17
votes
Accepted
Is a female Torah scholar accorded the same honors as a male?
R. Yehuda Aiash (Shut Beit Yehuda YD 28) rules that in general any honour which one must accord a male (such as standing up for an older man), one must accord an equivalent female as well:
פשוט דכל ...
- 35.4k
9
votes
Can Jews be buried in the fetal position?
The Yerushalmi (Nazir 9:3) records that the standard way of burying people is with their legs extended and their hands over their hearts. Elsewhere (Kilayim 9:3) it records how R Yirmeya asked to be ...
- 97.3k
8
votes
Sitting for Al Hamichya
The Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 183:10 writes:
יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁגַּם בִּרְכַּת מֵעֵין שָׁלֹשׁ צָרִיךְ לְאָמְרָהּ מִיֹּשֶׁב
There are those who say that birkas mein shalosh needs to be recited while ...
- 41k
8
votes
What is the basis for the custom to stand or sit by Vayivarech Dovid?
To stand for Vayevarech David is codified by the Rema, OC 51:7:
ונהגו לעמוד כשאומרים ברוך שאמר ויברך דוד וישתבח:
The custom is to stand when they say Baruch She’amar, Vayivarech David, and ...
- 34.1k
8
votes
Accepted
Why do we still stand at Vayevarech Dovid on a Shabbos and/or Yom Tov?
While the Arizal does indeed say that A) one should stand for Vayivarech David, and B) that one should give tzedakah standing during Vayivarech David, these customs are not dependent on one another. ...
- 34.1k
7
votes
At the seder, unsupported mid-air leaning feels awkward. In reality, how should I recline?
Rav Yisroel Belsky (zt"l) said that one should lean slightly to the left, with one's elbow on the table, in a very comfortable manner. See the YouTube video for more detail.
Here's a screenshot from ...
- 19k
7
votes
Accepted
Is half standing for mitzvot that require standing sufficient?
In the Gemara (Kiddushin 32b), it says that even though one must stand up to his full hight to honor a parent, teacher or an elderly person, however if he forgoes his honor, one is not obligated to do ...
- 3,197
7
votes
Accepted
Sitting or standing during _Kedusha deSidrah_
Regarding kedushah desidra after shacharit, it would appear that there are different customs.
Aruch HaShulchan 132:8 writes that he believes it to be appropriate to sit throughout ashrei - uva letzion....
- 41.7k
6
votes
Accepted
How to sit on the floor comfortably
The Mishna Berurah in siman 559 writes:
ועיין באחרונים דמותר להניח תחתיו שק או כר קטן. וגם יוכל לישב על ספסל נמוך למי שקשה לו לישב על הארץ:
One may place a bag or a small pillow underneath ...
- 33.4k
6
votes
Please explain Oruch Hashulchan O Ch 102 (9)
Background
In general, one may not be seated in the presence of someone who is saying the amidah, as it is considered disrespectful. (Either because he appears unwilling to accept ol malchut shamayim ...
- 41.7k
5
votes
Does one have to stand when the Ark is open?
It is a demonstration of honour to stand but not a duty. See here
The original rule is this (SA YD 282, 2):
הרואה ספר תורה שהוא מהלך חייב לעמוד לפניו ויהיו הכל עומדים עד שיעמוד זה שמוליכו ויגיענו ...
- 22.7k
5
votes
Is there a Moses Seat in Synagogue?
There used to be such a thing in ancient synagogues. This special chair was referred to in Pesikta D'Rav Kahana 1:7:
"וראש עגל לכסא מאחריו (מלכים א' י:יט), א"ר אחא כהדא קתדרא דמשה."
...
- 24.8k
5
votes
Accepted
Is there a source for standing during ברכות השחר (from אשר נתן לשכוי through הגומל חסדים...) as many have the custom of doing?
When it comes to standing for Birkat Hashachar, the following sources write that one should stand:
Ishei Yisrael 5:14 writes that some have the practice to stand.
Piskei Teshuvot 46:3 writes that ...
- 3,849
4
votes
Standing during chazaras hashat"z
See this review of the Sidur of Rav J. B. Soloveitchik .
