A person is forbidden to walk behind a synagogue at the time that the congregation is praying, unless he is carrying a burden or there are two entrances to the synagogue on different sides. [In the latter instance], anyone who sees him would presume that perhaps he is planning to enter [the synagogue] through the other entrance.
Similarly, if there are two synagogues in the city, a person seeing him would say that perhaps he is going to his usual synagogue.
If one is wearing tefillin on his head, he is permitted to pass [a synagogue] even without any of these conditions, since the tefillin indicate that he is a person who is seriously interested in the performance of commandments, and not one to refrain from prayer.
אאָסוּר לוֹ לְאָדָם לַעֲבֹר אֲחוֹרֵי בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַצִּבּוּר מִתְפַּלְּלִין אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיָה נוֹשֵׂא מַשּׂאוֹי, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת שְׁנֵי פְּתָחִים בִּשְׁנֵי רוּחוֹת, שֶׁהָרוֹאֶה אוֹמֵר שֶׁמָּא יֵלֵךְ וְיִכָּנֵס מִפֶּתַח הָאַחֵר. וְכֵן אִם הָיָה בָּעִיר שְׁנֵי בָּתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת יֹאמַר הָרוֹאֶה שֶׁמָּא יֵלֵךְ לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת הָרָגִיל בּוֹ. וְאִם יֵשׁ לוֹ תְּפִלִּין בְּרֹאשׁוֹ מֻתָּר לוֹ לַעֲבֹר וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין שָׁם אֶחָד מִכָּל אֵלּוּ שֶׁהַתְּפִלִּין מוֹכִיחִין עָלָיו שֶׁהוּא רוֹדֵף אַחַר מִצְוֹת וְאֵינוֹ מִמְּבַטְּלֵי תְּפִלָּה:
One praying with a congregation should not lengthen his prayer excessively. [However,] he may do so when praying alone. If, after praying, he desires to [add to his prayers], he may, including even the confession of Yom Kippur.
Similarly, he may add in each of the middle blessings something relevant to that blessing if he desires.
בהַמִּתְפַּלֵּל עִם הַצִּבּוּר לֹא יַאֲרִיךְ אֶת תְּפִלָּתוֹ יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי אֲבָל בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ הָרְשׁוּת בְּיָדוֹ. וְאִם בָּא לוֹמַר אַחַר תְּפִלָּתוֹ אֲפִלּוּ כְּסֵדֶר וִדּוּי יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים אוֹמֵר. וְכֵן אִם רָצָה לְהוֹסִיף בְּכָל בְּרָכָה וּבְרָכָה מִן הָאֶמְצָעִיּוֹת מֵעֵין הַבְּרָכָה מוֹסִיף:
What is implied?
If one has a sick person [for whom he wants to pray], he should request mercy for this person in the blessing for the sick as eloquently as he can.
If he requires sustenance, he should add a supplication and request in the blessing for material prosperity. The same applies regarding each of the other blessings.
Should one desire to ask for all his needs in the blessing of "the One who hears Prayer," he may do so. However, he should make no requests in the first three or last three [blessings].
גכֵּיצַד. הָיָה לוֹ חוֹלֶה מְבַקֵּשׁ עָלָיו רַחֲמִים בְּבִרְכַּת חוֹלִים כְּפִי צַחוּת לְשׁוֹנוֹ. הָיָה צָרִיךְ לפרנסה מוֹסיף תּחנּה וּבקּשׁה בּברכּת השָּׁנִים. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה בְּכָל אַחַת מֵהֶן. וְאִם רָצָה לִשְׁאל כָּל צְרָכָיו בְּשׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה שׁוֹאֵל. אֲבָל לֹא יִשְׁאל לֹא בְּשָׁלֹשׁ רִאשׁוֹנוֹת וְלֹא בְּשָׁלֹשׁ אַחֲרוֹנוֹת:
A person is forbidden to taste anything or to do any work from dawn until after he has recited the Morning Prayer. He should also refrain from visiting the house of a friend to greet him before he has recited the Morning Prayer; nor should he set out on a journey before he has prayed.
However, one may taste food or do work before reciting Musaf or Minchah, although he should not have a full meal close to the time for Minchah.
דאָסוּר לוֹ לְאָדָם שֶׁיִּטְעֹם כְּלוּם אוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה מְלָאכָה מֵאַחַר שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר עַד שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלַּת שַׁחֲרִית. וְכֵן לֹא יַשְׁכִּים לְפֶתַח חֲבֵרוֹ לִשְׁאל בִּשְׁלוֹמוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלַּת שַׁחֲרִית. וְלֹא יֵצֵא בַּדֶּרֶךְ קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל. אֲבָל טוֹעֵם וְעוֹשֶׂה מְלָאכָה קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל מוּסָף וְקֹדֶם מִנְחָה. אֲבָל אֵינוֹ סוֹעֵד סָמוּךְ לַמִּנְחָה:
Once the time for Minchah Gedolah arrives, one should not enter a bathhouse, even [if only] to sweat, until he has prayed, lest he faint and neglect prayer.
