Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim · Siman 79

Shulchan Arukh Orach Chayim 79 — English translation

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

1. 1One Who Happened Across Excrement at Time of the Recitation [of the Sh'ma], Containing 9 S'ifim If there was human excrement behind him, he must distance himself 4 amot from the place where the smell ceases. Even if he has a sickness where he cannot smell, he must distance himself 4 amot from the place where the smell ceases for a person who is able to smell. And [if it is] in front of him, he must distance himself so it is out of site, even at night or if one is blind (Responsum of the Rashba, Siman 168, Beit Yosef in the name of the Ri) - where he cannot see it - he needs to distance himself until a place where he could not see it [if it was] in the daytime. And if it is to his side, the rule is like [when] it is behind him. Rem"a: A prayer-leader that is praying and there is excrement in the synagogue or house in which he is praying: even if it is behind him anywhere in the house, he needs to [stop the prayers and] be quiet until it is removed [from the house], since he is fulfilling the obligation of others and it is impossible that one of the congregants is not within 4 amot of the excrement. (New Hagahot of Mordechi, chapter "Tefilat haShachar") And see below at the end of Siman 90 (And see below Siman 87 in the laws of excrement in the house)
2. 2If it (ie. the excrement) was in a place higher than 10 t'fachim [above him] or 10 below [him] or it was in one house and he is in another house [that's connected], even if the [connecting] door is open and he is sitting at the side [of the door] and sees it: if it does not have a smell, he may recite [the Sh'ma]. Because since it is in a different domain, we can still call it as [having fulfilled the mitzvah of] "...and your camp shall be holy" (Deuteronomy 23:15) according to the Rosh. But according to the Rashba, it's only when he doesn't see it. And if it has a smell, a separation is ineffective and [also] a change in domain is not [effective]. And there are those who say that just as a separation is effective in regards to excrement itself, so too it is effective for its bad smell.
3. 3A small courtyard that is completely breached into a large [one], and the large [one] has some remainder on both sides (ie. it is wider on both sides). The small [one] is not considered like a house in and of itself since it was completely breached into the large [one], but the large [one], since since its walls extend past the small [one] from this side and that side, it is considered like a house in and of itself. Therefore, if there is excrement in the large [one], it is forbidden to recite [the Recitation of the Sh'ma] in the small one, until one distances [oneself] according to the [required] measure. And if the excrement is in the small [one], it is permitted to recite in the large [one], without distancing if a bad smell doesn't reach him.
4. 4Dog or pig excrement - if hides have been placed in them [for tanning], we distance from them as from human excrement; and if not, their law is like the law of excrement of other domesticated animals, wild beasts and birds, that there is no need to distance from them if they do not have a bad smell. And if they do have a bad smell, their law is like human excrement.
5. 5Moist excrement of a donkey after it comes from a journey and excrement of a cat or a weasel or a stinking carcass - their law is like human excrement. And one who goes on the road, despite that he sees the excrement of an animal opposite him, if the smell does not reach him he does not need to be concerned about the minority (ie. the small likelihood) - to assume it was of a donkey. And [if one is] close to a city, there are those who say that we should be concerned since the majority of animals that are found there are donkeys. Rem"a: in a place where donkeys are common
6. 6In the [Talmud] Yerushalmi [it states that] it is forbidden to recite in front of urine of a donkey after it comes from a journey and in front of the excrement of red roosters.
7. 7Excrement of roosters that go in the house, their ruling is like excrement of a domesticated animal, a wild beast, and bird, but their coop has a stench, and its ruling it like the excrement of a human.
8. 8It is forbidden to recite [the Recitation of the Sh'ma] in front of a garbage heap that has a bad smell.
9. 9If a wind from "below" went out from a person (ie. they passed gas), he is forbidden from [studying] words of the Torah until the smell ends. And if it went out from one's fellow, it is permitted to [study] words of Torah because it is impossible [to study otherwise]. Because the students - some of them are studying and some of them are sleeping and passing gas in their sleep. But to recite the Sh'ma is forbidden until the smell ends.

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