in front of him so that the seated person is behind the person [praying], he need not stand, because the second person came into his "territory." However [if the second person] stood to pray [Shemoneh Esrei] behind him so that the seated person is in front of him, he should use discretion and rise.⁶⁵Although the person who placed himself to pray facing a seated person, acted improperly, yet “discretion” calls upon the seated person not to remain seated. This applies only when he is praying at home, but if he is praying in a house (room) assigned to a regular minyan,⁶⁶E.g., a place of business where people gather regularly to pray as a minyan. and certainly in a synagogue that is designated for everyone [equally] to pray there even if he was seated first he should rise since the place is designated for prayer to everyone.

(21) It is forbidden to pass within four amos in front of a person praying the Shemoneh Esrei prayer. Therefore, if one prayed and concluded his prayer, and the person standing behind him in prayer has not yet completed [Shemoneh Esrei], he (the person in front) should not take the [three backward] steps⁶⁷See above paragraph 12. because, in essence [it would be considered] as if he were passing in front of the person praying [Shemoneh Esrei]. But to pass by alongside, and certainly behind him, is permitted.

(22) A person who has drunk intoxicating beverages, if he is incapable of speaking before a great person and/or a dignitary, he is forbidden to pray. If he transgressed and did pray, his prayer is an "abomination," and he is required to repeat his prayer when "his wine is removed from him."⁶⁸I.e., when he becomes sober. If, by then, the time of that prayer has passed, he must "make up" [the missed prayer] at the next prayer, according to the law [of a person who missed a prayer] inadvertently or by accident, as explained further on in chapter 21.