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Is there a reason that people sway back and forth while praying?

I saw a lot of people pray like this, but I'm too shy to ask them why do they do this.

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  • 1
    Actual answer, is because people see other people doing it, and copy that action. But hopefully answers here will explain why the custom started.
    – avi
    Feb 25, 2012 at 20:11
  • 1
    Hello Tomer, welcome to Judaism.SE, and thank you for your interesting question! Please consider registering your account, which will give you access to more of the site's features. Thanks again, and I hope to see you around the site!
    – HodofHod
    Feb 26, 2012 at 3:27
  • If you like an answer, consider marking it correct.
    – mevaqesh
    Mar 9, 2017 at 17:07
  • Because some believe in a "neon" god. (Simon & Garfunkel reference.)
    – DanF
    Oct 10, 2018 at 22:48

5 Answers 5

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Assuming the question means why do we shockel/shuckle in davening, I found the following article by Rabbi Yaakov Salomon who quotes Rabbi Shimon Schwab ztz"l. He says that our relationship with HaShem in davenning is motivated by love (swaying forward) and fear (moving away). There are those who are against shockeling in davening, see for example here under "Related customs".

I found another excellent answer at Ohr Somayach Ask the Rabbi. He adds, (1) the soul is like a flame flickering and striving upward, (2) shaking allows you to pray with your whole body, (3) when we stand before Hashem in prayer, we tremble in awe of the King of Kings and (4) it originally enabled many people to use one siddur by swaying in and out to read a set of words.

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One finds swaying both in the context of prayer and Torah study. Since the reasons may be connected, I will discuss both. To paraphrase On the Mainline:

The first source is critical...The first source is a poem of Shemuel Ha-naggid. In this poem he is criticizing the degeneration of Torah study...As an example of their lack of orderliness he mentions their shokeling:

והנה רב ותלמידים מנידים לראשיהם כערער בערבה

The teacher and students were bobbing their head like a tamarisk in the wilderness.

This then is the first incidental mention of shokeling, at least in Jewish sources. Notice that it only mentions it in connection with studying.

Next is the Kuzari, here it is, in Hartwig Hirschfeld's translation:

  1. Al-Khazari: I should like to ask whether thou knowest the reason why Jews move to and fro when reading the Bible?

  2. The Rabbi: It is said that it is done in order to arouse natural heat. My personal belief is that it stands in connection with the subject under discussion. As it often happened that many persons read at the same time, it was possible that ten or more read from one volume. This is the reason why our books are so large. Each of them was obliged to bend down in his turn in order to read a passage, and to turn back again. This resulted in a continual bending and sitting up, the book lying on the ground. This was one reason. Then it became a habit through constant seeing, observing and imitating, which is in man's nature.

We see that R. Yehuda Ha-levi too only discusses it in the context of studying, but doesn't mention praying. He gives two reasons. The first is one which people say, that it is to arouse heat in the body, I guess like a form of exercise. Alternatively, he means to arouse passion, to get into it. Then there is the reason preferred by the author, which is his suspicion that originally it was because people shared books and they moved in and our of the way so they could read and give others a chance to read and ultimately this became the habit and spread.

The Zohar (Parashat Pinhas) gives the following:

We arose and went on our way, the sun becoming stronger and more oppressive. We saw some trees in the wilderness with water underneath, and we sat down in the shade of one of them. I asked him: How is it that of all peoples of the world, only the Jews sway to and fro when they study the Torah, a habit which seems to come natural to them, and they are unable to keep still? He replied: You have reminded me of a very deep idea which very few people know. He pondered for a moment and wept. Then he continued: Alas for mankind who go about like cattle without understanding. This thing alone is sufficient to distinguish the holy souls of Israel from the souls of heathen peoples. The souls of Israel have been hewn from the Holy Lamp, as is written, “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord” (Prov. xx, 27). Now once this lamp has been kindled from the supernal Torah, the light upon it never ceases for an instant, like the flame of a wick which is never still for an instant. So when an Israelite has said one word of the Torah, a light is kindled and he cannot keep still but sways to and fro like the flame of a wick. But the souls of heathens are like the burning of stubble, which gives no flame, and therefore they keep still like wood burning without a flame.’ Said R. Jose: ‘That is a good explanation; happy am I to have heard this.’ (Soncino translation.)

To quote the OU:

Ba’al ha-turim, (Ex. 20:15), on the verse, “the people saw and trembled” comments:

על כן מתנענעים בשעת לימוד התורה לפי שהתורה ניתנה באימה ברתת ובזיע

Therefore we sway during Torah learning, since the Torah was given with fear, terror, and shaking.

