The honor of a synagogue
[א] (halacha 994)
Question: Is one permitted to spit in a shul¹?
Answer: Talmud Yerushalmi Brochos1: 'R' Yehoshua ben Levi said: One who spits in a shul2 is as one who spits in the pupil of his eye. R' Yonah spat and rubbed it out'.
The Gemara in Maseches Brochos3 states: 'Rava said: Spitting in a shul is permitted, just as is the case with a shoe .. Rather, Rava said: it is like one's house. Just as in one's house — about taking a shortcut a person is particular, but about spitting and a shoe a person is not particular, so too a shul: a shortcut is what is forbidden, but spitting and a shoe are permitted'.
> Thus according to the opinion of Ribal in the Yerushalmi it is forbidden to spit in a shul; however according to the opinion of Rabbah in the Bavli it is permitted, and so too we saw in the Yerushalmi that R' Yonah [and in the Rishonim there is a version: R' Yochanan] would spit and cover it.
The Rif4 ruled in accordance with the words of the Bavli: 'Rabbah said: spitting in a shul is permitted. What is the reason? We derive it from a shoe — just as a shoe is permitted, so too spitting is permitted. Rava said: it is like one's house. Just as in one's house, about a shortcut people are particular but about a shoe and spitting people are not particular, so too a shul: a shortcut is forbidden, but spitting and a shoe are permitted'.
And the students of Rabbeinu Yonah wrote: 'And as for spitting in a shul, in the Yerushalmi R' Yonasan said: spit and rub it out, and it appears that he disagrees with our Talmud, since he requires rubbing it out even in a shul, for this case in a shul is what is meant, since R' Yonasan was not in the time of the Beis HaMikdash, and it appears to my teacher the Rav, may God protect and preserve him, that we can say that they do not disagree, and the spitting that was permitted in our Talmud was permitted only with rubbing it out, because a shul is a minor sanctuary and one must conduct oneself in it with honor before the Holy One, blessed be He, for in our sins we have neither kohen nor prophet nor kohen gadol to atone for us, but only the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, may He be exalted and lifted up, and since this is so, one must conduct oneself with honor, and even in one's house, a place set aside for him at times to pray, such as for maamados and the like'.
And in a similar manner the Rashba5 wrote: 'Further there in the Yerushalmi: R' Yehoshua ben Levi said: one who spits in a shul is as one who spits in the pupil of his eye, R' Yonah spat and rubbed it out, and this statement of Ribal is not accepted, for Rava concluded in the chapter "HaRoeh" that it is permitted, and the Raavad, of blessed memory, wrote that we ought to act like R' Yonah, and if there is reed-matting there in which the spittle is not visible, it is not necessary, and perhaps it is for this reason that in most places they became accustomed to place reed-matting in shuls'.
> Thus according to the opinion of Rabbeinu Yonah there is no dispute regarding the detail of rubbing out, for according to all opinions one must rub out and cover the spittle. And so too wrote the Rashba in the name of the Raavad.
The Rambam6 wrote: 'And if he needed to spit, let him spit in the shul'.
Rabbeinu Manoach, in his commentary on the Rambam, cited the words of the Bavli and the Yerushalmi and wrote: 'And this disagrees with Rabbeinu Moshe and with our Talmud. However, we derive from this Yerushalmi that one must act like R' Yonah, that is to say, that he should tread upon it with his foot so that it not be visible. However, if there is reed-matting there in which the spittle is not visible, it is not necessary, and it stands to reason for us that this case in the Yerushalmi speaks of the time of tefillah, and if so it does not disagree with our Gemara'.
> Thus according to the opinion of Rabbeinu Manoach as well one must conduct oneself like Rabbeinu Yonah, and he added that the statement in the Yerushalmi — Ribal who forbade spitting — spoke of the time of tefillah and not of spitting in a shul [not during the time of tefillah], and according to this there is no dispute at all between the two Talmuds, for according to all opinions it is permitted to spit in a shul, and one must cover the spittle.
