13 Aug TEFILLAH ON THE MOVE: NAVIGATING DAVENING WHILE TRAVELING

As many take
advantage of the weeks
after Tisha B’Av and
before the start of the
school year to travel, a
frequent challenge presents itself — how to
daven properly while on vacation. Outside
the structured environment of one’s local
shul, travelers must contend with noise,
distractions, and a lack of privacy. The
following offers practical guidance for
these situations, outlining how to choose
a setting that preserves the sanctity and
concentration of tefillah, even far from
home.
A) It is an obligation to dress
appropriately for prayer, even when on
vacation, and one should be careful to
dress properly even if praying alone in
his room.
Many feel more casual when away from
their city on vacation and therefore
approach prayer in an inappropriate manner
— for example, praying in flip-flops, shorts,
or a tank top; some even pray without a
shirt at all, or with only a tallit katan over
their body. All of this is prohibited, even
if no one else can see him. The Gemara
(Shabbat 10a) teaches that one must dress
respectfully for prayer, deriving this from
the pasuk: “Prepare to meet your G-d, O
Israel.”
The Shulchan Aruch (siman 98:4) writes:
“Prayer takes the place of the Korbanot;
therefore, one must take care that it should
be like the offering… It is proper to have
fine garments designated for prayer, like
the priestly garments, though not everyone
can afford this. Nevertheless, it is good to
have special pants for prayer for the sake of
cleanliness.”
Rabbi Auerbach writes: “At the time of
prayer, one must take care to appear in
a respectable manner, as one standing
before the King. Therefore, even one
who customarily works in shorts, such
as farmers or laborers, should preferably
not pray dressed that way.” Rabbi Ovadia
Hadaya likewise warns (in Yaskil Avdi) not
to pray in short-sleeved shirts, and certainly
not to serve as a shaliach tzibbur in such
attire. Just as one would not dare to enter
a courtroom, a beit din, or the office of the
president in such clothing, all the more so
should one not stand that way before the
King of kings.
This is in contrast to the ruling of Rabbi
Ovadia Yosef who permits praying in short

sleeves and shorts, provided one does not
serve as shaliach tzibbur in such clothing. If
the sleeves cover the arm up to the elbow,
he even permits serving as shaliach tzibbur
while wearing them.
B. If one needs to pray while on the road,
he should look for a quiet place where he
will not be disturbed during his prayer.
It is preferable, if possible, to pray in
a place surrounded by walls; if such a
place is not found, one should try to pray
among trees.
Shulchan Aruch (90:5) rules that one
should not pray in an open area, such as
a field. The Mishnah Berurah notes that it
is permitted if one stands at the side of the
road in a location where there is no concern
that passersby will disturb him. The Magen
Avraham adds that this restriction does not
apply to travelers, who are permitted from
the outset to pray in a field.
Nevertheless, if there are trees present, it is
better to stand among them and pray, as we
find that Yitzchak went out “to converse in
the field” — and “to converse” means that
he concealed himself for prayer among the
bushes (Bach).
Similarly, it is preferable to pray in a place
surrounded by partitions, even if it is not
roofed.
C. If one is in a place without a synagogue,
he should try to gather a minyan of ten
men in his room for prayer.
The Gemara (Berachot 7b) relates: “Rabbi
Yitzchak said to Rav Nachman: Why does
the master not come to the shul to pray? He
answered: I am unable. He asked further:
Then let the master gather ten and pray [at
home]. He replied: It is burdensome for
me.” From here we see that one who cannot
get to a shul should gather ten men to pray
in his room as long as its not very hard to
gather.
D. One who is praying on an airplane
or ship and does not know where east
is should try to determine it using a
compass or a phone application. If he is
on a flight leaving Israel, he may pray
facing the tail of the plane; if he is on a
flight to Israel, he should face the front
of the plane. In any case, he should direct
his heart to his Father in Heaven.
The Shulchan Aruch (94:1) writes: “When
one rises to pray, if he is standing outside

the Land [of Israel], he should turn his face
toward Eretz Yisrael and also direct his
thoughts toward Yerushalyim.
However, sometimes one is in a place
where it is difficult to determine directions,
such as on a plane or ship; in such a case, he
should simply direct his heart to his Father
in Heaven, as the Shulchan Aruch (94:3).
There is, however a practical tip to know
where east is by the direction of the plane’s
travel, since planes generally fly in a straight
line. One may orient himself accordingly,
even though the plane may occasionally
veer to the sides, because overall the
flight maintains a consistent direction. For
example, if flying to Israel, he should face
the front of the plane; if flying from Israel
abroad, he should face the rear of the plane
(Or LeTzion).
At times, however, facing this direction
for prayer might place him in a position
that distracts his concentration or exposes
him to improper sights. In such cases, it is
preferable to pray facing another direction,
even if that is not east, since the essence of
prayer is the service of the heart (Zichron
Yehuda).
E. Those who designate a place for
prayer in a hotel should set up a partition
between the men and the women,
and should not pray there without
a partition. Nevertheless, those who
arrange a minyan in an airport or on a
flight, in a location that does not disturb
other passengers, are not required to set
up a partition between the men and the
women.
That is the opinion of Rav Moshe Feinstein,
and Rav Auerbach since the obligation of a
partition applies only in a place designated
for regular prayer, whereas in an airport
area, the prayer is conducted only on a
temporary basis, and also it’s a place where
one can’t ask women to go elsewhere.
F. If one is on a flight with non-Jews
during the time for Keriat Shema and
Tefillah and feels uncomfortable praying
with tefillin, he should pray without them
and put them on after disembarking
from the plane.
Although the Shulchan Aruch (25:4) rules
that one should have tefillin on during
Keriat Shema and Tefillah so as not to
appear as if bearing false witness against
himself, the Mishnah Berurah (25:14)
writes that this requirement applies only
when one intentionally neglects to put on

tefillin before Keriat Shema out of laziness.
However, when traveling and unable to put
them on due to other circumstances, there
is certainly no need to delay Keriat Shema
because of this. From the fact that it specifies
“only when done out of laziness,” we learn
that if one feels very uncomfortable putting
on tefillin on the plane, it is better to recite
Shema and pray without them, and put
them on after disembarking. All the more so
should this be done if there is any concern
of danger in putting them on in a place
where there might be anti-Semites.
G. One should not hold a minyan in the
airplane aisles if it disturbs passengers,
nor should an individual pray in the aisle.
Rav Elyashiv (quoted in Vayishma Moshe,
p. 31) said that since all passengers have
rights to use the aisles, one should not
conduct a minyan there — even if there is
only one person who is inconvenienced and
objects.
Similarly, Rav Shmuel Vosner wrote that
one should strive to pray the rest of the
prayers seated in his place, and only recite
the Amidah near his seat in a way that does
not block passersby. If it is not possible to
pray while standing in place, it is preferable
to remain seated during the prayer, which
also benefits concentration and modesty.
Rav Auerbach likewise wrote that one
praying during a flight should recite the
Amidah seated in his seat and not in the
aisles, since it disturbs others passing
through. Rav Moshe Feinstein also
permitted praying while seated if standing
is difficult or if standing would cause
distraction.
In BeLechtecha VaDerech (p. 34), it is
recorded that the rabbi of El Al Airlines,
Rabbi Yochanan Hayut, asked Rav Vosner
about a man who wished to donate a small
Sefer Torah and an ark to be used during
flights for Torah reading. Rav Vosner
responded that this should not be done at
all, as one should not conduct a minyan or
arrange public prayers during a flight.
In Yalkut Yosef it is reported that Rav
Ovadia Yosef himself refused to join a
minyan that was being organized on a plane.