Question (R. Shimon ben Yosi ben Lekunya): Did R. Shimon say that there is a space between the ramp and the Mizbe'ach?

Answer (R. Yosi): Don't you agree? "V'Asisa Olosecha ha'Basar veha'Dam" - just like blood of an Olah is thrown (on two edges of the Mizbe'ach), also the meat is thrown (across the space, to the fire).

Question (R. Shimon ben Yosi): I say that he stands next to the Ma'arachah and throws the meat!

Answer #1 (R. Yosi): Obviously, he must throw to a part of the Ma'arachah that is aflame! It is impossible (for the flame to reach to where the Kohen stands. Rather, the verse teaches that he throws over a space.)

Answer #2 (Rav Papa): You cannot say that he stands next to the Ma'arachah and throws. The verse equates meat to blood, which is thrown through air over the ground.

(Rav Yehudah): Two small ramps emerged from the main ramp. One led to the Yesod, and the other led to the Sovev. They did not touch the Mizbe'ach. They were separated by a hair's breadth, for it says "Saviv". (It must be possible to put something around the Mizbe'ach, i.e. nothing touches it externally.)

(Mishnah): The ramp and the Mizbe'ach (together) occupied 62 Amos.

Question: Together they occupy 64! (Each of them was 32 Amos),

Answer: The ramp overlaps one Amah that the Yesod juts out, and one Amah of the Sovev.

Yoma 53b: R. Alexandri: One who prays must take three steps back (afterwards). After this, he gives Shalom.

(Beraisa): One who prays must take three steps backwards (afterwards). If he does not do so, it would have been better had he not prayed.

Shemayah says, first he gives Shalom to the right, then he gives Shalom to the left. We learn from "Mi'Mino Esh Das Lamo" and "Yipol mi'Tzidcha Elef u'Rvavah mi'Minecha".

Rava saw Abaye he gives Shalom to his right before to his left.

Rava: One does not gives Shalom to his right first. Rather, he gives Shalom to his left, which is Hash-m's right.

R. Chiya brei d'Rav Huna: I saw Abaye and Rava take three steps back in one Keri'ah (bowing).

Berachos 28b (R. Tanchum): The 18 blessings in Shemoneh Esre correspond to the 18 vertebrae in the spine;

(R. Tanchum): When praying, one must bow until all the vertebrae in the spine protrude.

(Ula): He must bow until he could see a coin on the ground even with his heart.

(R. Chanina): As long as he moves his head, this is not necessary.

(Rava): This is only if he is in pain and looks like he wants to bow.

Rambam (Hilchos Tefilah 5:10): When one finishes Tefilah he bows and takes three steps back. While bowing he gives Shalom to his left, then to his right, then he lifts his head.

Hagahos Maimoniyos (50): One begins to step back with the left foot.

Shibolei ha'Leket (18): Medrash Shochar Tov (35) says that each limb praises Hash-m. The right foot is used for Chalitzah. The left foot begins the three steps. The Ge'onim say that one takes three steps back because one who prays stands in a Kodesh place. The Shechinah is above his head - "Shavisi Hash-m l'Negdi Tamid." Within four Amos of where he stood is Kodesh. We learn from the Isur to sit within four Amos of someone praying. Therefore, one who finishes praying must take three steps back to leave the place of Kedushah. A proof is that after stepping back, people give Shalom to each other. I.e. until now they were in a Kodesh place, and now they are in Chol.

Hagahos Maimoniyos (60): The Re'em says that the Gemara does not mean that he says 'Shalom to my left' and 'Shalom to my right.' Rather, when he says 'Oseh Shalom bi'Mromav' he turns his face to his left. While saying 'v'Hu Ya'aseh Shalom' he turns his face to his right.

Mekoros in Frankel Rambam: Maharam holds like the Perush that Re'em rejects. The Rambam does not mention saying 'Oseh Shalom' or 'v'Hu Ya'aseh Shalom.' Rav Sadya Gaon says that he faces left and right without saying anything.