The Or Zarua7 also wrote to prove that the halacha follows the Talmud Bavli, and added a novel point that spitting in a shul has the same law as spitting during tefillah with regard to the direction of the spitting: 'However, this statement that R' Yehoshua ben Levi said — one who spits in a shul is as one who spits in the pupil of his eye — the halacha is not in accordance with him. Even though R' Yochanan permits and he forbids, and we hold the halacha is in accordance with him [Ribal] against R' Yochanan as is proven in the chapter "Bnei HaIr"8 — however, it is different here, for Mar bar Rav Ashi stands in accordance with him [R' Yochanan] in the sugya, and R' Yonah too stands in accordance with him [R' Yochanan]; and furthermore, in the chapter "HaRoeh" Rava said: spitting in a shul is permitted, just as is the case with a shoe, etc. Rabbeinu Chananel explained there: and we hold like Rava, that a shoe and spitting in a shul are not forbidden, and spitting on the floor-coverings9 is forbidden — thus far the explanation of Rabbeinu Chananel. However, even not during the time of tefillah I am of the opinion that in front of him and to his right it is forbidden, but behind him and to his left it is permitted even during the time of tefillah if his mind is sensitive, and if his mind is not sensitive, he should absorb it into his garments or swallow it if [his soul] can bear it, so that his cup be clean ..'.
In Sefer Chassidim10 he wrote advice on how to avoid spittle: 'One who wishes not to spit in a shul frequently — because it is a disgrace and also because it causes revulsion to people, but he does it against his will and wishes that he not spit so much — let him chew, before he comes to the shul, a root that they call "licorice," and he will not spit so much; and at night let him chew before sleep (and before he goes to the shul). But on a fast day let him not chew in the morning, because the sweetness will be in his mouth, and likewise on Erev Yom Kippur and on Erev Tisha B'Av let him not eat a sweet root and the like, lest the taste remain in his mouth, and when he swallows the spittle he swallows the sweetness'.
> Thus we saw in this halacha the words of the Yerushalmi and the Bavli regarding the law of spitting in a shul, as well as: a) That the Rishonim wrote that it is permitted to spit, except that one must cover the spittle. b) According to the opinion of the Or Zarua, that it is forbidden to spit in front of him and to his right. c) The advice of Sefer Chassidim on how to avoid spittle. In the next halacha we will see how it is ruled in the Shulchan Aruch, and the conduct of the Arizal.
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Notes:
1 This halacha does not deal with the law of spitting in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei, which will be explained in a separate halacha, God willing ↩
2 פ"ג ה"ה ↩
3 כתב הברכי יוסף (או"ח סי' קנא ס"ק ח): 'וראיתי למהר"ש בן הרשב"ץ בתשו' סי' רפ"ה שהאריך בזה וכתב דזה תלוי בקפידת אנשי המקום, דאם מקפידים שלא ליכנס בבית העכו"ם במנעלים, גם בבהכנ"ס אסור, ובסוף התשובה כתב וז"ל, אף הרקיקה שהיא מותרת וכו', והלשון שאמרו בירושלמי כך הוא אמר ר' יוחנן אם נזדמן לו רוק בבהכנ"ס כאלו רוקק בבת עינו, ר' יונה רקיק ושייף, וכיון שיש ברקיקה קפידה כפי הירושלמי במקצת מקומות, א"כ אף במנעל יש קפידא, שהרי רקיקה ממנעל למדוה מק"ו, ונאמר שאם ברקיקה הקלה יש הקפדה במנעל החמור לא כל שכן, עכ"ל. והירושלמי הלזה הוא בפ' מי שמתו. *אך נראה דהא דנזדמן לו רוק כרוקק בבבת עינו, אינו בבהכנ"ס, וצ"ל בבית המקדש, והיינו קרוב ללשון שאמרו בתלמודין פרק הרואה. וכן הגירסא ברבינו יונה פרק מי שמתו שהביא הך ירושלמי וגריס בבית המקדש*, והוצרך לומר רבינו יונה שם ושילהי ברכות דשייף ורקיק הוא בבהכנ"ס, דמ"ד הכי הוה אחר החרבן. וכ"מ קצת מהרא"ש שילהי פרק הרואה דלא מייתי אלא סיפיה דהירושלמי' ↩
4 סג, א ↩
5 ברכות מה, א ↩
6 ברכות כד, ב ↩
7 הל' תפילה פי"א ה"י ↩
8 הל' תפילה סי' צח ↩
9 מגילה כז, א ↩
10 Spitting for the sake of *leisure*, that is to say, not spitting whose purpose is to expel waste from the body, but rather one who spits for his own enjoyment ↩
11 סי' רנג ↩
[ב] (halacha 995)
In the previous halacha we saw the words of the Yerushalmi and the Bavli regarding the law of spitting in a shul, as well as: a) That the Rishonim wrote that it is permitted to spit, except that one must cover the spittle. b) The approach of the Or Zarua, that it is forbidden to spit in front of him and to his right. c) The advice of Sefer Chassidim on how to avoid spittle.
a) As a matter of halacha, the Mechaber wrote in Hilchos Tefillah1: 'It is permitted to spit in a shul, and one treads on it with his feet or covers it with reed-matting'.
