{"id":6015,"date":"2010-01-03T04:00:50","date_gmt":"2010-01-03T02:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=6015"},"modified":"2018-05-24T11:00:54","modified_gmt":"2018-05-24T08:00:54","slug":"02-03-04","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/02-03-04\/","title":{"rendered":"04 – One May Not Pray in a High Place"},"content":{"rendered":"

A person who stands before HaKadosh Baruch Hu<\/i> in prayer should know that his life is dependent on Hashem\u2019s kindness, and should therefore stand before Him humbly. That is what the Chachamim<\/i> meant when they said (Berachot<\/i> 10b), \u201cA person may not stand on a chair, on a stool, nor on any other high place and pray, because there is no haughtiness before the Omnipresent, as it says (Psalms 130:1), \u2018From the depths I called You, Hashem.\u2019\u201d In contrast, a synagogue must be built on the highest location in the city, in order to confer respect and superiority to the synagogue (Shabbat<\/i> 11a; Peninei Halachah Likutim<\/i> I 6:4). However, the person praying must stand before God in humility, and therefore standing on a high place is forbidden. The Talmud (Ta\u2019anit<\/i> 23b) relates a story about Rabbi Yonah who was known as a righteous person whose prayers were answered. When he was requested to pray for rain, he went to a low place in order to fulfill the words, \u201cFrom the depths I called You, Hashem.\u201d There he prayed until he was answered and rain began to fall. For that reason it is customary in some congregations to lower the chazan<\/i>\u2019s place, which explains why the chazan<\/i> is described as \u201cdescending before the ark.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a rule, the Chachamim<\/i> prohibited an elevated place higher than three tefachim<\/i> (24 cm; approx. 9.45 in) above the ground. However, in practice, it is forbidden to pray even on a less elevated place, for two reasons. First, a person standing on a stepstool or rock, even only one tefach<\/i> in height, is worried about losing his balance and cannot have the proper kavanah <\/i>while praying. Second, if the floor is even, elevating oneself on pillows, cushions, or anything else, suggests a sense of haughtiness and it is improper to pray in such a manner. Nevertheless, praying on rugs and mats which are normally laid out on the floor is permitted l’chatchilah<\/i>. Likewise, whoever prays on uneven ground may stand on the elevated parts, as long as they are not three tefachim<\/i> higher than the rest of their surroundings.[4]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

A sick or elderly person who has trouble getting out of bed may pray in bed, even though it is elevated from the ground.<\/p>\n

If the high place stands on its own \u2013 for instance, it is wider than four amot<\/i> by four amot<\/i> (approximately two meters by two meters or 6.56 ft x 6.56 ft) \u2013 one is permitted to pray on it, because it is not measured in relation to other places, rather it is considered its own domain. Therefore, when a synagogue has two levels, if the higher floor is at least four amot<\/i> by four amot<\/i>, it is permissible to pray on it.<\/p>\n

Even an area which is smaller than four amot<\/i> is considered to be its own domain if it is surrounded by partitions, and it is permissible to pray on it. This is the law regarding congregations in which it is customary to build a bimah<\/i> (pulpit) in the center of the synagogue on which the chazan<\/i> stands. If the bimah<\/i> is surrounded by partitions, or is larger than four amot<\/i> by four amot<\/i>, then it is permissible to pray on it, since we do not measure its height in relation to other parts of the synagogue. However, someone who prays there does not fulfill the enhancement of the mitzvah in the verse, \u201cFrom the depths I called You, Hashem.\u201d Even so, these congregations prefer to build a bimah<\/i> for the chazan<\/i> and forsake the enhancement of \u201cdescending before the ark\u201d so that the congregation can hear the chazan<\/i>\u2019s voice clearly.[5]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

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\n
[4]<\/a>.\u00a0The poskim<\/i> are divided regarding whether or not it is permitted to stand on a utensil, bench, or anything similar, less than three tefachim<\/i> high. The Bach<\/i> and Taz<\/i> say it is allowed, while Mahari Abuhav<\/i>, Eliyah Rabbah<\/i>, and others maintain that it is prohibited. See the Mishnah Berurah<\/i> 90:2 and Kaf HaChaim<\/i> 3. According to all poskim<\/i>, when there is a feeling of fear and instability one may not pray. If he is on cushions and pillows most poskim<\/i> say it is prohibited because it looks like haughtiness, as brought by the Mishnah Berurah<\/i> 614:9 and Kaf HaChaim<\/i> 21, and even the Bach<\/i> agrees with this. When the ground is not level, there is no prohibition against praying on any spot lower than three tefachim<\/i> as long as there is no feeling of instability. B\u2019dieved<\/i>, even one who prays on a high place (more than three tefachim<\/i>) fulfills his obligation, as explained by the Pri Megadim<\/i>, Mishbetzot Zahav<\/i> 90:1, based on the Rambam<\/i>. According to this, it is clear why the law permits the chazan<\/i> to stand on a chair and make his voice heard when necessary (Shulchan Aruch<\/i> 90:1).<\/div>\n
[5]<\/a>.\u00a0Kaf HaChaim<\/i> 90:14 writes that according to the Rambam<\/i>, the bimah<\/i> must be surrounded by four partitions, and according to Ben Ish Chai<\/i>, Yitro<\/i> 3, three are sufficient. The Aruch HaShulchan<\/i> 90:3 writes that even if it is only surrounded by partitions on two sides, it is permissible to pray there, for it looks like a place of its own.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A person who stands before HaKadosh Baruch Hu in prayer should know that his life is dependent on Hashem\u2019s kindness, and should therefore stand before Him humbly. That is what the Chachamim meant when they said (Berachot 10b), \u201cA person may not stand on a chair, on a stool, nor on any other high place […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6015","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-03-the-place-of-prayer"],"yoast_head":"\n04 - One May Not Pray in a High Place - Peninei Halakha<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/02-03-04\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"04 - One May Not Pray in a High Place - Peninei Halakha\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A person who stands before HaKadosh Baruch Hu in prayer should know that his life is dependent on Hashem\u2019s kindness, and should therefore stand before Him humbly. 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