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According to this question, it is forbidden to lean on anything while praying the amidah, where leaning means the object bears some of your weight. What does somebody who can stand but only with the aid of a cane, walker, or crutches do? I have heard (no source) that somebody who can't stand at all prays while sitting; does the person who can't stand unaided sit, or stand and lean?

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  • +1. Re "somebody who can't stand at all prays while sitting", see judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/9795.
    – msh210 ♦
    Commented Dec 18, 2011 at 17:42
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    @msh210, thanks for that link. That confirms my understanding of the wheelchair case (hadn't considered the steps -- interesting!), leaving the question of whether it is better to stand aided or stay seated if you can't stand unaided.
    – Monica Cellio
    Commented Dec 18, 2011 at 19:32
  • Actually the source I thought I had from the S"A was talking about standing on objects during Tefila.
    – Hacham Gabriel
    Commented Dec 18, 2011 at 20:05

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The most famous leaning in Judaism that I can think of is during the Passover Seder. There we lean to show that we are wealthy and like kings. Wouldn't it be that when Davening shmone Esre we are humbling ourselves before Hashem and therefore don't want to appear as wealthy or like kings? Following this logic, people who must have something to lean on would not be held to this same standard as they are not appearing as kings and are still humble in the eyes of Hashem.

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    Re "Wouldn't it be that when Davening shmone Esre we are humbling ourselves before Hashem and therefore don't want to appear as wealthy or like kings" and that's why we stand without leaning: Yes, indeed: see Mishna B'rura 95:2.
    – msh210 ♦
    Commented Dec 6, 2011 at 17:17

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