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From: "Yeshivat Har Etzion's
Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash"
To: yhe-holiday@vbm-torah.org
Subject: SPECIAL YOM YERUSHALAYIM SHIUR
YESHIVAT
HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH (VBM)
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YHE-HOLIDAY: SPECIAL HOLIDAY
PACKAGES
YOM
YERUSHALAYIM 5760
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Yerushalayim, the Joy of the
World
Based on a sicha by Harav Aharon Lichtenstein
Summarized
by Matan Glidai
Translated
by Kaeren Fish
The mishnayot in massekhet Kelim that
list ten
levels of sanctity mention Yerushalayim as having an
independent status, between that of the Beit Ha-mikdash
and that of Eretz Yisrael. In addition to having its
own special holiness, we would expect that Yerushalayim
would also possess the sanctity of Eretz Yisrael, but
with greater potency.
Concerning Yerushalayim, we read in Tehillim (48:3)
that it is "yefeh nof, mesos kol ha-aretz" - "beautifully
situated, the joy of the whole world." The
phrase
"beautifully situated" expresses the esthetic aspect,
while "joy of the whole world" expresses the experiential
aspect. We again relate to both of these aspects in our
mourning over Yerushalayim: "Is this the city of which
they say, 'the perfection of beauty, a joy to the whole
world?'" (Eikha 2:15).
The beauty of Yerushalayim is twofold. On the
one
hand, the beauty relates to Yerushalayim's national
status: it is the capital of David's kingdom, "kiryat
melekh rav" - "the great king's
city." Kingship,
obviously, is related to glory and beauty - "Your eyes
shall behold the king in his beauty" (Yishayahu 33:17).
On the other hand, Yerushalayim's beauty is also related
to its holiness, the fact that it is the dwelling place
of the Shekhina. Although the Shekhina inspires awe and
fear, it is also a complex symbol of beauty: "Glory and
majesty are before Him, strength and splendor in His
Temple" (Tehillim 96:6). This facet is also expressed in
the beauty of the vessels of the Mikdash, but clearly the
beauty is there even when the vessels are not.
The aspect of "joy of the whole world" also has many
facets. Yerushalayim is the dwelling place of happiness
and joy, both because it is the dwelling place of the
Shekhina and because it is the gathering place of Am
Yisrael. As the Mishna tells us (Sukka ch. 5), "He who
never saw the celebration of the Beit Ha-Sho'eva, never
saw real joy in his life." The joy at the Simchat Beit
Ha-sho'eva arose from precisely these two factors: the
connection with the Shekhina and the assembly of Am
Yisrael. Yerushalayim, then, is truly the "joy of the
whole world" - it contains the majesty, the light and the
holiness that represent the pinnacle of our
lives,
removing us from life's daily routine. It gives depth to
our everyday existence.
The Torah portrays Eretz Yisrael as "a land flowing
with milk and [date] honey." What do these symbolize?
Milk is related to nature - it is the most basic food
that a person imbibes as he is born. Date honey, on the
other hand, is a delicacy derived after a lengthy process
of labor. It is special, something that is
beyond
routine and nature. Like Eretz Yisrael as a
whole,
Yerushalayim contains elements that may be compared to
date honey, something which enriches and gives depth to
life. But Yerushalayim also has elements of "milk" - it
contains something basic and fundamental.
It is
impossible to imagine Eretz Yisrael without Yerushalayim.
Yerushalayim does not just enrich Eretz Yisrael, it is a
basic ingredient without which the whole cannot exist.
All the lamentations and prophecies concerning
the
destruction focus almost exclusively upon Yerushalayim
and the Mikdash, paying much less attention to the rest
of Eretz Yisrael.