He should not eat, even a snack, lest he continue eating and neglect prayer, nor [should he] judge [a court case], even if only to render a final judgment, lest the decision be questioned and the matter be drawn out and cause him to miss prayer.
Similarly, one should not sit in a barber's chair, even for a regular haircut, until he prays, lest the scissors break. He should not enter a tanning house close to Minchah before he has prayed, lest he see a deficiency in his work which he will deal with, and [thereby] be delayed from praying.
If he begins doing one of these things, he need not stop, but may finish and then recite Minchah.
הכֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ זְמַן מִנְחָה גְּדוֹלָה לֹא יִכָּנֵס לַמֶּרְחָץ אֲפִלּוּ לְהַזִּיעַ עַד שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁמָּא יִתְעַלֵּף וְיִבָּטֵל מִן הַתְּפִלָּה. וְלֹא לֶאֱכל אֲפִלּוּ אֲכִילַת עַרְאַי שֶׁמָּא יִמָּשֵׁךְ בַּאֲכִילָה. וְלֹא לָדוּן אֲפִלּוּ בִּגְמַר דִּין שֶׁמָּא יִסָּתֵר הַדִּין וְיִמָּשֵׁךְ וְיִבָּטֵל מִן הַתְּפִלָּה. וְכֵן לֹא יֵשֵׁב לִפְנֵי הַסַּפָּר לִסַפֵּר אֲפִלּוּ תִּסְפֹּרֶת הֶדְיוֹט עַד שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁמָּא יִשָּׁבֵר הַזּוּג. וְלֹא יִכָּנֵס לְבֻרְסְקִי סָמוּךְ לַמִּנְחָה עַד שֶׁיִּתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁמָּא יִרְאֶה הֶפְסֵד בִּמְלַאכְתּוֹ וְיִתְעַסֵּק בָּהּ וְיִתְעַכֵּב מִן הַתְּפִלָּה. וְאִם הִתְחִיל בְּאַחַת מֵאֵלּוּ לֹא יַפְסִיק אֶלָּא גּוֹמֵר וְאַחַר כָּךְ מִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלַּת מִנְחָה:
When is the beginning of a haircut? When he puts the barber's cloth over his knees.
When is the beginning of a bath? When he takes off his underclothes.
When is the beginning of [work in the] tanning house? When he ties the apron between his shoulders, as is the way of artisans.
When is the beginning of eating? For those who live in Eretz Yisrael, it is when one washes his hands. For inhabitants of Babylonia, it is when they loosen their belts.
When is the beginning of judgment? When the judges robe themselves in their taleisim and sit down. If they were [already] sitting, it is when the adversaries begin to make their claims.
ומֵאֵימָתַי הַתְחָלַת תִּסְפֹּרֶת מִשֶּׁיַּנִּיחַ מַעֲפֹרֶת שֶׁל סַפָּרִין עַל בִּרְכָּיו. וּמֵאֵימָתַי הַתְחָלַת מֶרְחָץ מִשֶּׁיִּפְשֹׁט הַבֶּגֶד הַסָּמוּךְ לִבְשָׂרוֹ. וּמֵאֵימָתַי הַתְחָלַת הַבֻּרְסְקִי מִשֶּׁיִּקְשֹׁר בֶּגֶד בֵּין כְּתֵפָיו כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָאֻמָּנִין עוֹשִׂין. וּמֵאֵימָתַי הַתְחָלַת אֲכִילָה, לִבְנֵי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִשֶּׁיִּטּל יָדָיו וְלִבְנֵי בָּבֶל מִשֶּׁיַּתִּיר חֲגוֹרוֹ. וּמֵאֵימָתַי הַתְחָלַת הַדִּין מִשֶּׁיִּתְעַטְּפוּ הַדַּיָּנִים וְיֵשְׁבוּ. וְאִם הָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִין מִשֶּׁיַּתְחִילוּ בַּעֲלֵי דִּינִין לִטְעֹן:
Even though the Evening Prayer is not obligatory, one should not come home from his work and say: "I will eat a little and sleep a little and then I will pray," lest sleep overtake him and he sleep all night. Rather, he should [first] pray, and afterwards he may eat, drink or sleep.
It is permissible to have a haircut or enter a bathhouse before the Morning Prayer. [The Sages] only established their decree before Minchah, since it is common for most people to go there during the day. However, in the morning, [these actions] are uncommon. Hence, they did not establish a decree.
זאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁתְּפִלַּת עַרְבִית רְשׁוּת לֹא יָבוֹא אָדָם מִמְּלַאכְתּוֹ וְיֹאמַר אֹכַל מְעַט וְאִישַׁן קִמְעָא וְאַחַר כָּךְ אֶתְפַּלֵּל, שֶׁמָּא תֶּאֱנֹס אוֹתוֹ שֵׁנָה וְנִמְצָא יָשֵׁן כָּל הַלַּיְלָה, אֶלָּא מִתְפַּלֵּל עַרְבִית וְאַחַר כָּךְ אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה אוֹ יָשֵׁן. וּמֻתָּר לְהִסְתַּפֵּר וְלִכָּנֵס לַמֶּרְחָץ סָמוּךְ לְשַׁחֲרִית מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא גָּזְרוּ אֶלָּא סָמוּךְ לַמִּנְחָה שֶׁהוּא דָּבָר הַמָּצוּי שֶׁרֹב הָעָם נִכְנָסִין שָׁם בַּיּוֹם. אֲבָל בַּשַּׁחַר דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מָצוּי לֹא גָּזְרוּ בּוֹ:
A person who is involved in the study of Torah when the time for prayer arrives must stop and pray. If the study of Torah is his full-time occupation and he does not work at all, and he is involved in the study of Torah at the time of prayer, he need not stop, since the commandment of the study of Torah is greater that the commandment of prayer.
Anyone involved in efforts for the welfare of the community is like one involved in Torah study.
חמִי שֶׁהָיָה עוֹסֵק בְּתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה וְהִגִּיעַ זְמַן הַתְּפִלָּה פּוֹסֵק וּמִתְפַּלֵּל. וְאִם הָיְתָה תּוֹרָתוֹ אֻמָּנוּתוֹ וְאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה מְלָאכָה כְּלָל וְהָיָה עוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה בִּשְׁעַת תְּפִלָּתוֹ אֵינוֹ פּוֹסֵק, שֶׁמִּצְוַת תַּלְמוּד תּוֹרָה גְּדוֹלָה מִמִּצְוַת תְּפִלָּה. וְכָל הָעוֹסֵק בְּצָרְכֵי רַבִּים כְּעוֹסֵק בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה:
One is forbidden to interrupt his Amidah except in a situation where his life is endangered. Even if the King of Israel greets him, he must not answer him. However, he may interrupt [to answer] a non-Jewish king, lest he kill him.
A person standing in the [midst of the] Amidah who sees a non-Jewish king or tyrant approaching him should shorten [his prayer]. If unable to do so, he may stop. Similarly, if one sees snakes or scorpions approaching him in a place where their bite is fatal, he should stop [praying] and flee. If they are not fatal, he should not stop.
טאֵין הַמִּתְפַּלֵּל מַפְסִיק תְּפִלָּתוֹ אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי סַכָּנַת נְפָשׁוֹת בִּלְבַד. וַאֲפִלּוּ מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל שׁוֹאֵל בִּשְׁלוֹמוֹ לֹא יְשִׁיבֶנּוּ. אֲבָל פּוֹסֵק הוּא לְמֶלֶךְ עוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁמָּא יַהַרְגֶּנּוּ. הָיָה עוֹמֵד בַּתְּפִלָּה וְרָאָה מֶלֶךְ עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים אוֹ אַנָּס בָּא כְּנֶגְדּוֹ יְקַצֵּר וְאִם אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל יַפְסִיק. וְכֵן אִם רָאָה נְחָשִׁים וְעַקְרַבִּים בָּאִים כְּנֶגְדּוֹ אִם הִגִּיעוּ אֵלָיו וְהָיָה דַּרְכָּן בְּאוֹתָן הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁהֵן מְמִיתִין פּוֹסֵק וּבוֹרֵחַ. וְאִם לֹא הָיָה דַּרְכָּן לְהָמִית אֵינוֹ פּוֹסֵק:
Women, slaves and children are obligated to pray. Anyone exempt from Kri'at Shema is also exempt from the Amidah.
All those accompanying the dead [for burial], even if they are not required to carry the coffin, are exempt from the Amidah.
ינָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים וּקְטַנִּים חַיָּבִים בִּתְפִלָּה. וְכָל אִישׁ שֶׁפָּטוּר מִקְּרִיאַת שְׁמַע פָּטוּר מִן הַתְּפִלָּה. וְכָל הַמְלַוִּין אֶת הַמֵּת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין לַמִּטָּה צֹרֶךְ בָּהֶן פְּטוּרִין מִן הַתְּפִלָּה: