During the Shemone Esre, we bend our knees and then bow. I have observed two ways of doing this. One is to bend the knees, then to straighten the knees, and then to bow at the waist. The other is to keep the knees bent while bowing, and straighten them while coming out of the bow. Is one of these methods more correct than the other? Is there a source for the exact manner in which to bow?
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Yes there is a source. It is MB simon 113 sk 12. Almost the same text is used in Kitzur Shulchan Oruch 18(11). The translation says, "When a person recites Boruch, he should bend the knee, and when he says Attoh, he should bow to the extent that the vertebrae of the spine protrude. He should also bend his head. Before he recites G-d's name, he should return to an erect position slowly. (This is alluded to by {Psalms 146:8}: "G-d lifts up the bowed.") That seems to be the second of your possibilities. For Modim see MB 113 sk 12. Artscroll says what the MB writes. |
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Ben Ish Hai Shana Alef Parashat Beshalah 6-
Loosely translated: It is necessary to make two bows and two bends when bowing in amida. How? In "Baruch" bend the entire upper body, and in "Ata" bow the head additionally- that is two bows (so far). Then after, bend back the entire body to be straight and after that also the head should be bent back up (lifted). |
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As a young man I was taught by my rabbi, though I don't remember the source, that when one comes out of the bow one should lift one's head first (simultaneously while saying HaShem's name), so that it looks like one is looking up towards heaven, rather than looking like one is lifting something heavy on one's back (as it was explained to me, when one carries a heavy load on one's back one generally keeps one's head pointed downward). The method demonstrated to me was bending the knees at Baruch, keeping them bent as one begins to bow at the waist (although they tend to unbend somewhat in that process) for Attah, and then lifting the head first while saying HaShem, followed by straightening the rest of the body. This was taught to me by Rabbi Shaiall Zachariash of Shomrey Emunah in Southfield, MI. He demonstrated it to me one-on-one, not in a classroom. I can try to find his source, but I've just chalked it up to Mesorah, as in he was taught by his Rebbi, who was taught by his Rebbi, etc. There may be a written source for it somewhere, but it was so specific that it was not likely learned from a Sefer and adopted, but taught the way he taught me. |
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