19 Sep KNEELING ON A STONE FLOOR

On Rosh Hashanah
and Yom Kippur we
kneel on the floor
during davening at
oleinu and while
saying v’kohanim.
In addition, many
times we wish to
kneel on the ground
to give a child a
bath, exercise, or to put something
away. Are the above permitted and if
they are not what is the correct way
to kneel?
Halachic Background
In the time of the Bais Hamikdosh
one would fall to the floor with
hishands and feet spread out and
daven to Hashem. This is not done
today since we do not have a bais
hamikdosh. The Torah tells us that
one is not allowed to spread out his
hands and feet on a stone floor.
ויקרא פרק כו פסוק א
ואבן משכית לא – תתנו בארצכם להשתחות – עליה
“And a stone covering you shouldnot
place on your land to prostrate
yourself upon it.”
Other Halachic Factors
The Rabbonim enacted that one is not
allowed to bow on one’s hands and
feet (even without spreading) if ones
face is towards the floor. This issur is
known as e’ven maskis. In order for
there to be an issur d’oraisa it has to
be both of the following: 1. Kneeling
while spreading the hands and feet
2. Stone floor. However, bowing on
the floor without spreading of one’s
hands and feet or spreading the hands
and feet but not on a stone floor is
forbidden d’rabannan. Kneeling
without spreading one’s hands and
feet on a non-stone floor is permitted.
Women
This issur applies to men and women
alike. The custom of many is that
women do not kneel to the ground
at all on Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur.
Reasons
Some say that the reason for the issur is
because this is the way non-Jews bow
to their g-ds. The Chinuch 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 Bais Hamikdosh.
Davening
Based on the above one should spread
something out between hisface and
a stone floor 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 nottouch
the ground if it is not a stone floor.
One is allowed to kneel towards a
stone floor if his face is not near the
stone floor.
Type of Stone
Some poskim say that marble hasthe
same din as stone in this regard.
Kneeling on bricks is not a concern.
One should treat stone tiles which
are placed on ones floor as stone in
regard to this halacha. Furthermore,
even a floor which is not made of
stone should still have the same
halacha as stone since there may
bestone underneath the floor before
the floor was put on. In addition,
cement is viewed as stone in regard
to this halacha. Some say that even if
the stone isnot attached to the ground
it is ossur to bow on. Steps made
from stone have the same status as
regular stone in this regard.Asphalt
has the same din as stone in regard
to this halacha.Today the custom
is that on all floors one should not
kneel without a separation.Therefore,
even if there is permanent carpet on
the floor then one should still have a
separation.
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. This
separation can be made with placing
grass, a tallis (see below) or any other
material between one’s face and the
floor. However, one’s clothing that
he is wearing is not a hefsek. Some
say that placing one hand under
his head is not a good hefsek. A
see through material suffices for
a separation between one’s hands
and feet and the floor. A separation
with holes in it is still considered a

separation. An area rug which is
removed to be cleaned from time to
time is a goodseparation and no other
separation is required.
Oleinu – Rosh Hashanah
The custom is to prostrate oneself
on the floor by oleinu on Rosh
Hashanah. Some say that since by
oleinu on Rosh Hashanah we do
not bow on the floor, no separation
is needed; however, we do have a
separation since the custom is that the
kneelingon Rosh Hashanah by oleinu
is the same as on Yom Kippur where
we kneel on the ground.
Kneeling on Yom Kippur
Kneeling is done on Yom Kippur
when saying “v’kohanim, and
oleinu.” Giving out paper towels
on Rosh Hashanah and Yom
KippurWhen looking around before
the tzibur prepares to kneel at oleinu
on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur,
paper towels are handed out and the
tzibur places it on their knees during
the bowing process. This is not done
because of any halachic reason it is
done in order to ensure that one does
not dirty his pants. All sources say a
separation is required between ones
face and the ground not a separation
between the knees and the ground.
Some say falling on one’s knees

alone is going in the ways of the non-
Jews and one should avoid this.

Placing Tallis on Floor
When kneeling during davening on
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur one
usually uses his tallis as a separation
between his face and the floor. Some
say that doing so is a disgrace to the
tallis. 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 in order
to kneel down to Hashem.
Giving a Bath etc.
The above mentioned issur is only
if one has intent to do so. Therefore,
one is allowed to bend down on his
knees in order to give his child a
bath, or take something out from the
refrigerator drawer.
Exercise
When doing push ups etc. 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.
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 davening to
the stone itself. The reason is because
it is well known that one is doing so
for the honor of the deceased.
Sitting on the Floor
Some are of the opinion that based on
kabbalah one should not sit directly
on the ground without a separation
between you and the ground. Some
say this is only if one sits directly
on the ground, Therefore, there are
those of the opinion that say since
our homes etc are covered with
stone, wood etc there is no concern.
However, others do not make this
distinction. There are those who al
pi kabbalah in a bungalow colony or
camp etc would not sit directly on the
dirt without a separation.