May one pause in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei to listen to Kriyas HaTorah?

One should not respond to Kaddish, Kedushah or Borchu during Shemoneh Esrei. Instead, he should remain silent and pay attention to what the chazan is saying. By listening to the chazan, it is as if he is saying the devar shebekedushah himself. Many poskim say that one should pause to listen to Birchas Kohanim as well. Others disagree. For Kriyas HaTorah, some poskim say that it is forbidden to pause while others say that one may pause and that he will even be yotzei his obligation of Kriyas HaTorah by doing so. If one is called up for an aliyah, he may not go up unless he has already reached Elokai Netzor. Before going up, he should say Yihyu L’Rotzon.

סי' ק"ד ס"ק כ"ו-כ"ט ביאורים ומוספים דרשו 36

What is one’s obligation in davening?

The Rishonim disagree on the nature of the obligation to daven. Rambam holds that there is a Torah obligation to daven once daily. According to some Achronim, this can be fulfilled by making one request of Hashem. Others say that the request must be preceded by praising Hashem and followed by thanking Him. This obligation, which is not bound to a specific time, is incumbent on both men and women. Chazal instituted the concept of organized tefilla three times a day with a set text. This obligation, which is tied to specific times, was never imposed on women. Ramban maintains that the obligation of tefilla is only mid’rabonon. Although this obligation is time-bound, Chazal did not distinguish between men and women in this case and they are both equally obligated to daven. Tefilla, which is a request for divine mercy, is crucial for everyone, regardless of gender.  

סי' ק"ו ס"ק ד' ביאורים ומוספים דרשו 5, 7                     

Are women obligated to daven?

Many Achronim rule according to the opinion of the Ramban, which obligates women to daven Shemoneh Esrei. However, many women--especially those with young children--rely on the opinion of the Rambam and discharge their obligation by reciting just one tefilla. Although the poskim justify this practice, they greatly encourage women to find the time to daven. Some offer the following list of tefillos for a woman to say: Boruch She’amar, Ashrei, Yishtabach, Birchos Kriyas Shema, Shema and Shemoneh Esrei. Together with Shemoneh Esrei of Mincha, this course of davening could take about twenty minutes. Some add Birchos Hashachar and Birchos HaTorah to the list, while omitting the first two brochos of Birchos Kriyas Shema.

ס"ק ד' ביאורים ומוספים דרשו 8

• In the view of the Shulchon Aruch, if a person takes a break for any reason in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei, and the break extends for the amount of time it would take him to complete the entire Shemoneh Esreh, he must start again. If the break is shorter than that, he must start from the beginning of the brocha where he left off.

• Many Achronim disagree entirely with the second point of the Shulchan Aruch. They hold that it is not necessary to repeat anything that was already said, unless the pause was for the time it would take to compete the entire Shemoneh Esrei.

• The halachos of pausing in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei also apply to one who mistakenly speaks in the middle Shemoneh Esrei. According to some Achronim, if a person made an incorrect addition to Shemoneh Esrei, it is the equivalent of speaking.  

• Are women obligated to daven Musaf?

• Is one obligated to interrupt his learning in order to daven?

• Does a magid shiur have to pause his shiur in order to daven?