It was his practice to stand with his feet together through the entire
repetition of the Amida.
In the Rosh Hashono Machzor “Mesoras ...
- 47.2k
4
votes
Standing during chazaras hashat"z
The Shulchan Aruch doesn't say so, but see Rabbi Eliezer Melamed who says that it is preferable to stand, because the rest are considered "partners" with the chazzan in prayer. However, it is not ...
- 3,835
4
votes
What is the source of the prohibition against "eating or drinking while standing", mentioned in the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch?
It would seem that the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (d. 1886) is quoting theBe'er Heitev in Siman 170 סימן קע - דברי מוסר שינהג אדם בסעדה who says:
באר היטב (טז) עמהם. אפי' בסעודת מצוה. מט''מ: (עי' בס' ...
- 42.8k
4
votes
Accepted
What is the source of the prohibition against "eating or drinking while standing", mentioned in the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch?
The source for this is the Masechet Derech Eretz; one of the minor tractates (4:1):
מי שהוא תלמיד חכם, לא יאכל מעומד, ולא ישתה מעומד, ולא יקנח את הקערה, ולא ילקק באצבעותיו, ולא יגהק בפני חבירו, ...
- 35.4k
4
votes
Sitting for "Ashre"?
Rav Yosef Ber Soloveitchik (hereafter, “the Rav”) would sit for Ashrei, as implied by the Rambam מהל' תפילה פ"ט ה"ח. The Rav explained that by sitting together the group establishes itself as a ...
- 351
4
votes
Accepted
Do German Ashkenazim sit or stand during kiddush?
They sit during all kiddushim. Source: Personal experience from countless families, including Rav Shlomo Breslauer of Beis Tefilla, Monsey, NY. Beis Tefilla is the large Jeckische (German Ashkenazi) ...
- 6,676
4
votes
Accepted
Should one stand while removing tefillin?
The earliest source I am aware of for standing while removing tefillin is the 14th century kabbalistic ma'arekhet haelohut. (cited in Beit Yossef OH 28). He states this specifically regarding the head ...
- 35.4k
4
votes
Why do people stand for "Hodu L'Hashem Ki Tov"?
Rav Yaakov Bieler suggests we stand during Hodu (Tehillim 136) because it is called Hallel HaGadol (Pesachim 118a) and parallels Hallel which is said standing. See Sefaria Shulchan Aruch OC 422:7:
...
- 13.8k
4
votes
מפני שיבה תקום - How standing up means honoring?
The Torah equates rising before an elder with respect and connects it to fearing Hashem.
VaYikra 19:32 "You shall rise before a venerable person and you shall honor the elderly, and you shall fear ...
- 10.7k
3
votes
Should one stand while removing tefillin?
Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, Siman 10:20
חולצין מעומד
The tefillin should be removed while standing.
So yes, when removing the tefillin, Ashkenazim have the custom to stand up, in the same way that ...
- 41k
3
votes
Standing up at the Chuppa when the Kallah passes by
The Jewish Press of the week of January 9, 2016, brings a small piece by Rabbi Soleveitchik saying the tzibbur stands when the chassan and kallah walk down the aisle to honor the parents that are ...
- 599
3
votes
Sephardic communities that stand to put on hand-t'filin
Unfortunately I do not have the time to check each source specifically, but here are a few pointers:
Rabbi Shalom Jerby from Nofit in Israel says that Sephardic communities in many places stand, ...
- 3,835
3
votes
Accepted
Standing during a wedding
Everything that we do at a wedding is paralleling the process of receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai.
This relationship is based upon Shir HaShirim which compares the relationship between G-d and the ...
- 14.2k
3
votes
How low is low ? (Tisha bav chairs)
From the Chazon Ish and the Steipler it seems that even if it is higher than 3 tefachim its fine,as long as its shorter than a normal sized chair.
- 41k
3
votes
Accepted
Where and how does the Shaliach Tzibbur say Tachanun?
Per Rabbi Naftali Hoffner in Halacha - Nesias Kapayim U'Tachanun 92:3 the three steps one is supposed to take after Shemona Esrei prior to walking is applicable to the Chazan. The Chazan does these ...
- 139k
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