Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim · Siman 3

Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim 3 — English translation

Translation: Sefaria Community Translation. Section numbers match the Hebrew text above.

1. 1How to Conduct Oneself in the Bathroom. Containing 17 Se'ifim: When one enters the bathroom, he should say "התכבדו מכובדים..." ("Be honored, honorable ones") (Berachot 60b). But nowadays, we are not accustomed to recite it.
2. 2One should be modest in the bathroom stall, and not reveal oneself until sitting. And two men shall not go together. Also, one shouldn't talk there, and should lock the door for himself for the sake of modesty (Ohr Zarua).
3. 3If one wishes to work about the anus with a pebble or a chip of wood in order to open up his rectum [i.e. he has trouble relieving himself], he should work about it before he sits but should not work about it after he sits, because [this exposes him to the] danger of witchcraft.
4. 4One should only expose himself from behind one tefach, and in front of himself two tefachim. But for a woman behind herself one tefach, and in front of herself nothing.
5. 5If one defecates in an open place in which there are no partitions, he should orient himself to face south with his back to the north, or vice versa. However, east-west is forbidden. (With regards to urinating, any manner is allowed) (Beit Yosef in the name of Maimonides)
6. 6Likewise, it is forbidden to sleep from west to east, if one's wife is with him. And it is proper to be cautious even when one's wife is not with him.
7. 7One who passes water "from Scopus inwards" (this refers to a place where the Temple Mount can be seen, and further away it can not be seen - Rashi) should not sit facing the Holy, rather he should face north or south, or should keep the Holy to his side.
8. 8When one must defecate in a field, if he is behind a fence he may defecate immediately. In an [open] valley, he should distance himself to the point where his friend can not see his disorderly state.
9. 9One should not sit [to defecate] in a rushed or forceful manner. And one should not force himself exceedingly, so that he might not rupture the anal sphincter.
10. 10One should not wipe with the right hand.
11. 11One should not wipe with earthenware due to a concern of witchcraft. Nor with dry grass, for one who wipes with something that is flammable can dislocate the anal sphincter. Nor with a stone that another wiped with, because this can bring a person to hemorrhoids. Rema: And now, that our bathrooms are not in the field, people are accustomed to wipe (earthenware and likewise they are accustomed to wipe) with something flammable, and this is not harmful. And go out observe what people do (Chidushei Agudah, Chapter Hamotzei)
12. 12One should relieve himself modestly at night, just as in the day.
13. 13One should not urinate from a standing position lest it sprinkle down upon his legs, if he is not on a high place, or relieving himself upon loose earth (meaning, soil that is not virgin, but rather like plowed earth).
14. 14Unless he is married, one should take care not to grasp the organ except from the corona downwards and urinate, lest he bring forth seed in vain. However, it is a pious practice to take such care even if one is married.
15. 15It is permitted to aid [urination] from the testicles and below, even for one who is not married.
16. 16One who is married is not permitted to grasp the organ except to urinate. However, he is not to brush against it.
17. 17One who delays his cavities [from elimination] transgresses the commandment, "You shall not make yourselves loathsome."

License: CC0