And he repeated his words in Hilchos Beis Knesses2: 'He may spit, provided that he rubs it out with his feet, or that there be reed-matting there so that if he spits into it, it will not be visible'.
And the Ateres Tzvi3 wrote: 'And he treads on it with his foot. Because in any case a shul is a minor [sanctuary] and one must conduct oneself in it with honor before the Holy One, blessed be He, for in our sins we have no kohen nor prophet nor kohen gadol to atone for us but only the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, therefore one must conduct oneself in it with honor, and even in one's house, a place set aside for him at times to pray, Rabbeinu Yonah4'.
Regarding the reason for the permission to spit, the Levush5 wrote: 'And he may spit in the shul, for otherwise he will not be able to pray with concentration, provided that he rubs it out with his feet or places reed-matting there, so that if he spits into it, it will not be visible'.
And the Eliyah Rabbah6 wrote: 'For otherwise he will not be able to pray with concentration. And in the Gemara Brochos page 63 the reason is explained to me, that about spitting people are not particular as they are about a shoe, and according to this, even after tefillah it is permitted, and this is clear'.
And these are the words of the Alter Rebbe7: 'It is permitted to spit in a shul even though it was forbidden in the Mikdash, provided that he rubs it out with his feet so that it not remain exposed in the shul, on account of the honor; and if there is straw or reed-matting in the shul, he spits upon it and need not rub it out, since the spittle is covered by the reed-matting; and whether it is permitted to spit during Shemoneh Esrei will be explained in siman 97. And one who wishes not to spit frequently in the shul should chew, before his entry, a sweet root (that they call "licorice"), but on Erev Yom Kippur and on Erev Tisha B'Av it is forbidden, lest the sweetness remain in his mouth and when he swallows the spittle he swallows the sweetness (but on account of swallowing the spittle alone there is no prohibition, as I wrote in siman [567])'.
b) The Rema in Darkei Moshe8 cited the Or Zarua: 'It is written in the Or Zarua that even not during the time of tefillah it is forbidden to spit in front of him or to his right, only behind him or to his left'. But he did not mention this in the Shulchan Aruch.
The Magen Avraham9 cited his words: 'It is permitted to spit. And he casts it behind him, as I wrote in siman 97 se'if 2; see Darkei Moshe in the name of the Or Zarua'.
However, the Maamar Mordechai10 wondered at the Magen Avraham: 'And nevertheless it appears that the Rav, the M[agen] A[vraham], of blessed memory, did not aim well, for it appears plain that we do not hold like the words of the Or Zarua, of blessed memory, in this matter, for it is a solitary opinion, since from the words of all the poskim it is implied that not during the time of tefillah he spits in front of him and is not concerned, only that he rubs it out with his feet, and it appears that for this reason our teacher the Rema, of blessed memory, omitted it and did not write the words of the Rav, the Or Zarua, in this siman nor in siman 151, and also I did not find that the later authorities, of blessed memory, mentioned it; and so we are accustomed without question to spit in any manner and to rub it out. And perhaps one may force [the matter] and say that even the Or Zarua, of blessed memory, only forbade during supplications. And this is what he wrote, that even not during the time of tefillah, that is to say, that one finished Shemoneh Esrei, even so it is forbidden, for it is as if standing before the King, as the Rav, the M[agen] A[vraham], of blessed memory, wrote from his own reasoning further on in siman 97, see there. And however it may be, the words of the Rav, the M[agen] A[vraham], of blessed memory, in this siman are not precise'.
c) Regarding the conduct of the Arizal it is written in Shaar HaKavanos11 [and it was cited in the Magen Avraham12]: 'I also saw him careful not to spit in the shul, and if spittle came to him he would absorb it into his tallis, or swallow it down his throat'. And in a gloss: 'Shmuel said: and it is better that he go outside the shul and spit there, or expel it from his nostrils'.
And the Pri Megadim13 wrote to explain the reason for the carefulness of the Arizal: 'The Levush in siman 90 se'if 13 and here [says] it is permitted to spit so that he may pray with concentration; but for leisure it is forbidden, for one does not stroll. And during tefillah, in siman 97 se'if 2, it is forbidden, unless it is impossible at all and he would suffer greatly, [in which case] it is permitted. And in Brochos 63a "like one's house" etc. — this too is a matter of some need. And a shoe is for the protection of the feet; otherwise it would be forbidden. And who is not particular about his fellow who comes to his house and spits for leisure, etc.; and it is for this reason that the Arizal, of blessed memory, was careful, as we said'.
