On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we kneel on the floor during davening at Aleinu and while saying V’hakohanim. In addition, many times we wish to kneel on the ground to give a child a bath, exercise or to put something away. Are the above permitted, and if they are not, what is the correct way to kneel?

Halachic Background

In the time of the Beis Hamikdash one would fall to the floor with his hands and feet spread out and daven to Hashem. This is not done today since we do not have a Beis Hamikdash. The Torah tells us that one is not allowed to spread out his hands and feet on a stone floor.

ויקרא פרק כו פסוק א

ואבן משכית לא תתנו בארצכם להשתחות עליה

“And a stone covering you should not place on your land to prostrate yourself upon it.”

Other Halachic Factors

The rabbanim enacted that one is not allowed to bow on one’s hands and feet (even without spreading) if one’s face is towards the floor. This issur is known as even maskis. In order for there to be an issur d’Oraisa it has to be both of the following: (1) Kneeling while spreading the hands and feet, and (2) stone floor. However, bowing on the floor without spreading of one’s hands and feet or spreading the hands and feet but not on a stone floor is forbidden d’rabannan. Kneeling without spreading one’s hands and feet on a non-stone floor is permitted.

Women

This issur applies to men and women alike. The custom of many is that women do not kneel to the ground at all on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Reasons

Some say that the reason for the issur is because this is the way non-Jews bow to their gods. The Chinuch says the reason is that one who sees someone kneeling to the stone would think he is bowing to avodah zarah. Some say the reason is that the kneeling should not be like the bowing in the times of the Beis Hamikdash.

Davening

Based on the above one should spread something out between his face and a stone floor when kneeling on the ground during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (see below). If this is not possible then one should bow on his side so that his face does not touch the ground if it is not a stone floor. One is allowed to kneel towards a stone floor if his face is not near the stone floor.

Type of Stone

Some poskim say that marble has the same din as stone in this regard. Kneeling on bricks is not a concern. One should treat stone tiles which are placed on one’s floor as stone in regard to this halacha. Furthermore, even a floor which is not made of stone should still have the same halacha as stone since there may be stone underneath the floor before the floor was put on. In addition, cement is viewed as stone in regard to this halacha. Some say that even if the stone is not attached to the ground it is assur to bow on. Steps made from stone have the same status as regular stone in this regard. Asphalt has the same din as stone in regard to this halacha. Today the custom is that on all floors one should not kneel without a separation. Therefore, even if there is permanent carpet on the floor, one should still have a separation.

Types of Separation

As mentioned before, when kneeling with one’s hands and feet spread out one must place a separation between his face and the ground. This separation can be made with placing grass, a tallis (see below) or any other material between one’s face and the floor. However, one’s clothing that he is wearing is not a hefsek. Some say that placing one hand under his head is not a good hefsek. A see-through material suffices for a separation between one’s hands and feet and the floor. A separation with holes in it is still considered a separation. An area rug which is removed to be cleaned from time to time is a good separation and no other separation is required.

Aleinu – Rosh Hashanah

The custom is to prostrate oneself on the floor by Aleinu on Rosh Hashanah. Some say that since by Aleinu on Rosh Hashanah we do not bow on the floor, no separation is needed; however, we do have a separation since the custom is that the kneeling on Rosh Hashanah by Aleinu is the same as on Yom Kippur where we kneel on the ground.

Kneeling on Yom Kippur

Kneeling is done on Yom Kippur when saying “V’hakohanim, and Aleinu.”

Giving out paper towels on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

When looking around before the tzibur prepares to kneel at Aleinu on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, paper towels are handed out and the tzibur places it on their knees during the bowing process. This is not done because of any halachic reason; it is done in order to ensure that one does not dirty his pants. All sources say a separation is required between one’s face and the ground, not a separation between the knees and the ground.

Some say falling on one’s knees alone is going in the ways of the non-Jews and one should avoid this.

Placing Tallis on Floor

When kneeling during davening on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, one usually uses his tallis as a separation between his face and the floor. Some say that doing so is a disgrace to the tallis. However, the custom is that doing so is permitted since one is not dragging it on the floor. In addition, it is being done for a mitzvah, in order to kneel down to Hashem.

Giving a Bath, etc.

The above-mentioned issur is only if one has intent to do so. Therefore, one is allowed to bend down on his knees in order to give his child a bath or take something out from the refrigerator drawer.

Exercise

When doing push-ups, etc., one places his entire body toward the floor. Doing so is not an issue since one does not have intent to kneel to the ground.

Davening at Graves

One is permitted to daven at a cemetery while looking at the gravestone and there is no concern that someone will see him davening to the stone itself. The reason is because it is well known that one is doing so for the honor of the deceased.

Sitting on the Floor

Some are of the opinion that based on Kabbalah one should not sit directly on the ground without a separation between you and the ground. Some say this is only if one sits directly on the ground, Therefore, there are those of the opinion that since our homes, etc. are covered with stone, wood, etc. there is no concern. However, others do not make this distinction. There are those who, al pi Kabbalah, in a bungalow colony or camp, etc. would not sit directly on the dirt without a separation.

By Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits

(Reviewed by Rabbi Ben-zion Schiffenbauer Shlita, Piskei Harav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, Reviewed by Harav Yisroel Belsky Shlita), from Volume 5 Issue 14, of Halachically Speaking (printed with permission)