Thus, Yerushalayim embodies two opposing
themes:
something fundamental and firm on one hand, and something
special and unique on the other. These two aspects are
intertwined. The Gemara (Yoma 54b) teaches us that the
Even Ha-shetiya (the "foundation stone" upon which the
Temple was constructed) was thus called because the
entire world is founded upon it. This is in accordance
with the opinion of Chakhamim that the world was created
from Yerushalayim, as it is written, "Mi-Tzion mikhlal
yofi" (Tehillim 50:2) - which the Sages homiletically
interpret as teaching us that "From Zion does the beauty
of the world derive." Thus Yerushalayim represents both
the foundation of the world - the basic existence of the
world is derived from it - and the source of all the
beauty and splendor of the world. It is
both the
foundation and the roof, the beginning and the end, the
body and the soul.
Although Chazal interpret the verse (Shir Ha-Shirim
4:1), "Honey and milk are under your
tongue," as
referring to the Torah, we may relate the double imagery
of honey and milk to holiness in general. Holiness, the
connection to God, is on the one hand
something
wonderful, rich and glorious, and on the other hand it is
a basic, fundamental ingredient that we cannot
do
without. A life devoid of holiness is an empty life with
no content or meaning. Holiness is the foundation and
the framework of our lives, but it is also the vision,
the pinnacle of our aspirations.
This dual nature, then, relates to Eretz Yisrael as
well as to Yerushalayim, and to our perception
of
holiness in general.
(Based on a sicha delivered on Yom Yerushalayim 5756
[1996].)
YESHIVAT HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH
ALON SHEVUT, GUSH ETZION 90433
Copyright (c) 1999 Yeshivat Har Etzion
All Rights Reserved
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From: "Yeshivat Har Etzion's
Virtual Beit Midrash"
To: yhe-halak@vbm-torah.org
Subject: HALAK60 -27: Praying Towards Jerusalem
YESHIVAT
HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH
(VBM)
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HALAKHA: A WEEKLY SHIUR IN HALAKHIC
TOPICS
Praying
Towards Jerusalem
by
Rav Yaakov Medan
Translated and adapted by Rav Eliezer
Kwass
A curious problem arose in the RBM (= the Real Beit
Midrash of Yeshivat Har Etzion in Alon Shvut - home of the
VBM; see a picture on our web page): the beit midrash does not
face directly towards Jerusalem, but, instead, due north.
Though under normal circumstances every Jew in the world prays
towards Jerusalem, should an exception be made when that will
mean not facing the aron kodesh during prayer? Rav Medan, in
a lecture given to the students of Yeshivat Har Etzion on
Shabbat parashat Lekh Lekha 5750, analyzed the issue and
arrived at practical conclusions. This problem is not unique
to Yeshivat Har Etzion; often conditions necessitate building
a synagogue or beit midrash (for instance, the Yeshiva
University main beit midrash in the RIETS building) whose
front does not face Jerusalem. The lecture deals specifically
with the beit midrash at Har Etzion, but the conclusion of Rav
Medan is relevant to similar situations.
INTRODUCTION
The beit midrash faces due north precisely. Many of
those praying in the beit midrash are faced with a choice
between facing towards Jerusalem and facing the aron kodesh.
This problem arises in many synagogues which for one reason or
another were not built facing Jerusalem, and often in a
markedly different direction. An especially serious problem
arises at the southern portion of the Western Wall. If one
prays while standing perpendicular to the Wall it often means
deviating up to 70 degrees from the direction of the Holy of
Holies!
To properly understand this issue, three questions must
be posed:
A. How important is praying towards Jerusalem and the Temple?
B. How essential is precision in this matter?
C. Is there anything wrong with not facing the aron kodesh in
a synagogue?
THE IDEAL PRAYER DIRECTION
According to the gemara in Berakhot (30b), the source for
praying towards Israel, Jerusalem, and the Temple Mount is the
verse (from Shelomo's prayer at the dedication of the Beit Ha-
mikdash), "They should pray to God towards Your chosen city."
No dissenting opinions are quoted, and the gemara concludes
with the following derasha: "'Like the Tower of David built up
beautifully ('le-talpiot')' - [The Temple Mount is] the hill
('tel') that all mouths ('piyot') are directed towards."