And the Mishnah Berurah wrote in Shaar HaTziyun14 regarding the minhag of the Arizal: 'And it stands to reason that it is out of a measure of piety that they did this, but according to the strict law it is permitted, as is stated in the Gemara, and see there that the reason is "like one's house," about which a person is not particular concerning this. And it requires consideration regarding those wealthy people who are particular in their houses about spitting — if so, in the shul and the beis midrash as well it would be forbidden for them to spit'.
And on the basis of this, some of the poskim of our generation wrote15 that nowadays, when everyone is particular in the house not to spit on the floor, then in the shul as well there is no permission.
[However, even in cases where it is permitted to spit, the Mishnah Berurah16 wrote: And he should be careful not to spit in front of his fellow, lest he be revolted by it [Chagigah 5]'.
> Thus we saw that although by the strict law it is permitted to spit in a shul, provided that he covers the spittle, nevertheless the Arizal was very careful not to spit in a shul. And the poskim of our generation wrote that nowadays, when people are particular about spitting in the house, then such is the law in the shul as well [unless in a time and place where they had a minhag, as we will see in the next halacha regarding the minhag of spitting during Aleinu LeShabe'ach].
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Notes:
1 שו"ע או"ח סי' צ סי"ג ↩
2 שם סי' קנא ס"ז ↩
3 שם סי' צ ס"ק כא ↩
4 טו, ב ד"ה ואי ↩
5 או"ח סי' קנא ס"ז ↩
6 שם ס"ק יא ↩
7 שו"ע או"ח סי' צ סי"ד ↩
8 או"ח סי' צז אות ב ↩
9 שו"ע או"ח סי' צ ס"ק כז ↩
10 שו"ע או"ח שם סי"ג ↩
11 ענין בית הכנסת בסופו (וכן הוא בפע"ח שער עולם העשיה פ"א) ↩
12 סי' קנא ס"ק ט ↩
13 א"א או"ח סי' קנא ס"ז ↩
14 סי' קנא ס"ק טו ↩
15 ראה משנת יוסף (ליברמן) סי' כו ע' קלד - הובא בפסק"ת או"ח סי' קנא אות יז. הלכה ברורה סי' צ אות לח ובירור הלכה אות כו ↩
16 סי' קנא ס"ק כד ↩
[ג] (halacha 996)
The minhag of spitting during Aleinu LeShabe'ach
An ancient minhag among the Jews of Ashkenaz was to spit during Aleinu LeShabe'ach at the recitation of "lahevel varik" ("to vanity and emptiness"), and some have linked this minhag to the minhag of pausing before reciting "va'anachnu kor'im" ("and we bow"), as follows.
The minhag of pausing
The Tashbetz Katan1 wrote concerning his teacher the Maharam of Rothenburg: 'And when he prayed Aleinu LeShabe'ach and reached "ugoralenu kechol hamonam" ("and our lot like all their multitude") he would pause a little, and then he would say "va'anu kor'im umishtachavim" ("and we bow and prostrate ourselves"), so that it would not appear to refer back to the earlier ones. And he did not say "aval anu kor'im" ("but we bow"), because Yehoshua composed Aleinu LeShabe'ach and it is alluded to in it in reverse: "Hu" Elokeinu, "va'anu" kor'im, "shelo" sam "aleinu" LeShabe'ach — behold "Hoshe'a" is alluded to in it'.
And so wrote the Tur2: 'And he says Aleinu LeShabe'ach, and when he reaches "kechol hamonam" he should pause a little before he says "va'anu kor'im umishtachavim," so that it not appear as if he is returning to what is above'.
And in Sefer HaMachkim3 he wrote: 'And one who says "aval anu kor'im" errs, and in truth the bowing is not appropriate, but pausing is enough for him, as it is written: "For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but Hashem made the heavens"'.
And the Rema4 wrote in a gloss: 'And they say after the conclusion of the tefillah: Aleinu LeShabe'ach, standing, and he should be careful to say it with concentration, and when he reaches "el lo yoshia" ("a god that cannot save"), he should pause a little before he says: "va'anachnu kor'im" etc.'.
> Thus we saw that they were accustomed to pause before reciting "va'anachnu kor'im," so that it be clear that the recitation of "va'anachnu kor'im" is a new matter and not a continuation of "lahem mishtachavim" ("they prostrate themselves to them")5.
