Rabboisai,
This week I respond to a Shayla from a troubled Talmud who may be switching shuls one of these days.
Rabbi P.,
I was in shul this weekend when the person in front of me released a silent but deadly weapon that interfered with my Kavanah to the point where I felt it would be a dishonor to Hashem if I did not restart my davening from the beginning.
Is it proper to tell a person that the gas they release interferes with a person’s davening? Would causing him embarrassment outweigh the benefit I would gain?
And what about people who come to shul without brushing their teeth? That smell is almost as bad as the gas odor?
What is your advice?
Michael E.
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Well, my beloved Talmud, I am honored that you would reach out to me with such a practical Shayla that is so relevant to everyday life. Usually I get silly questions like:
-- What should I do with this chicken: The throat is nicked – can I still eat it?
-- What bracha should I make on kosher lepaysach non-gebruchs kitniyois?
-- My underwear has red stains on them? Should I be worried about Nidah, even though I haven’t had my “Oirach K’nashim” since Reagan’s first term?
Now, I hate questions like these, except for the last one. But only if the question comes from a woman who has NOT hit menopause. All female talmidois and wives of talmidim between the ages of twenty-one and fifty-five are invited – NO, encouraged – to send me, for “halachic review,” a digital picture of their underwear, preferably while they are still wearing them. However, woman over the age of fifty-five should send pictures of their underwear to Aish HaToirah. Or to the Likud Party -- Let’s face it: they are not too busy these days.
With regard to your specific question, I am certain that we all have been confronted by such distractions to our Kavanah. In fact, I would break your Shayla down into two parts:
The first part is very basic – what I would expect from a minuval such as yourself: What is the proper response to a disturbance in one’s concentration while praying? But the second part is indeed quite profound: What is the essence of prayer, and how does the spiritual world impact the material world?
Of course, as we all know, Tefillah was initiated by our Avois. Avraham Avinu invented Shacharis when he performed a morning prayer. (He also pioneered the self-administered Bris Milah, so he is not necessarily a good example…) Yitzchak Avinu invented Minchah when he worshipped in the afternoon. And Yankif Avinu invented Maariv when he engaged the Reboinoisheloilum in the evening.
There is a famous Gemarra in Eiruvin that discusses where Musaf comes from. According to Rav Shayshess, Musaf is based on the Karban brought in the Bais Hamikdash. However, according to Rish Lakish, Musaf was invented by Yehuda Hatzadik when he initiated a lunchtime quickie with Tamar. Shoyn.
When you engage in Tefillah, you bind with Hakadoshboruchhu in an act of Hisboidedus, union. You achieve a linkage with The One, the Aimishteh, and embrace Him with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might. Just be careful to check that you still have your wallet afterwards.
And if a person truly achieves union with the Reboinoisheloilum, he should feel the presence of Hakadoshboruchhu everywhere. In the words he speaks, in everything he touches, and in the air he breathes. So what happens when that air is besmirched by tuchus-tal, bad breath, or some other disruption?
The Gemarra in Brachois addresses this question, but only indirectly. Rava tells us that when one is in the middle of a bracha and he is distracted, as long as he recovers his concentration “toich k’day dibbur” – within a brief period of time, he should continue his bracha. Abaya disagrees. According to Abaya, any disruption in the midst of making a bracha requires someone to fast for 24 hours, and to say three Hail Marys. Bameh dvarim amurim – when are these words said? When this is a verbal disruption. But any other disruption should be ignored.
The Rishoinim struggled to understand Abaya’s position. According to Rashi, Abaya believes that as disruptions are unavoidable, a person should not be penalized. However, Toisphois says farkhert – disturbances are avoidable. However, as the bulk of activity of a Ben Toirah is focused on kedusha, a little distraction, such as a sudden whiff of body odor, a cell phone ringing, or a quick flash of cleavage from a hot shiksa walking by the window of the pizza store is acceptable, as it becomes battul b’shishim, nullified by the majority (literally, null in 60 times the amount.)
But the Ritvah finds this position disturbing. The notion of battul b’shishim is relevant to the cooking of food. How can Toisfois apply this concept to another realm of life?
Reb Chaim Mi-Verlazhin answers, citing a Toisefta in Ksubois. The Toisefta brings down a machloikess about when a man is allowed to cheat on his spouse. Rabban Gamliel holds that if a man is typically loyal to his wife AND has Tashmish HaMitah on average slightly more than once a week, then he is allowed to cheat on his wife once a year because it is “battul b’shishim” (null in 60). However, Rabbi Eliezer disagrees and holds that a man is never allowed to cheat on his wife “KiDarka.” However, he is allowed to engage in mutual oral pleasure, which is considered “battul b’shishim v’tesha” (null in 69).
So clearly, the majority of Chazal hold that you needn’t restart you Tefillah as long you are able to maintain a semblance of concentration, and as long as you are able to preserve Hisboidedus with the Aimishteh. Indeed, the Chassidic master Reb Baer of Meztrich teaches us that union with the Reboinoisheloilum is the essence of man, A-D-M. He tells us that man, without the Aleph that represents the number one and stands for the singleness and spirit of Hakadoshboruchhu, is simply D-M (dam), which is blood. Without His spirit, we are just physical being, no more than an animal.
So, you minuval, next time you are in the midst of davening and you are disturbed by a harsh scent, try your best not to be troubled by the distraction. Instead, focus on uniting with the presence of the Aimishteh in everything around you: In the books, in the chairs, in the lights, and even in the air that you breathe.
But if indeed the odor is so foul that you truly cannot maintain your kavannah, you must say loudly “Oh, man, someone just cut one!” and point and glare at the guilty party so that he will be embarrassed and walk out, abandon the faith and never return again, and so that you and the others around you can go back to serving the Reboinoisheloilum and reap His eternal rewards.