In contrast, the gemara in Bava Batra (25) offers four
directions in which to pray, none of them towards the Temple!
Of these four options, there is only one veiled reference to
prayer towards Jerusalem and the Temple. The four options
listed there are:
A. ANY direction (except, perhaps, east because of the
heretics) is legitimate because the Shekhina (Divine Presence)
is everywhere - Rabbi Yishma'el, R. Sheshet and others.
B. Towards the WEST, because the Shekhina is in the west (this
is the direction those within the Temple pray towards) - R.
Akiva, R. Yehoshua son of Levi and others.
C. Towards the NORTH, if one wants to become wealthy - R.
Yitzchak.
D. Towards the SOUTH, if one wants to become wise - R.
Yitzchak (according to R. Yehoshua son of Levi, if one wants
to become wealthy).
Regarding the last two opinions, Rashi argues that a
person should direct himself toward Jerusalem, but only his
face should point towards the south or north. However, the
Mahari Abuhav (quoted by the Beit Yosef in OC 94) and the
Rama, say the opposite. They maintain that the body should
point toward the north or south and only the face should look
toward Jerusalem.
Most Rishonim view these two passages, in Berakhot and in
Bava Batra, as representing opposing positions. However, the
Tosafot and the Rosh claim that R. Chanina, who mentions the
direction of the Land of Israel at the end of the passage in
Bava Batra, takes the position of the gemara in Berakhot.
Most of the poskim, including the Rambam, rule according
to the passage in Berakhot, that one should face the Temple
Mount during the silent prayer. However, the Smag and the
Mahari Abuhav, rule like R. Yitzchak in Bava Batra, that one
can choose to pray towards the north or south, depending on if
he is interested in wealth or wisdom. As opposed to Rashi,
they maintain that one's body should be directed north or
south, and only one's face should point to Jerusalem.
The Shulchan Arukh and the Rama adopt the Mahari Abuhav's
position. It is possible, according to their ruling, that in
the same synagogue people might be pointed in three different
directions during the silent prayer. One group would face
Jerusalem and the Temple, another would face south, and still
a third would be praying towards the north! This was not seen
as problematic, even during public prayer (the Mishna Berura
implies that the three options were also open to public
prayer), when we are usually cautious to maintain uniformity,
because of the prohibition "lo titgodedu" - do not break up
into different groups ("lo ta'asu agudot agudot"). This
position is difficult to apply and has not been practically
adopted. In fact, a number of the Acharonim (see the Kaf Ha-
chayim OC 94:6) attempt to limit the Shulchan Arukh's ruling
to where extenuating circumstances prevent one from facing the
direction of Israel, even though, ideally, one should only
face towards Israel and Jerusalem.
Even the Mishna Berura (OC 94:12) records that the custom
in Eastern Europe was not to adopt the Shulchan Arukh and
Rama's position. Most people followed Rashi's opinion and
only inclined their heads in prayer towards the north or
south, while facing their bodies towards Jerusalem. This is
based on maintaining uniformity in the synagogue ("lo
titgodedu").
The approach (1. above) that the Shekhina is everywhere
and therefore one can face any direction, is rejected by the
poskim. The Taz does, however, rely on it when he rules that
if one began praying facing the west he should not move his
feet in order to face Jerusalem. The Ma'amar Mordekhai argues
that one should move his feet to the proper direction.
PRECISELY FACING ISRAEL, JERUSALEM AND THE TEMPLE
MOUNT
We have shown that the bulk of the poskim rule that one
should face Jerusalem during prayer. What is defined as
"facing Jerusalem?" How precisely does one have to point
himself in that direction? Is it sufficient not to clearly
turn towards a different direction, or is it essential to face
a particular direction? Three sources imply that precision is
not so important:
A. Our version of Berakhot 30 reads, "One should direct one's
HEART towards Jerusalem." It seems to speak primarily about
an INNER direction (the Arukh Ha-shulchan notes this).
