prayer rugs or mats

Question

a discussion came up regarding prostration during prayer, it was explained to me that although prostration is not always forbidden, that the use of 'prayer mats or rugs' is assur. It was also mentioned the the use of 'prayer rugs or mats' had a pagan origin associated "magical carpet" myths. Additionally, it was added that if the floor is stone material it should be covered to create a separation, but that specific 'prayer mats or rugs' of personal size and shape that resemble those of Christian and Muslim prayer mats were not.

I found this interesting but could not find any sources for this issue. Is there any sources that prohibit a particular type of mat or rug?

Answer 1

As explained in Do Jews Kneel in Prayer? One is allowed to kneel as long as one puts an interruption such as a towel or a rug on the floor. Please note that we normally do not prostrate ourselves except on Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur.

Shulchan Aruch Harav says that the basic halacha is for nefilas apaim (tachanun) after shmoneh esrai, but that we just put our heads on our hands instead of a full prostration.

However, the Code of Jewish Law states that if you put an intervening substance between your knees and the stone floor, then it is permitted to kneel.2 Therefore, on Yom Kippur, when we do kneel and bow down with our faces to the floor, people bring towels to kneel on, since many synagogues (especially in Israel) have stone or tile floors.

When it comes to daily prayers, however, we are concerned about transgressing this prohibition and therefore do not kneel in prayer.

Shulchan Aruch Harav 131:1

In addition, any person is forbidden to prostrate himself on a stone¹¹ floor,⁴ even when he does not spread out his hands and feet entirely. This was ordained [as a safeguard] lest one prostrate oneself with his hands and feet spread out, which contravenes a Scriptural prohibition¹² for which one is liable for lashes, as it is written,¹³ “Do not place a stone floor¹⁴ in your land to prostrate yourself upon it.” [Prostrating oneself on a stone floor] is permitted only in the [Beis Ha]Mikdash.

¹¹. The Scriptural prohibition applies only to a stone floor. It does not apply to a wooden floor, nor to a floor (even of stone) that is covered with an intervening substance such as linoleum. (See Rambam, Hilchos Avodas Kochavim 6:7; Rama, Yoreh Deah 131:8.) Therefore, while saying Aleinu in the course of the Mussaf services of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, when it is customary to kneel and to prostrate oneself until one’s forehead touches the floor, one should first spread a handkerchief or the like on the floor if it is made of stone. (See sec. 621:12 in the volume on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur in the present Bilingual Edition; Sefer HaMinhagim: The Book of Chabad-Lubavitch Customs, p. 120.)