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    Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 95

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    Shulchan Arukh · source analysis

    Orach Chayim Siman 95

    Orach Chayim Siman 95 is a source-text unit from the Shulchan Arukh with 4 seifim. Its reading map separates the practical rule, its conditions and the points that need comparison with the surrounding text.

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    Read each seif as a separate step. Identify the action, the condition that limits it and any distinction between cases before moving to the next seif.

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    A unit-by-unit map of all 4 seifim on this page: opening words, the moves the text actually makes and a link back to that exact seif.

    1. Seif 143 words

      Opens “כיוון איבריו בשעת תפלה. ובו ד סעיפים:…”

    2. Seif 217 words

      Opens “צריך שיכוף ראשו מעט שיהיו עיניו למטה…”

    3. Seif 330 words

      Opens “מניח ידיו על לבו כפותין (פי' כקשורין)…”

    4. Seif 49 words

      Opens “טוב לכוין רגליו גם בשעה שאומר קדושה…”

    Original text

    <b>כיוון איבריו בשעת תפלה. ובו ד סעיפים:</b><br>יכוין רגליו זה אצל זה בכוון כאלו אינם אלא אחד להדמות למלאכים דכתיב בהן ורגליהם רגל ישרה כלומר רגליהם נראים כרגל אחד: (וי"א כשעומד להתפלל ילך לפניו ג' פסיעות דרך קירוב והגשה לדבר שצריך לעשות) (רוקח):

    The Position of One's Limbs at the Time of Prayer, containing 4 s'ifim One should position one's feet next to each other as though they are one, in order to imitate angels, as it written regarding them: “their feet were a straight foot” [(Ezekiel 1:7)], which is to say their feet appeared as one foot. (Some say when one stands to pray one should take three steps forward in the way of coming close and approaching a matter that must be done.) (Rokeach)

    צריך שיכוף ראשו מעט שיהיו עיניו למטה לארץ ויחשוב כאלו עומד בבית המקדש ובלבו יכוין למעלה לשמים:

    One should bend one's head a little so that one's eyes will be downwards to the ground and one should consider oneself as if one is standing in the Beit Hamikdash, and in one's heart, one should direct [oneself] upward towards the heavens.

    מניח ידיו על לבו כפותין (פי' כקשורין) הימנית על השמאלית ועומד כעבד לפני רבו באימה ביראה ובפחד ולא יניח ידיו על חלציו מפני שהוא דרך יוהרא: (וע"ל ריש סימן צ"ז):

    One should place one's hands over one's heart, as if bound (i.e. as if connected), the right [hand] over the left, and stand like a servant before one's teacher with terror, awe, and fear. And one should not place one's hands on one's hips, because that is the way of haughtiness (and see below in the beginning of Orach Chayim 97).

    טוב לכוין רגליו גם בשעה שאומר קדושה עם ש"צ:

    It is proper to position one's feet [together] also at the time one is reciting Kedushah with the prayer-leader.

    English translation: Sefaria Community Translation · CC0