Can a person have a different makom kavua for Shacharis and Mincha?

The Gemara derives from the tefilah of Avrohom Avinu that a person should daven in a makom kavua--a permanent location. A person must choose a specific place in the same shul. Just as Avrohom traveled, one can change his makom kavua. A person can even have a different makom kavua for each of the three daily tefilos. The poskim disagree about whether an avel should change the place where he davens in order to serve as chazon during his year of aveilus. When davening at home, one should pick a specific area where he will not be disturbed for davening.


סימן צ' ס"ק נ"ט וס' ביאורים ומוספים דרשו 68 ו69





Why are shuls built with lobbies?



The Gemara says that a person should proceed at least two doorways’ distance into shul before davening. The Rishonim offer several explanations for this Gemara: 1) Lingering near the doorway of the shul gives the impression that davening is a burden. To avoid this issue, one may only daven eight tefachim (the equivalent of two doorways) away from the entrance of the shul. If one’s permanent place is near the door, however, this is not an issue. 2) One who stands near the doorway can get easily distracted. If the shul is not near a public throughfare, standing by the door is permitted. 3) The time it takes to walk eight tefachim from the doorway prevents a person from rushing right into davening and allows him to clear his mind and daven with kavanah. 4) This is the source for a shul to have an anteroom. One should follow the stringencies which correspond to each of these explanations.


ס"כ ס"ק ס"א וס"ב






Davening in front of a wall



It is best for one to daven facing a wall without any obstructions. The poskim say that the following items are not considered obstructions with respect to this halacha: 1) Any large permanent object such as an aron or benches are not obstructions. 2) According to some, an item less than ten tefachim high and four tefachim wide is also not an obstruction. 3) Anything beneficial for davening (e.g. a shtender) is also acceptable. 4) People are not obstructions. Nonetheless, some Rishonim say that it is appropriate not to daven behind another person. In most situations this is untenable, and the poskim say that it is acceptable l’chatchilah to daven behind another person. 


סכ"א וכ"ב ס"ק ס"ו ס"ח וס"ט

  • The Gemara teaches that a person should try to be among the first ten people who arrive in shul. Those who do will receive a reward equivalent to the combined rewards of all the people who arrive afterwards. The Achronim disagree about whether the earliest among the first ten also receive a reward equivalent to the sum of the rewards of all of those (in the group of ten) who arrive later.


  • A traveler who is ready to daven must first determine if there is a minyan either four mil ahead of him or one mil behind him. The distance it takes to travel a mil is eighteen minutes (see below for more details about this calculation). If he can reach/return to the minyan while it is still light and he does not have to travel alone, he must do so.


  • The Gemara describes certain outstanding Amoraim who davened in their places of study instead of coming to a beis hakneses. Davening in the same place that one learns Torah trumps joining a large group of people who are davening. In addition, the time it would take to go to shul can be used for learning. 






  • Can one daven in front of a mirror?









  • Why is it forbidden to daven behind a rebbi?









  • May a student daven near his rebbi in shul?
PLEASE NOTE:  The information in this email is for learning purposes only. Please review the Mishna Berura and Biurim U'Musafim before making a halachic decision. Hebrew words are occasionally transliterated to enable a smoother reading of the text. Common Ashkenazi pronunciation is generally used in these cases.
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