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The Shulchan Aruch · Orach Chayim

אורח חיים צ״דOrach Chayim 94

Siman 94 of 697 in Orach Chayim — 9 se'ifim

הלכות תפילהLaws of Prayer· siman 94

Se’if 1א׳

בְּקוּמוֹ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, אִם הָיָה עוֹמֵד בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ, יַחֲזִיר פָּנָיו כְּנֶגֶד אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיכַוֵּן גַּם לִירוּשָׁלַיִם וְלַמִּקְדָּשׁ וּלְבֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקָּדָשִׁים; הָיָה עוֹמֵד בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, יַחֲזִיר פָּנָיו כְּנֶגֶד יְרוּשָׁלַיִם וִיכַוֵּן גַּם לַמִּקְדָּשׁ וּלְבֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקָּדָשִׁים; הָיָה עוֹמֵד בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, יַחֲזִיר פָּנָיו לַמִּקְדָּשׁ וִיכַוֵּן גַּם כֵּן לְבֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקָּדָשִׁים; הָיָה עוֹמֵד אֲחוֹרֵי הַכַּפֹּרֶת, מַחֲזִיר פָּנָיו לַכַּפֹּרֶת.

One Needs to Focus Towards the Land of Israel and the Law of One who is Riding, or Sitting on a Boat, containing 9 s'ifim When one stands to pray: if he is standing in the Diaspora, he should face toward the Land of Israel and focus [his mind] also towards Jerusalem, the Temple, and the Holy of Holies. If one is standing in the Land of Israel, he should face towards Jerusalem and focus [his mind] also towards the Temple and the Holy of Holies. In one is standing in Jerusalem, he should face towards the Temple and focus [his mind] also towards the Holy of Holies. If one is standing behind the Ark-cover, he should face towards the Ark-cover.

Se’if 2ב׳

אִם מִתְפַּלֵּל לְרוּחַ מִשְּׁאָר רוּחוֹת, יְצַדֵּד פָּנָיו לְצַד אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם הוּא בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ; וְלִירוּשָׁלַיִם, אִם הוּא בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְלַמִּקְדָּשׁ, אִם הוּא בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם. הַגָּה: וְאָנוּ שֶׁמַּחֲזִירִין פָּנֵינוּ לַמִּזְרָח, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָנוּ יוֹשְׁבִים בְּמַעֲרָבָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְנִמְצָא פָּנֵינוּ לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל (טוּר וּסְמַ"ג). אֵין עוֹשִׂין מְקוֹם הָאָרוֹן וְצַד הַתְּפִלָּה נֶגֶד זְרִיחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ מַמָּשׁ, כִּי זֶהוּ דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּינִים, רַק מְכַוְּנִים נֶגֶד אֶמְצַע הַיּוֹם (הַגָּהוֹת אַלְפָסִי הַחֲדָשִׁים). וּמִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְקַיֵּם אָמְרָם: הָרוֹצֶה לְהַעֲשִׁיר יַצְפִּין אוֹ לְהַחְכִּים יַדְרִים, מִכָּל מָקוֹם יְצַדֵּד פָּנָיו לַמִּזְרָח.

If one prays [facing] one of the other directions, one should turn one's face to the direction of the land of Israel if one is in the Diaspora; and to Jerusalem if one is in the land of Israel; and to the Temple if one is in Jerusalem. Gloss: And we who turn our faces to the east, it is because we dwell to the west of the land of Israel, and so our faces are towards the land of Israel (Tur, Orach Chaim 94:1 and Sefer Mitzvot Gadol). We do not make the place of the ark [in our synagogue] and the direction of prayer exactly opposite the sunrise because that is the way of the heretics; rather we direct [ourselves] opposite [the direction of the sun] in the middle of the day (Hagahot Alfasi haChadashim) And one who wants to uphold their saying (i.e. that of the Sages): "The one who wants to gain wealth turns northward or to gain wisdom turns southward", nevertheless should turn one's face towards the east

Se’if 3ג׳

מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְכַוֵּן הָרוּחוֹת, יְכַוֵּן לִבּוֹ לְאָבִיו שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם.

One who is not able to determine the [compass] directions, [should] direct one's heart to one's Father who is in Heaven.

…and 4 more se'ifim in this siman.

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Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim — Torat Emet 363 edition, via Sefaria — public domain

English: Sefaria Community Translation — CC0