New York – Halachically Speaking – Kneeling On A Stone Floor

New York – On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we kneel on the floor during davening at Aleinu and while saying “V’ha’kohanim.” In addition, many times we wish to kneel on the ground to exercise, give a child a bath, or put something away. Are the above permitted? What is the correct way to kneel?

Halachic Background

In the time of the Beis HaMikdash, one would fall to the floor with his hands and feet spread out and daven to Hashem.1 This is not done today, since we do not have a Beis HaMikdash. The Torah2 tells us that one is not allowed to spread out his hands and feet on a stone floor: “And a stone covering you shall not place on your land to prostrate yourself upon it.”

The rabbanim enacted that one is not allowed to bow on one’s hands and feet (even without spreading them) if one’s face is towards the floor.3 This issur is known as “even maskis.”4 In order for there to be an issur d’Oraisa, two conditions must be met: a person is (a) kneeling while spreading the hands and feet (b) on a stone floor.

However, bowing on the floor without spreading one’s hands and feet,5 or spreading the hands and feet but not on a stone floor, is forbidden d’rabannan.6 Kneeling without spreading one’s hands and feet on a non-stone floor is permitted.7

This issur applies to men and women alike.8 The custom of many is that women do not kneel to the ground at all on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.9

Reasons. Some say that the reason for the issur is that this is the way non-Jews bow to their gods.10 The Chinuch11 says the reason is that one who sees someone kneeling to the stone would think he is bowing to avodah zarah. Some say the reason is that the kneeling should not be like the bowing in the times of the Beis HaMikdash.12

Based on the above, one should spread something out between his face and a stone floor13 when kneeling on the ground during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (see below). If this is not possible, then one should bow on his side so that his face does not touch the ground if it is not a stone floor.14 One is allowed to kneel towards a stone floor if his face is not near the stone floor.15

Type Of Stone

Some poskim say that marble has the same din as stones in this regard.16 Kneeling on bricks is not a concern.17 One should treat stone tiles placed on one’s floor as stone in regard to this halachah.18 Furthermore, even a floor which is not made of stone should still have the same halachah as stone, since there may be stone underneath the floor.19 In addition, cement is viewed as stone in regard to this halachah.20 Some say that even if the stone is not attached to the ground, it is assur to bow on it.21 Steps made from stone have the same status as regular stone in this regard.22 Asphalt has the same din as stone in regard to this halachah.23 Today the custom is that one should not kneel on any floor without a separation. Therefore, even if there is permanent carpet on the floor, one should still have a separation.24

Types Of Separation

As mentioned before, when kneeling with one’s hands and feet spread out, one must place a separation between his face and the ground.25 This separation can be made by placing grass,26 a tallis (see below),27 or any other material between one’s face and the floor.28 However, the clothing that one is wearing is not a hefsek.29 Some say that placing one hand under the head is not a good hefsek.30 A transparent material suffices for a separation between one’s hands and feet and the floor.31 A separation with holes in it is still considered a separation.32 An area rug which is removed to be cleaned from time to time is a good separation, and no other separation is required.33

Rosh Hashanah And Yom Kippur

The custom is to prostrate oneself on the floor during Aleinu on Rosh Hashanah.34 Some say that since during Aleinu on Rosh Hashanah we do not bow on the floor, no separation is needed;35 however, we do have a separation, since the custom is that the kneeling on Rosh Hashanah during Aleinu is the same as on Yom Kippur when we kneel on the ground.36

Kneeling is done on Yom Kippur when saying “v’ha’kohanim”37 and Aleinu.”38

Before the tzibbur prepares to kneel at Aleinu on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, paper towels are handed out and the tzibbur places them under their knees during the bowing process. This is not done for any halachic reason; it is done in order to ensure that one does not dirty his pants.39 All sources say a separation is required between one’s face and the ground, not a separation between the knees and the ground.

Some say that falling on one’s knees alone is going in the ways of the non-Jews and one should avoid this.40

When kneeling during davening on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, one usually uses his tallis as a separation between his face and the floor.41 Some say that doing so is a disgrace to the tallis.42 However, the custom is that doing so is permitted, since one is not dragging it on the floor. In addition, it is being done for a mitzvah—to kneel to Hashem.43

Kneeling For Other Reasons

The above-mentioned issur is only if one has intent to kneel.44 Therefore, one is allowed to bend down on his knees in order to give his child a bath45 or take something out from the refrigerator drawer.46

When doing push-ups, one places his entire body toward the floor. Doing so is not an issue, since one does not have intent to kneel to the ground.47

Davening At Graves

One is permitted to daven at a cemetery while looking at the gravestone, and there is no concern that someone will see him as davening to the stone itself. The reason is that it is well known that one is doing so for the honor of the deceased.48

Sitting On The Floor

Some are of the opinion that based on Kabbalah one should not sit directly on the ground without any separation.49 Some say this is only if one sits directly on the ground. Therefore, there are those of the opinion that since our homes are covered with stone, wood, etc. there is no concern. However, others do not make this distinction.50 There are those who al pi Kabbalah in a bungalow colony or camp, etc., would not sit directly on the dirt without a separation.

This article was originally published in Halachically Speaking (Volume 5, Issue 14), which is reviewed by Rabbi Ben-Zion Schiffenbauer, shlita, and by HaRav Yisroel Belsky, shlita.