The minhag of spitting
In the Minhagei HaMaharil6 it is brought: 'When he would say in Aleinu LeShabe'ach "lahevel varik" he would expel [spittle] — one time, as the world is accustomed'. And so it is written in the order of Mussaf of Rosh Hashanah, os 5: 'He said "el lo yoshia," and paused a little when he said "lahevel varik," and would expel [spittle] one time'.
> Thus we saw in the words of the Maharil that it was customary a) to make a pause after the words "lahevel varik." b) That they would spit. c) Also in the tefillah of Rosh Hashanah.
And several of the Acharonim wrote that the minhag of spitting derives from the minhag of pausing, as it is written in Sichos Talmidei Chachamim (Schwammer)7: 'And in order not to join afterward the word "va'anachnu," they are accustomed to spit so that there be a pause, and even though these words afterward were omitted by the censorship, the old minhag remained in its place; however, many of the worshippers have abolished this minhag and no longer spit during the tefillah of Aleinu, and this is because they did not know that the entire essence of the spitting is only in order to pause between "shehem mishtachavim lahevel varik" ("for they prostrate themselves to vanity and emptiness") and "va'anachnu kor'im" so that it not appear as if he were saying "shehem mishtachavim lahevel varik va'anachnu," and for this reason one can also pause without spitting; nevertheless, "a minhag of Israel is Torah"'.
And in Si'ach Tzvi (Farber)8 he wrote: 'And "umispallelim el lo yoshia" ("and they pray to a god that cannot save") (here one must pause a little before he says "va'anachnu kor'im," so as not to join the word "va'anachnu" to the preceding words, and perhaps for this reason they were accustomed to spit before "va'anachnu" in order to give a pause, so that it not appear as if he were saying "shehem mishtachavim lahevel varik va'anachnu," and even though the censorship erased the preceding words, many still maintain the practice to spit before "va'anachnu")'.
And in Shu"t Mevaser Tov (Eisikson)9 he wrote: 'Therefore it appears to me, in my humble opinion, that the source of this minhag is not because by this we show contempt for the idols, for we only need to make a pause between "hamonam" and "va'anachnu kor'im" as brought in the Rema .. and as the Levush explained, so that the word "va'anachnu" not appear as if returning to what is above; and if so, one must make a pause and not spit. Therefore I said, in my humble opinion, that the source of the matter to spit instead of making a pause appears from what the Magen Avraham brings in siman 98, and these are his words: it is written in Sefer HaGan, to nullify an evil thought during tefillah let him say three times "pi pi pi" and afterward spit three times, and not spit completely but only gently, and the tongue should be between the lips at the time of the spitting, and certainly the thought will depart, end of quote. And the Magen Avraham wrote on this: and it does not appear to me [proper] to do this within Shemoneh Esrei, for it is an interruption, end of quote. And see in the Eliyah Rabbah that perhaps this is the meaning of the verse "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before You," see there; and in my humble opinion it should read "pu pu pu." In any case it appears from this that spitting constitutes a pause according to the opinion of the Magen Avraham; therefore they are accustomed to spit after "kechol hamonam," in order to make the pause in this manner, and especially for those people who are not careful to make this pause in another way, which is by the strict law of the Shulchan Aruch. However, in practice it appears that one should not spit completely but only gently, in the language of Sefer HaGan above, and to the side, not in front of his fellow lest he be revolted, which is also forbidden; for indeed there need not be spittle visible to the eyes, but everything is by the discretion of sound judgment, in a refined and human manner, as befits a holy and pure people in a holy and pure place, and he should pause for the time of walking four amos, as above, and afterward say "va'anachnu kor'im"'.
> Thus we saw that there was an ancient minhag in the lands of Ashkenaz to spit after reciting "shehem mishtachavim lahevel varik" (or, according to the various versions, after the words "el lo yoshia"). In the next halacha we will see what the Acharonim discussed regarding this minhag.
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Notes:
1 סי' רנג ↩
2 או"ח סי' קלג ↩
3 ד"ה עלינו לשבח ↩
4 שו"ע או"ח סי' קלב ס"ב, וראה גם בדרכי משה סי' קלג אות א ↩
5 מטעם זה יש שכתבו גם לא לענות אמן כשאומר נוסח זה וכמ"ש הבן איש חי (כי תשא ש"א סי"ח): 'וכתב בחסד לאברהם כשאומר אל אל לא יושיע, יפסיק מעט ואח"כ יאמר ואנחנו משתחוים. ואם אירע עניית אמן כשאומר שהם משתחוים להבל וריק, וכן כשאומר ומתפללים אל אל לא יושיע, לא יענה שם אמן'. אמנם ראה מש"כ הגר"ע יוסף בהליכות עולם ח"א כי תשא אות א (ולכאורה שגגה עלתה בפני בנו בעל ההלכה ברורה סי' קלב אות טז ובירור הלכה אות ו שנראה שהבין שזה דין כללי בעלינו לשבח) ↩
6 הל' תפלה אות ג ↩
7 סי' לג ↩
8 ע' צג ↩
9 ח"א או"ח סי' י ↩
[ד] (halacha 997)
The minhag of spitting during Aleinu LeShabe'ach (2)
In the previous halacha we saw that there is an ancient minhag in Ashkenaz, going back to the time of the Maharil, to spit during Aleinu LeShabe'ach at the words "lahevel varik."
However, there were some of the gedolei Yisrael who took exception to this minhag for halachic reasons, and also out of concern that this minhag would arouse the wrath of the Christians, as the Shelah1 wrote: 'And some of the common folk are accustomed to expel spittle during Aleinu and do not know why, and they expel (a) — and the vast majority in this time do not understand the Holy Tongue at all — and they expel when they say "va'anachnu kor'im," and this is a complete prohibition; (b) and also Aleinu was instituted by Yehoshua bin Nun, when in his days there were idol-worshippers, which is not the case in our time; (c) and it is also a great danger, lest the nations of our time think that "kechol hamonam" etc. is said about them, whereas Yehoshua instituted it in his days as above. Therefore it is proper that one should protest against them; rather let them learn to prostrate themselves according to their halacha, as we said'.
And so wrote the Mekor Chaim (Bachrach)2: 'And those who spit during Aleinu LeShabe'ach of Mussaf of Rosh Hashanah, and also throughout the year, do not act well; I wonder at minhogim such as these, lest a kid be swallowed up among seventy lions, and we do not rely on a miracle .. even though the gates of resolutions are not closed, who compels us to these things'. And he repeated his words3: 'How very dangerous is the corrupted minhag of the spitting that is practiced, and who compels us to this; and it appears to me further that one who has the ability should abolish it, for it spread from the masses and is a minhag of ignorance. And know that they spit when they reach "va'anachnu kor'im" and mention the name of Heaven over the spitting, whereas according to their intention he should have spat before they say "shehem" etc.'.
In Sefer Mekorei Minhogim4 he wrote: 'However, the nations among whom we, the children of the exile, dwell as strangers believe in the existence of the Creator, may He be exalted, in His providence, may He be blessed, in the spiritual nature of the soul, which is destined to receive reward and punishment, as is explained in the great poskim, and there are no idol-worshippers in our days; therefore one should not expel spittle, for there is reason for danger, since the nations of our time would think that "kechol hamonam" is said about them, just as wicked men have already risen up against us, those who stand over us to destroy us, to commit malicious deeds against us, as they are written in their books, the chronicles, and as is found in Sefer HaNitzachon siman 348 regarding one who apostatized and denied the fundamental [principle] and informed that we say in Aleinu LeShabe'ach "shehem mishtachavim lahevel varik," and this is in gematria "Yeshu," until [the author] defeated him through a disputation, see there. Also in the Tur siman 133 it is written: when he reaches "el lo yoshia," he should pause a little before he says "va'anachnu kor'im," so that it not appear as if he is returning to what is above, end of quote — behold, only pausing is mentioned, but not spitting ..'.
On the other hand, the Taz5 mentioned the minhag and wrote that since it is done as a disgrace to the idols, it is an honor to Heaven: 'And therefore one should not raise a difficulty from that which they are accustomed to spit before "va'anachnu kor'im," for there everyone knows that the spitting is for the disgrace of the idols of the idol-worshippers, and it is an honor to Heaven which one mentions afterward. So it appears to me'6.
Also in the Siddur of the Arizal — Kol Yaakov — he wrote in the tefillah of Aleinu LeShabe'ach: 'And they say "shehem mishtachavim," and he spits to the disgrace of the kelipos in order to subdue them'.
