From Chizkiyahu HaMelekh we know that one has to face the wall and pray. And the case of Aba Binyamin depicts that you cannot have the bed in between the wall and yourself while praying.
I pray with a table in front of me. This means the table is between me & the wall. I use the table to keep my tefilling and tzizit covers, and also siddur and chumash. Is this ok? Is this permissible. Or should I strictly stand in front of the wall with nothing in the middle. Kindly help.
Reuben Moses, Singapore
Permanent pieces of furniture are not considered a Hefsek (barrier) between the wall and the person praying (Shulchan Aruch, OC 90:21). Because they are always in the same place, they don't attract any attention and therefore do not disturb one's concentration when praying, which is the reason for praying towards a wall (Rambam, Responsa, #20; see Beis Yosef, OC 90:21). Therefore, if this table is never moved around the room, but always stays there in the place where you pray, then it shouldn't be considered a Hefsek. Even if it is not permanent, many Poskim say that a piece of furniture that is used by the person to hold his Siddur is also not considered a Hefsek, which explains why shtenders are acceptable even if they are moved around (Taz, OC 90:1).
Kol Tuv,
Yonasan Sigler
(This reply is not intended as a Psak Halachah, only as a clarification of the issues involoved.)
From Chizkiyahu HaMelekh we know that one has to face the wall and pray. And the case of Aba Binyamin depicts that you cannot have the bed in between the wall and yourself while praying.
I pray with a table in front of me. This means the table is between me & the wall. I use the table to keep my tefilling and tzizit covers, and also siddur and chumash. Is this ok? Is this permissible. Or should I strictly stand in front of the wall with nothing in the middle. Kindly help.
Reuben Moses, Singapore
The Shulchan Aruch (90:21) paskens that a fixed object such as a cupboard or a box are not considered separations between a person and the wall. In fact, the Shulchan Aruch continues to pasken that even another human in between you and the wall is not considered a separation.
The Mishna Brura commenting there quotes the Taz who is very specific that any object that is part of the needs of davening such as the table and shtender (and things on them) are not considered separations, even though they are taller than ten tefachim and wider than four amot.
Regards,
Rav Shmuel Bloom