Rambam (11): He bows first to his left, for this is the right side of one who faces him. He is standing in front of the King, and gives Shalom to the King's right, and then to His left. They enacted to leave Tefilah like one who leaves the king.

R. Mano'ach: Some say that he begins to his left to show honor to the Tefilin (on his left arm).

Note: We do so for all Tefilos, even though (even if people used to wear Tefilin all day, including Minchah) at almost half of all Tefilos we do not wear Tefilin (night, Shabbos and Mo'adim), and most people do not wear Tefilin (women, children and some sick people).

Rambam (12): In all of these bowings, one bows enough so that all of the vertebrae stick out and it becomes like a bow. If one bowed a little and pained himself and it is evident that he bows with all his strength, he need not be concerned.

R. Mano'ach: The vertebrae stick out only if he bows his hand and becomes bent like a bow. It depends only on intent, so even a little suffices if he is pained. It must be evident, lest people suspect that he cast off Hash-m's yoke.

Rambam (9:4): When the Shali'ach Tzibur reaches Modim, everyone bows a little. They should not bow too much.

Hagahos Maimoniyos (3): The Yerushalmi discusses a man who bowed too much. Some say that R. Ami removed him, and some say that he rebuked him.

Beis Yosef (OC 127 DH Kosav ha'Rambam): 'Removed him' applies only to a Shali'ach Tzibur. Perhaps the Rambam teaches that no one should bow too much; the case recorded happened to involve a Shali'ach Tzibur. Alternatively, he rules like the latter version, which says that R. Ami just rebuked him, for he was not a Shali'ach Tzibur. Bowing too much is due to haughtiness; it applies also in other places that we bow. Tosfos, Semag, Semak and Hagahos Maimoniyos connote like this. Mahari Avuhav holds that it is only during Chazaras ha'Shatz. Since the Tzibur already prayed, and now they bow merely lest they appear to deny (that we must thank Hash-m), it suffices to bow a little, so bowing too much is haughtiness.

Shulchan Aruch (OC 123:1): (After Tefilah) one takes three steps back in one bowing.

Source (Beis Yosef DH Chosav Od): We take three steps corresponding to three Mil that Benei Yisrael distanced themselves from Har Sinai (out of fear of the Shechinah) at the time of Matan Torah. Also, Moshe entered darkness, cloud and Arafel (thick cloud) to speak to Hash-m, and similarly left these three afterwards (Medrash). Shibolei ha'Leket cites Ge'onim who say that since when a person prays he is in a Kodesh place, afterwards he must return to Chol. Rav Hai Gaon says that it is because Tefilos correspond to Korbanos, and there were three Rovdim (stratums) of rock between the ramp and the Mizbe'ach. A Kohen descending from the Mizbe'ach would traverse them walking backwards. R. Mano'ach says that we learn from "v'Ragleihem Regel Yesharah" (the plural teaches two, and the singular another one). The Avudaraham says that we learn another three from (the continuation of the verse) "v'Chaf Ragleihem k'Chaf Regel Egel". One must walk another three steps to return to his place, making six in all.

Binyan Tziyon (12): What was Rav Hai Gaon's source to say that there were three Rovdim between the ramp and the Mizbe'ach? Rav Papa said that the verse equates meat to blood, which is thrown through air over the ground. Tosfos says that the meat does not really pass over the ground, for the Amah and Sovev jut out over the ground. Even without the verse, some space is needed around the Mizbe'ach, for it says "Saviv." Any amount would have sufficed for that. Here we require a large amount for the sake of having air in between. We can say that Rav Hai Gaon holds that the Kohen stood on the ramp and truly threw the meat over the ground. The ramp towered over the ground, the Yesod and the Sovev. After throwing the meat, the Kohen went to the Ma'arachah to arrange the limbs on the fire. When he returned, he needed to step back on Rovdim over these three (the ground, Yesod and Sovev).