Darchei Moshe, commenting on Tur, Hilchos Birchas ha-Shachar 48:1, cites Abudraham, “…the custom of Israel is to shake while they read (b’sha’a shekorin) just like when the Torah was given, it was given with terror…” The phrase b’sha’a shekorin refers to the time the Torah is being read in the synagogue. Rama, Shulchan Aruch ad loc. comments, “…the custom of those that are careful is to sway while the Torah is being read, comparable to the Torah that was given with terror.”

Sefer Hasidim, (57) says:

וצריך לנענע כל גופו בשעת התפלה דכתיב כל עצמותי תאמרנה ה' מי כמוך (תהלים ל"ה י')

A person needs to shake his entire body during teffilah since the verse says "All my bones shall say God who is like you (Psalms 35:10).

Shibolei HaLeket, (17) cites Ma’aseh Merkava as follows:

מצאתי במעשה המרכבה ובשעת התפלה צריך אדם לנענע כל גופו שנא' כל עצמותי תאמרנה ה' מי כמוך.

I found in Ma'aseh Merkava: during prayer, a person needs to shake his entire body since the verse says "All my bones shall say God who is like you (Psalms 35:10).

Shulchan Aruch, Mechaber, 95:3 states as follows, “[during Shemoneh Esrei one should] stand like a slave before his master with fear, awe, and dread (aimah, yirah, pachad).” Mishnah Berurah 7, comments on this, “‘With fear’, and there are some that shake during teffilah based on the verse kol atzmosai tomarnah Hashem mi kamocha.”

Rivash, quoted by Mekor Chesed on Sefer Chasidim, ibid. gives a parable that when one is drowning and jumping around in the water, people won’t make fun of him. So too, when one is davening and shaking himself, he is attempting to remove distractions. “When a man is drowning in a river and making many movements to remove himself from the water, surely those that are watching him will not laugh at him and his [strange] movements; so too, when one prays (k’she’mispallel) and makes many [strange] movements, one should not laugh at him.” This source seems to endorse animated shukeling.

R’ Schwab provides his own understanding of shukeling in R’ Schwab on Prayer (page 167):

There are two ways in which a person can relate to Hakodosh Baruch Hu. One is through ahava (love), in which a person feels very close to Him, and the other is through yirah (awe), in which one is awestruck by His Omnipotence and Omniscience. This may explain the ancient Jewish practice of “shokeling,” swaying forward and backward during teffilah. The forward motion expresses one’s desire to come close to Hakodosh Baruch Hu, but then, upon reflection, one realizes that He is the Ribbono Shel Olam, the Master of the universe, which causes one to reel back in awe. These thoughts are typically evoked during meditation.

Ba’al Shem Tov, quoted by Mekor Chesed, ibid. states that one may shukel – but not during Shmoneh Esrei. “Teffilah (i.e. Shmoneh Esrei) is like being paired with the Divine Presence…therefore, one must shake himself at the beginning [of prayer]. After this (i.e. during Shmoneh Esrei) one is able to stand without movement. [This is because] he will be connected with the Divine Presence with a great connection.”

Perush Azulai on Sefer Chasidim, ibid. says one should not shukel during Shmoneh Esrei. “Rabbi and Kabbalist Yisroel Saruk and his student Ramah, may their memories be blessed, write that one should not shake his body during the recitation of Shmoneh Esrei since it (Shmoneh Esrei) is like standing before the King.”

The most stringent source against shukeling during Shmoneh Esrei is Shlah (quote found in Nesiv Binah, vol. 1, pg. 96). He emphatically states that not moving will give one more concentration. He proves it by saying that nobody has ever gone to a king to ask for something while shaking – kal v’chomer before Hashem. “Standing without any movement at all [during Shmoneh Esrei] will help one concentrate. The verse that states kol atzmosai tomarnah (and is a source for shukeling) is only in reference to shiros, tishbachos, blessings on Shema, and during Torah learning – but not during Shmoneh Esrei. If somebody should challenge you and say that one should also sway during Shmoneh Esrei, it would appear to me that such a person should be ignored. Ones own experience will prove that standing without any movement at all during Shmoneh Esrei will cause ones heart to concentrate. One should check it out himself: would a person ever ask requests from a human king while his body is swaying like the trees in the forest due to the wind?!”

What is the practical law?

Rabbi Dr. Joseph Breuer zt”l, in an essay entitled “Our Way,” (A Unique Perspective, pg. 384) points out that it was a hallmark of German Jewry – and others – that they did not shukel during teffilah.

The same holds true for our posture during the Teffilah. The Halacha is silent on the preference of a stationary versus a moving position in regard to the intensity of kavonoh during the Teffilah. The sainted Ari Ha-kadosh, and with him many of our Torah Greats, assumed stationary positions during the Teffilah – and they were certainly not German Jews.