B. The gemara implies that even with regards to one's
physical position, precision is not so crucial. It sounds as
if one standing outside of Israel can merely point towards
ISRAEL, but does not need to direct himself to Jerusalem or
the Temple. Likewise, throughout Israel it is sufficient to
face Jerusalem, and not necessarily the Temple Mount (the
Arukh Ha-shulchan also points this out).
C. Rabbi Chanina (Bava Batra 25) tells Rav Ashi that in order
to pray towards Israel, Babylonian Jews should face south
during prayer. Even though Israel is southwest of Bavel,
Rabbi Chanina does not require people to face southwest during
prayer (the people of Israel are even called "the westerners"
in the Babylonian Talmud). Apparently, there is no need to
perfectly align oneself toward Israel, getting the rough
general direction is sufficient (the Ma'adanei Yom Tov's
second explanation of the Rosh's opinion)..
Likewise the Rosh (and following him the Tur and the
Rama) writes that the prevalent custom among European Jewry
was to face EAST during prayer, even though Israel is SOUTH of
both Germany (the Rosh's original home), and Poland (the
Rama's home).
Despite these sources, most of the poskim held that one
should strive for precision as much as possible:
A. The Tosafot in Berakhot reject the version of the gemara
that reads, "direct one's HEART," because it refers to
directing one's body also.
B. Rabbeinu Yona explicitly writes that one standing outside
Israel should not only face Israel, but also Jerusalem and the
Temple Mount. Likewise, outside of Jerusalem people should
also pray towards the Temple. In fact, anywhere in the world
people should face the kaporet above the Holy Ark in the Holy
of Holies. Rabbeinu Yona clearly calls for precision.
C. The Ma'adanei Yom Tov explains that R. Chanina was, in
fact, telling R. Ashi that the Babylonian Jews should ALSO
face the south when they pray, and NOT ONLY the west: R.
Chanina was actually trying to fine tune their direction so
they would pray towards the southwest, towards Jerusalem, and
not only the west, as they previously had been. Both the
Chatam Sofer (Responsum 19) and the Yad Eliyahu (section 1)
explain the gemara this way. The Levush (section 94) writes
extensively to prove that in Lublin, Poland, where he lived it
is necessary to pray towards the south east, not merely to the
east. He calculates the exact direction and most of the
Acharonim (especially the Yad Eliyahu) agree with him. Even
the Mishna Berura agrees with the Levush's opinion and holds
that, ideally, one should face precisely towards Jerusalem.
As we mentioned earlier, the Arukh Ha-shulchan and it should
be pointed out the Ma'adanei Yom Tov (in his second
explanation as opposed to C. above - his first explanation)
rule leniently like the Rosh and Rama (against the Levush).
There are two practical ramifications of how precise one
must be in praying towards Jerusalem:
1. If one faces the wrong direction and realizes this in the
middle of prayer, is it necessary to change directions mid-
prayer? The Taz and Ma'amar Mordekhai, as mentioned above,
argue about whether to shift direction once one realizes the
mistake. Even the Ma'amar Mordekhai, who usually requires
redirecting oneself, is of the opinion that it is not
necessary to switch directions in order to face Jerusalem more
precisely. If a Jew in Europe accidentally faced towards the
east he would not have to move while praying the amida to face
the southeast.
2. If the whole congregation mistakenly prayed in the wrong
direction, (for example: east and not southeast) can an
individual pray exactly towards Jerusalem or is this
considered arrogant or liable to provoke an argument? This is
discussed in the Yad Eliyahu (at length) and in the Mishna
Berura.
FACING THE ARK VS. FACING JERUSALEM
I have not found any halakhic source mandating prayer
TOWARDS the aron kodesh, but a group of Acharonim (the
Ma'adanei Yom Tov, Peri Megadim, Arukh Ha-shulchan, and
Mishna Berura) write that one should not pray with ONE'S BACK
TOWARDS THE ARON. This prohibition takes precedence over the
obligation to pray towards Jerusalem. In other words, it is
better not to pray towards Jerusalem if that results in one's
back facing the aron kodesh. The Magen Avraham and Yad
Eliyahu do not mention this consideration, implying that one
should face Israel and Jerusalem at all costs.
The poskim who do take the position of the aron into
account base this prohibition on two different verses: "their
backs were to the House of God" (Yechezkel 8:16) and "they
turned their backs towards Me" (Yirmiyahu 32:33). What is
considered praying with one's back to the aron kodesh? In
most of the synagogues and batei midrash whose arks are not
facing Jerusalem, if one faced Jerusalem precisely his back
would still not totally face the aron. What is the cutoff
line?
The Arukh Ha-shulchan (OC 94:5) implies that the halakha
is very stringent about praying with one's back to the aron:
"Likewise all those that stand to the north of the aron
kodesh [mistakenly facing due east and not southeast] can
face the east and incline towards the south. However,
those standing on the southern side of the aron should
not incline towards the south because then their back
will be facing the aron kodesh. They should
therefore face directly to the east."
Even though those standing to the south of the aron do
not have their backs COMPLETELY facing the aron, he still
forbids turning more toward Jerusalem.
This is how Ha-rav Amital shlita ruled for us in our beit
midrash. All those standing southeast of the aron, including
the shaliach tzibbur, should not incline towards the east but
should remain facing due north, the direction of the aron.
[This does not mean that they should pray in the direction
that their seats face, northwest(!), but rather due north.]
I have two doubts about the Arukh Ha-shulchan's position:
A. In 94:13 he writes that if the aron is on the northern or
southern side of the synagogue one who is praying individually
(not with a minyan) can pray towards the eastern wall. This
seems to allow some leeway, even veering 90 degrees from the
direction of the aron.
B. Even if we accept that the Arukh Ha-shulchan rules
stringently in this case, perhaps he was building on his own
opinion that does not demand precision with regards to
directing oneself towards Jerusalem. Perhaps, the majority of
poskim who rule stringently about facing Jerusalem and the
Temple Mount, would allow a person to pray only partially
facing the aron.
Indeed, the Peri Megadim in the Mishbetzot Zahav seems to
be less concerned about veering from the direction of the
aron. Only the rav, standing right next to and south of the
aron kodesh, would have his back to the aron if he inclined
his body towards Jerusalem. With regards to the rest of the
congregation, he, as well as the Divrei Chamudot on the Rosh,
does not seem to be concerned with people only partially
facing the aron.
The Mishna Berura, based on the Peri Megadim and Divrei
Chamudot, seems to agree, for he writes:
"If he finds himself in a place where the wall faces the
east he should incline towards the southeast. If,
though, he finds himself praying south of the aron, he
should not incline himself thus, so as not to appear to
have one's back to the aron."
My general impression is that he is also only concerned
about having one's back to the aron for one who stands
directly south of the aron. Even though his formulation does
not tightly prevent any other interpretation, his source in
the Peri Megadim is certainly clear about this point.
Based on this, and on the Magen Avraham and the Yad
Eliyahu, it would seem that as long as the line extending
forward from between a person's shoulders reaches the front of
the aron, it is legitimate to face precisely towards
Jerusalem.
This presentation is, of course, only a theoretical
suggestion, for the Rosh Yeshiva has already ruled based on
the straightforward reading of the Arukh Ha-shulchan. We
would like to point out, though, that even according to the
Arukh Ha-shulchan when one BOWS he should try to face
Jerusalem. One's heart should definitely be directed to
Jerusalem and the Temple, as Daniel did in his prayer.
Thereby, we will fulfill "They will pray to You towards the
city which You chose," and Hashem will likewise respond - "You
will hear from Your dwelling place on high."
adapted from Daf Kesher #240, Tammuz 5750, vol. 3, pp. 90-94.
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YESHIVAT HAR ETZION
ISRAEL KOSCHITZKY VIRTUAL BEIT MIDRASH
ALON SHEVUT, GUSH ETZION 90433
Copyright (c) 1999 Yeshivat Har Etzion
All Rights Reserved
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