Magen Avraham (1): Some say that the three steps are because Nebuchadnetzar merited to destroy the Beis ha'Mikdash in the merit of three steps taken to honor Hash-m (Shir ha'Shirim Rabah 3:6. According to Sanhedrin 96a, he took four steps.) This is why afterwards we pray for the Mikdash to be rebuilt.

Magen Avraham (6): According to the Avudaraham, who says that one takes another three steps to return to his place, no one should walk in front of him before he returns, for this interrupts the six steps.

Mishnah Berurah (1): One should bow enough so that all of the vertebrae stick out.

Shulchan Aruch (ibid.): Before straightening up, while saying Oseh Shalom bi'Mromav he turns to his left; while saying Hu Ya'aseh Shalom Aleinu he turns to his right; afterwards he bows in front, like a Talmid taking leave of his Rebbi.

Source (Mordechai Berachos 111 citing Avi ha'Ezri): While saying Oseh Shalom he turns to his left. While saying Ya'aseh Shalom Aleinu he turns to his right. He concludes Al Kol Yisrael. The custom is to bow in front like a Talmid taking leave of his Rebbi.

Mishnah Berurah (3): The same applies to the three steps at the end of Kaddish.

Kaf ha'Chayim (7): The Zohar says that he bows to his left, straightens up, bows to his left, and straightens up. Afterwards he bows in front, like one leaving his master.

Kaf ha'Chayim (8): Even one who prays alone concludes 'v'Imru Amen.' He says this to the angels.

Shulchan Aruch (ibid. 3): The three steps after Tefilah begin with the left foot.

Source (Beis Yosef DH v'Chasuv): Medrash Tehilim (Sof Perek 35) says that the three steps after Tefilah begin with the left foot. Orchos Chayim (28) says that the three steps before Tefilah begin with the right foot, for whenever one turns he should turn to the right (Yoma 58b). Also, when one begins to walk he moves his right foot first (Menachos 34a). Sefer ha'Mafte'ach says that we begin the steps back with the right foot. One should follow the Medrash. Turning to the right does not apply here, for he does not turn to either side.

Magen Avraham (10): We begin with the left to show that we are reluctant to depart from the Shechinah. (Similarly, we remove Tefilin Shel Rosh with the left hand.) Therefore, a lefty begins with his weak (right) foot. Some say that we begin with the left to show honor to the Shechinah (it is to the right of the Shechinah; if so, the same applies to a lefty). Some say that three times he steps back with the left and brings his right foot even with his left.

Shulchan Aruch (ibid.): In each step, the toe goes even with or in back of the heel.

Beis Yosef (DH Chosav Od): This is how Kohanim walk. Similarly, in each step forward (before Tefilah) the heel should go even with or in front of the toe of the other foot (Orchos Chayim 28).

Bach (DH Mihu): When possible one must take steps this size. When it is cramped one may rely on the Rashba who says that there is no Shi'ur to the size of the steps.

Rebuttal (Magen Avraham 10): The Rashba means that the steps need not be as long as normal steps (an Amah each), but he agrees that less than from toe to heel is not called a step.

Mishnah Berurah (14): Steps smaller than this are not considered steps at all. Poskim argue about whether or not one may be lenient when it is cramped. One may not step back at all into the four Amos in front of someone who is still praying Shemoneh Esre behind him.

Mishnah Berurah (13): The first step is a half step (for the feet were even at the start). The second step is a full step (the right foot goes from in front to in back), the third step is a half step (he brings the left foot even with the right).

Rema: L'Chatchilah, one should not take steps larger than this.

Source (Magen Avraham 10): This is like Kohanim. Also, one does not want to appear like he runs away from the Shechinah.

Source (Gra DH ul'Chatchilah): It is forbidden to take big steps when leaving a Beis ha'Keneses (Berachos 6b), and all the more so after Tefilah.