Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 81 - Laws Relating to Feces of a Young Child

SECTION 81 Laws Relating to the Feces of a Young Child. (1–3)

1 Feces [produced as a waste product from any] of the five species of grain1 are foul-smelling. [Hence, before reciting the Shema,] one must distance oneself from the feces and urine of a young child who is able to eat an olive-sized portion of grain,2 i.e., of [any of] the five species of grain, just as one must distance oneself [from the waste] of an adult.

[This applies] even if [the child] cannot eat [the grain] unless it was cooked as porridge or the like, provided he does not have to take longer to eat this olive-sized portion than an average adult would take to eat a pras3 of the same food. If it would take him longer [to eat an olive-sized portion], this would be considered as if he were eating half an olive-sized portion now and half tomorrow. For it is a halachah transmitted to Moshe at Mount Sinai that [food] eaten over such a long stretch of time cannot be combined [and considered as a single amount].

The size of an olive-sized portion will be explained in sec. 486[:1]4 and the size of a pras will be explained in sec. 612[:4].5

2 Although a child has reached the age at which others would be able to eat an olive-sized portion [of grain] in the time it would take to eat a pras, if he is weak and cannot [do so], there is no requirement to distance oneself from his feces or urine. [This applies] even if he is three or four years old, (provided he was never able to eat an olive-sized portion of grain in the time it takes to eat a pras).6 If, however, he was once able to [do so] and then became weak [to the extent that] he no longer can, he is considered an adult insofar as one is required to distance oneself from his feces and urine (even though he cannot [eat grain now]).7 [This law applies] even if he has not eaten grain for a long time — and even if he never ate [grain at all]. Although these feces were not from grain, (as long as he was [once] able to eat an olive-sized portion of grain in the time it takes to eat a pras)8 his digestive system will make all food he eats foul-smelling.

All the above applies according to the letter of the law. It is, however, desirable and proper to recite [the Shema] and Shemoneh Esreh in an entirely clean place, even from the feces of a day-old infant (if this is easily accomplished, even though there is no prohibition against [reciting these prayers in such a place]).

3 If, while standing and reciting Shemoneh Esreh, a person saw feces four cubits [or more] in front of him, (and cannot turn to the side because he must face [in the direction of] the Holy of Holies,) he should walk ahead so that [the feces] be four cubits behind him.

If that is not possible, e.g., a river or some other obstacle is blocking his way, he should move so that [the feces] are four cubits to his side. [This law] also applies to the recitation of the Shema; if it is impossible for him [to move in front of the feces, he should turn to the side].9

[After moving,] he is required to resume only from the point at which he ceased. He [need] not [return] to the beginning of Shemoneh Esreh or the Shema even though he recited Shemoneh Esreh and/or [the Shema] in view of feces. [His prayers] are not considered “an offering of the wicked [which] is an abomination,”10 since [the feces] are not within a radius of four cubits. The rationale is that it is only in that [specific] area that he is required to check for feces if [he is in] a place where it is appropriate to suspect that feces [might be located]. If he does not check [in such circumstances], he is deemed negligent and his prayer is considered an abomination. [The Sages] did not require that he check as far ahead as he can see, even though he is located in a place where it is appropriate to suspect that feces [might be located].