In Sefer Minhagei Yeshurun7 he wrote: 'The people are accustomed to spit during the tefillah of Aleinu LeShabe'ach when they reach the verse "va'anachnu kor'im" .. therefore, according to my meager understanding, it appears to me that what the Shelah wrote in his glosses to Sefer Emek Bracha — that the memory of the idol-worshippers has already been lost in this time — with all due respect to his honor, he erred, for as it appears he had knowledge only of these lands and did not know of the lands in Africa and Asia where the belief in vanities still holds sway, and their number is very great, more than the other beliefs of the inhabitants of Europe; had he [known], he would not have written so, for in truth we are still very far from the prophet's promise (Yeshayahu 2), as is stated in the Midrash8: and when does He reveal His glory? When the idols perish from the world, as it says "and the idols shall utterly pass away," and afterward "and Hashem alone shall be exalted," and it says "and the glory of Hashem shall be revealed," end of quote. And know that the verse "and Hashem alone shall be exalted" is written before the verse "and the idols shall utterly pass away," and with this I have already explained to you their words, of blessed memory, which will suffice for you. And as for what is written in Sefer HaNitzachon siman 348 about one who apostatized and informed that we say in Aleinu LeShabe'ach "shehem mishtachavim" etc., that therefore one should not spit spittle for there is reason for danger — this too is a vain fear, for all the nations know that our intention is only toward the ancient idol-worshippers, and there is no concern at all in the matter, for this thing is an honor to Heaven, as the Taz wrote ..'.
> Thus we saw that some wrote to abolish the minhag of spitting9, and some wrote to justify the minhag; in the next halacha we will see the Chabad minhag.
Notes:
1 עמק הברכה (אמסטרדם תפט) מג, ב. וכתב היעב"ץ בסידורו: *'ויזהר שלא ירוק באמרו ואנחנו כורעים דהוי כמחרף. של"ה'* ↩
2 סי' צז ס"ב ↩
3 סי' קלב ס"ב ↩
4 (לעוויזאהן), ברלין תר"ו סי' כ ↩
5 יו"ד סי' קעט ס"ק ה ↩
6 במבשר טוב ח"א או"ח סי' י העיר מדוע הט"ז לא העיר כלום באו"ח סי' קלב, במקום בו הובא ענין אמירת עלינו לשבח. וראה עוד שם שהאריך לדון ולבאר את דברי הט"ז ↩
7 (הירושביץ) וילנא תרנ"ט סי' סט ↩
8 ילקוט פ' תשא רמז שצו ↩
9 וראה יד יחזקאל (מוסקוביץ) ע' 62 ↩
[ה] (halacha 998)
Spitting during Aleinu LeShabe'ach - the Chabad minhag
R' A. Simpson1 related concerning the conduct of the Rebbe Rashab: 'During the recitation of Aleinu he would spit to the left side and afterward he would bow and prostrate himself. And after this, behold, on weekdays he would wipe out the spittle with his left foot, and on Shabbos and Yom Tov he would step on it three times2 (and in exactly this order I saw several times, and it is engraved in me)'.
And so the Rebbe Rayatz conducted himself, as the Rebbe wrote3: 'Among us, in Aleinu — also in the tefillah of Mussaf of Rosh Hashanah — we say "shehem mishtachavim lahevel varik," and afterward we spit. Once I asked Admu"r Nishmaso Eden about the matter of the spitting, and he told me that from the speech spittle is formed, and one does not wish to derive benefit from this spittle, and this matter is found in the Shelah. And since we say only "shehem .. larik," therefore the spitting is also small — the Rebbe shlita concluded'.
And on the basis of this the Rebbe wrote in HaYom Yom4, and afterward in Sefer HaMinhagim5: 'We are accustomed in the nusach of Aleinu to say: "shehem mishtachavim lahevel varik" — and also in the tefillah of Mussaf of Rosh Hashanah we say so — and we are precise not to say "umispallelim" etc. The spitting is after the saying. The reason for the spitting: because from speech spittle is formed, and one does not wish to derive benefit from this spittle'.
In continuation of this, the Rebbe was asked6 [the letters of the answer are interwoven into the wording of the question]:
'Question: The Chabad minhag is to spit during the recitation of Aleinu LeShabe'ach, and the reason is explained in HaYom Yom (9 Teves) that one does not wish to derive benefit from the spittle that was formed through the mention of the idols. I heard that the Rebbe shlita said to someone that for the very minhag of spitting there is (a sort of) source for it in the poskim a] (despite the fact that there were gedolei Yisrael who objected to the minhag b]). In any case I asked why specifically during Aleinu c] which is at the conclusion of the tefillah d], and not several times before this when the nations and their idols are mentioned.
