Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim · Siman 76

Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim 76 — English translation

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

1. 1To Be Careful of Excrement at the Time of the Recitation of the Sh'ma. Containing 8 Se'ifim Excrement [that is seen] through a [glass] lamp - it is permitted to recite in front of it even though one sees it through the [glass] walls [of the lamp] because the Mericful One conditions [it] on being covered, as is written "And you shall cover your excrement" (Deuteronomy 23:14), and here, it is covered.
2. 2If there is excrement in a hole, one may place their shoe over it and recite [Sh'ma] for it is considered to be covered, and since there is no bad smell that reaches him, it is permitted. And this is as long as his shoe does not touch it (ie. the excrement).
3. 3If excrement passes in front of a person, it is forbidden to recite [the Recitiation of the Sh'ma] in front of it. And the mouth of a pig is like excrement passing, even if it is coming out of the river, the washing does not help it [such that one can recite the Sh'ma], for it is like a container with excrement.
4. 4If there was excrement on one's skin and it is covered with their garment or if one inserted their hands into a bathroom via a hole and they can't smell a foul odor, there are those who permit to recite and there are those who forbid. And there are those who say that the one who permits did not permit regarding excrement on the skin except in a place that covers itself without clothing, for example the armpit. And it is proper to do according to the words of the strict one. Rem"a: And semen on one's skin: its rule is like excrement (Maharil, Hilkhot Yom Kippur)
5. 5Excrement on the anus, even if it is covered, it is forbidden to recite according to everyone, even if it isn't visible when one is standing and visible when one is sitting.
6. 6If there was a little bit of excrement in front of a person, they can nullify it with spit - they should spit on it and then may recite in front of it, as long as the spit is thick. And [this] nullifying is only effective temporarily, but if one did not read immediately and the spit [then] became softened and absorbed into it, it is not nullified.
7. 7If there is a doubt if there is excrement in the house, it is permitted to recite for it is presumed that a house does not have excrement in it. If there is a doubt if there is excrement in a garbage dump, it is forbidden [to recite] because it is presumed that a garbage dump has excrement in it. But if there is a doubt regarding urine, even in a garbage dump, it is permitted because the Torah did not forbid reciting in front of urine, except in front of an uninterrupted stream. And after it fell, it was only forbidden rabbinically, and in [a case of] doubt, they did not decree.
8. 8If one read in a place where it is proper to be doubtful about excrement and found it afterwards, they must go back and recite [again somewhere else]. But if the place was not proper to be doubtful about [excrement in] it (ie. there's no reason to suspect that there is excrement there), one does not need to go back and recite. And urine, even if one found it in a place that is proper to be doubtful, there is no need to go back and recite.

License: CC0