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What exactly do you do and say when you fall Korim on Yom Kipur?

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I don't know if I've heard this term before. Here it is in a book: books.google.com/… – Isaac Moses Sep 15 '10 at 19:57

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As far as I know (there may be variant customs):

In Aleinu: kneel at כורעים, prostrate (head and hands to the ground, while still kneeling - essentially, a fetal position) at ומשתחוים, stay that way until הקדוש ברוך הוא, and then get up.

In the Avodah: kneel at כורעים, prostrate at ומשתחוים, and stay that way until לעולם ועד.

[In all cases, if it's a stone floor, halachah mandates that you put something on it beforehand (such as a towel), because one may not prostrate oneself on a stone floor outside of the Beis Hamikdash. Some have the custom to do so regardless of what the floor is made of.]

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When covering the floor which part of your body goes on the covering? – Tzvi Sep 15 '10 at 20:25
I recall hearing in ... shul or yeshiva? ... that it's the HEAD that's important to have covering, not the knees. Anyone back me up here? – Shalom Sep 15 '10 at 20:28
You might be right - I see where Mishnah Berurah (131:40) discusses specifically head-bowing (kidah) or prostration (hishtachavayah) as being problematic, but not kneeling (kidah). – Alex Sep 15 '10 at 21:13
Shalom, I have the same recollection. Also, I don't think fetal is the target position when prostrating oneself. According at least to one YU ראש ישיבה, it means lying fully face-down on the floor with arms outstretched in front. – WAF Sep 15 '10 at 22:09
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Prostration (outstretched) on a stone floor is an issur d'oraisa (even maskis). The chachamim were gozer on a non-stone floor atu stone floor. Kida (fetal) on stone is an issur d'rabbanan as well atu prostration. If you have "tarti l'malyusa" it is mutar: kida not on stone, or leaning to the side with either kida (even on stone) or prostration (not on stone). Summary of MB 131:40 – YDK Sep 15 '10 at 23:43

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