Answer: a] So it is in the Taz, Yoreh Deah siman 179 se'if katan 5. b] It is found in the Shelah and in several places. c] And one may say [it is] because of the superiority of this tefillah, which was composed by Yehoshua bin Nun, and the poskim wrote that "there is great praise in Aleinu LeShabe'ach" [and therefore "one must say it standing"]. And so it is written in the writings of the Arizal, among them Shaar HaKavanos (the matter of the kavanah of Aleinu LeShabe'ach) "it is a very, very great praise," Pri Etz Chaim "a praise without end" [and in the above-mentioned, "two" kavanos and reasons are detailed, [that] there are in this praise of Aleinu LeShabe'ach]. And see Shaar HaKollel chapter 11 se'if katan 34. d] And therefore — on the contrary, it is plain, and on the basis of what our Sages said, of blessed memory, that everything goes after the conclusion (Brochos 12b)'.
In addition to this, it is related7 that a Jew once entered the Rebbe for yechidus [together with Rabbi Berel Baumgarten], and asked the Rebbe, 'According to the above reason, why were they not accustomed to spit also during "Hodu," after "ki kol elohei ha'amim elilim" ("for all the gods of the peoples are idols"), before "vaHashem shamayim asah" ("but Hashem made the heavens")?' And the Rebbe answered: 'In the middle of a verse one does not spit'8.
The conduct of the Rebbe9
The Rebbe observed the minhag of spitting only in the tefillos of the course of the year, and not in the Aleinu LeShabe'ach of Mussaf of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. And the manner of the spitting — the Rebbe turned his face so that it would not be toward the Aron HaKodesh10; at the time of the spitting he covered his mouth with his holy hand11, and after the spitting he trod upon it with his holy foot several times without rubbing it out, and so he conducted himself on Shabbos and Yom Tov.
> Thus, in practice, the Chabad minhag is to spit during Aleinu LeShabe'ach after one says "lahevel varik," and one must endeavor not to spit facing the Aron HaKodesh, and not in front of others, but rather to cover the mouth.
Notes:
1 חסיד נאמן ע' 216 ↩
2 טעם ההבדל בין שבת לחול ראה שו"ע המחבר סי' שטז סי"א, ומשנ"ב ס"ק מט ונא. ושו"ע אדמו"ר הזקן או"ח סי' שלז ס"ב ↩
3 רשימת היומן ע' שצא ↩
4 ט' טבת ↩
5 ע' 17 ↩
6 שלחן מנחם ח"א ע' רעא ↩
7 סידור רסקין ח"א ע' תלט בגליוני הסידור אות תיח ↩
8 במבשר טוב (ח"א או"ח סי' י) כתב: 'אלא שאני רוצה להוסיף כעת הלא מובא בסדורים שצריכים להפסיק בין כי כל אלהי העמים אלילים ובין וה' שמים עשה וכמדומה לי שראיתי שזה מובא בשלה"ק, ומדוע אין אנו רוקקים שם כי הלא ענינם שוה, אלא שראיתי אומרים שהלשון וה' משמעו כמו אבל ה', א"כ כך יכולים לאמר אצל ואנחנו שמשמעו אבל אנחנו ודי בזה, כן מדוע אין אנו רוקקים בעלינו בשעת תפלת מוסף בר"ה (ושם הנגינה מפסקת ג"כ) אבל ראיתי באבודרהם אצל תפלות ר"ה שגורס אבל אנו משתחוים לפני מלך מלכי המלכים הקב"ה, וכתב אח"ז וז"ל: והמון העם קורין ואנו משתחוים ואינו נכון כדי שלא יהי' כחוזר למעלה שאמר ומתפללים אל אל לא יושיע חלילה וחס עכ"ל' ↩
9 ראה הליכות מנחם פמ"ג אותיות ב - ד. מעשה מלך פ"ג אות צו, פכ"א אות נב ↩
10 כשהתפלל בזאל הקטן במקום של ימות החול היסב פניו לצד שמאל, ובמקום של שבת וכן בזאל הגדול היסב פניו לצד ימין, וראה קצות השלחן סי' כט ס"ב: '[ומ"מ לא ירוק כנגד ההיכל] (וראה שם בדה"ש אות כ מה שביאר בזה. וראה מ"ש בהעו"ב גליון א'עא ע' 204. וקובץ א'סו ע' 144 ואילך)' ↩
11 וכפי שהובא בהלכה 995 משנ"ב מהגמרא מחגיגה שלא לרוק בפני חבירו. [ובמקרים שעמדו אנשים מב' צדדיו (כגון בקידוש לבנה) הסתיר בב' ידיו הק'] ↩
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