Arukh Hashulhan (OH 48:3), and Mishnah Berurah (48:5), come to the same conclusion – one may do whatever is desired. Whatever allows one to concentrate better is the proper thing to do.

Arukh Hashulhan:

ובתפלת שמ"ע יש מתנועעים ויש שאינם מתנועעים ותלוי לפי טבעו דאם בהתנועע הכונה יותר טוב אצלו נכון להתנועע ויש אדם שכונתו יותר ברורה כשעומד בשוה לגמרי לא יתנועע והכל לשם שמים:

During Shemoneh Esrei, some sway and some do not. This is contingent on one’s nature. If one finds that they will concentrate better while shukeling then it is proper for that person to shukel. There are those individuals that will have a clearer ability to concentrate while standing completely still – they should not shukel. It is all proper as long as it is done for the Sake of Heaven.”

Mishnah Berurah

ויש פוסקים שחולקין ע"ז ואומרים דבתפלה אין להתנענע...וכתב המ"א ודעביד כמר עביד ודעביד כמר עביד. והכל לפי מה שהוא אדם אם מכוין היטב ע"י תנועה יתנענע וא"ל יעמוד כך ובלבד שיכוין לבו

There are those poskim that argue and say that during teffilah one should not shukel... Magen Avraham writes that one may choose either method. It is all according to the individual – if one concentrates better by shukeling, let him shukel, and if not, let him stand [still] – as long as his heart is able to concentrate.

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I do it because this way it is more easy to concentrate on the words of the prayers.

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  • Related: judaism.stackexchange.com/a/14667.
    – msh210
    Feb 26, 2012 at 8:32
  • @msh210 Your link leads me back here. Feb 26, 2012 at 9:22
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    @AvrohomYitzchok More specifically, it leads you to Hacham Gabriel's answer here.
    – HodofHod
    Feb 26, 2012 at 16:10
  • Gra in maasse Rav is against. It is as classic and Jazz musicians,...?
    – kouty
    May 10, 2016 at 7:28
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Yalkut Yosef (vol. 1 1:footnote18) holds that those that sway in prayer to bring Kawana have sources to rely on. Obviously, he has some Sevara that it awakens Kawana.

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  • Not necessarily. Maybe he is just saying that that is the only conceivable reason that it would be appropriate.
    – mevaqesh
    May 10, 2016 at 16:34
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The Midrash (Midrash Rabbah 53:10) brings a teaching from Reb Levi “the cradle was rocked for the first time in the house of Avraham Avinu.” The commentaries explain that at first children were born developed and from Yitzchak Avinu and on all children were born as infants. Since Yitzchak was born as an infant Avrham Avinu had a cradle built for him. This also explains the Midrash Rabbah 36:1 which says that children were able to walk from the moment they were born.

The Sefer Karan Ohr Pnei Moshe offers a deeper explanation of the concept of the cradle. He explains that actual concept of a cradle which rocks back and forth is an actual Jewish custom which contains hidden secretes. He quotes the Zohar (Parshas Pinchas 219a) which explains the reason why Bnei Yisrael sways back and forth during Torah study and the gentiles do not do so during their studies.

The Zohar reveals that Bnei Yisrael has a neshma (soul) that shines like a candle (Mishlei 20:27- נֵר יְהוָה נִשְׁמַת אָדָם). When one learns (speaks) Torah that candle is ignited within and one cannot stay still just like the fire of a candle. However, this is only true regarding Bnei Yisrael who is called אָדָם (Yevamos 61a), but the rest of the nation’s aren’t called אָדָם and that is why they don’t sway during their studies.

We also see this in Mesilas Yesharim perek 7(Zrizus) which says that when ones performs a mitzvah with enthusiasm and moves like a rapid moving fire then this in effect can bring the inside to be ignited . However, if one is lazy and doesn’t use swift movement then the inner flame can become extinguished. The actual physical movement plays a big role in the middah of zrizus.

The Sefer Karan Ohr Pnei Moshe explains that the rocking of the cradle is a Jewish custom which originated because of the great benefits that were mentioned above. He explains the real reason(of the Zohar) was lost due to the fact that rocking a cradle also puts the baby to sleep which many people ascribed being the true purpose of a cradle.

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  • I assume that is Karan Ohr Pnei Moshe. Who wrote it, where did he write it, and where can the work be found?
    – mevaqesh
    Jun 7, 2017 at 4:38
  • @mevaqesh,you are correct about the spelling,I wrote this piece a while ago for the parsha,dont know why I used that spelling which is obviously wrong. The sefer was writtten anonymously
    – sam
    Jun 7, 2017 at 13:19
  • I will look it up in the sefer(אוצר פלאות התורה) I saw it qouted in ,he writeswho the mechaber is in the foornotes.
    – sam
    Jun 7, 2017 at 13:29

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