Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 102 - One may Not Pass in Front of a Person who is Praying [nor Infringe upon his Space]

SECTION 102 One may Not Pass in Front of a Person who is Praying [nor Infringe upon his Space]. (1-5)

1 It is forbidden to sit within four cubits of a person who is reciting Shemoneh Esreh.1 Whether one is in front of him, behind him, or at his side, one must keep a distance of four cubits2 from him because the place where a person is praying is “sacred ground,”3 for the Divine Presence4 rests before him, as explained in sec. 97[:2]. One should treat that place with respect throughout the time that he is praying. A person’s place is considered as [a circle with a radius of] four cubits.5

If one does not desire to sit there idly, but to engage in Torah study or in [the recitation of] songs and praises [to G‑d], he is permitted to sit there. Since he is engaged in holy matters it is not disrespectful for him to sit in that place, provided he verbalizes the Torah words that he is studying. Thinking about [them] is not effective in this context, for one’s thoughts are not perceived [by an observer] and sitting [while seemingly idle] appears as an affront to this holy place.

2 There is an authority who maintains that if the person sitting next to the one reciting Shemoneh Esreh is weak, he is permitted to remain seated. His sitting does not appear offensive, since it is apparent that he is sitting because of his weakness. One may rely on this view if he cannot easily move four cubits away and sit there.

3 If a person had been sitting and someone stood up next to him and began to recite Shemoneh Esreh, he need not rise, for the other person infringed on his space. [This applies when] one is praying in a place that is not designated for prayer. In a synagogue, by contrast, [since] it is designated for prayer, one must stand, for that place was designated for everyone’s [use] and it is not appropriate to say that [by praying] someone is infringing on his space. [Moreover,] even at home, it is pious conduct6 to rise, in order to remove the stumbling block [created by] his friend who acted inappropriately by standing up to pray within his four cubits. [Though] he was seated there legitimately and is not obligated to rise for [the worshiper], his remaining seated is an affront to the holy place [created by prayer].

4 It is forbidden to pass within four cubits in front of people who are reciting Shemoneh Esreh,7 lest this distract them. It is, however, permitted to pass by their side and to stand there. However, one should not proceed further because then one would be passing in front of them, for as long as [a worshiper] can see him it is forbidden to pass, [lest] his concentration be disrupted. The Sages of the Zohar8 forbid [passing] within four cubits [of a person praying], even at his side.

5 If one completed Shemoneh Esreh, and another person was praying behind him, he is forbidden to take three steps backward9 until that person finishes his prayer, for if he steps back before then, he will be passing in front of a person reciting Shemoneh Esreh.10 One must be careful in this regard even if [the person behind him] began praying after he did, for that person has already begun praying.11