8/7/2019 Bowing Down

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BOWING DOWN

: _ _You should not make idols, neither should you rear you up a graven image, or a pillar, neither should you place any figured stone in your land, to

bow down unto it; for I am the L-RD your G-d. (VaYikra 26,1)

MitzvahDescription

Parsha Laws of BH"G RabbiSaadyaGoan

RE"H RY"B RSl"G Yeriim Rambam Smag RE"M Ramban M"H Chinuch Smak Z"H ChofetzChaim

VharevNu

Men &Women

Not to bowdown on smooth,

decorated,mosaic stone,

even to Hashembesides in the

Beis HaMikdosh

Behar26,1

Idolatryand

Paganism130 10 48 159 194 350 12 43 274 12 91 349 181 218 161 161

Appliesto Both

This prohibition is against placing a stone on the ground outside of the Temple so as to prostate oneself upon it in worship. As a rule, a placeis permanently marked for all time by a stone being set into the ground. Only in the Temple is one allowed to throw oneself down full length () praying to G-d, expressing entire surrender to G-d. This prohibition is similar to the prohibition against bringing sacrifices outside the Temple (these sorts of service where only to be done in the Temple). (Horev paragraph #718)

The prohibition is to perform a total prostration of the body with arms and legs extended on a floor of stones (similar to our current customon Yom Kippur when we prostrate on covered floors). This prohibition also applies even if one has intention to bow to HaShem on stone floors,since it appears similar to the practices of idol worship. (O.C. 131)

Since this verse using the phrase this limits the prohibition to not apply in the Bais HaMikdash. Rambam explains that the Torah

forbade this worship of HaShem outside of the Bais HaMikdash because it is a form worship used by idolaters.

Two methods exist in which the prohibition of prostration would not apply:

1. One has something separating oneself from the floor (cloth, carpet, etc.).2. One inclines ones face to either side (left or right) and does not place ones face directly to the floor.

Our custom nowadays is not to prostrate but to fall on our face ( ) during the Tachanun prayers, assuming a sitting position andcover our face with an item of clothing (like a jacket sleeve or a tallis).

A special form of bowing exists call Kiddah . This form of bowing was extremely difficult. The bower would bring

his face to the ground from a standing position, using no more than his thumbs for support in front, and then rising.