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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION

Siman ק״ג · Passing wind or sneezing during the Amida

מי שנזדמן לו רוח בתפילתו או עיטוש — one to whom a gas (רוח) or a sneeze (עיטוש) occurs during the Amida: wind from below — he waits until the smell dissipates and resumes; if he cannot restrain himself, he distances himself ד׳ אמות and says רבון העולמים; in public (בצבור) — he need not distance himself (רמ״א); the sneeze, a sign
סימן ק״ג · ג׳ סעיפים
מי שנזדמן לו רוח בתפילתו או עיטוש
🌱 Introductory level · Beginners
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This siman teaches, with restraint and in sober terms, the conduct of one to whom a gas (רוח) or a sneeze (עיטוש) occurs during the Amida: wind escaping from below (רוח מלמטה) — he waits until the smell dissipates and resumes; if he suffers and cannot restrain himself, he distances himself ד׳ אמות backwards and says רבון העולמים; in public (בצבור), the Rama rules that he need not distance himself nor say the רבון; and the sneeze as a סימן. Hebrew text, fluent English translation and explanation of the ג׳ seifim, with a section of practical cases.

Topic: Passing wind or sneezing during the Amida — רוח מלמטה, רבון העולמים, בצבור, עיטוש
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן ק״ג · ג׳ סעיפים

Compiled by: רב יוסף חיים סממה
DAAT · daattorah.com

The Amida is stood before the King, with modesty and reverence (כבוד המקום). This siman deals delicately with what may occur unbidden (נזדמן) in the midst of prayer — a gas (רוח) or a sneeze (עיטוש). Wind that escaped involuntarily is no willful interruption: ממתין עד שיכלה הריח וחוזר ומתפלל — he waits until the smell dissipates, then resumes where he left off. We study here at the level of principle; for personal conduct, one refers to the custom and to the ruling of the Rav.

📑 Study outline

A. The ג׳ seifim — רוח מלמטה (séif 1), אינו יכול להעמיד עצמו: ד׳ אמות and רבון העולמים, בצבור (séif 2), עיטוש and the sign (séif 3)
1. Practical case — wind that escaped involuntarily: wait until the smell dissipates and resume
2. Practical case — being unable to restrain oneself: distance oneself and say רבון העולמים (and בצבור per the Rama)
3. Practical case — the sneeze: סימן רע or סימן יפה
+ Comprehension questions and going further

A. Passing wind or sneezing during the Amida — the ג׳ seifim

מִי שֶׁנִּזְדַּמֵּן לוֹ רוּחַ בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ אוֹ עִטּוּשׁ — one to whom a gas or a sneeze occurs during the Amida — two ideas govern the siman: wind escaping involuntarily (רוח מלמטה) is no willful interruption, yet one may not stand in prayer while a smell remains (hence ממתין עד שיכלה הריח); and when one cannot restrain oneself, one distances oneself (ד׳ אמות) and says the רבון העולמים — except in public, where the shame would be great and where the Rama eases the conduct.

Séif 1 — רוח מלמטה: wait, then resume

היה עומד בתפלה ויצא ממנו רוח מלמטה, ממתין עד שיכלה הריח וחוזר ומתפלל.
Séif 1: one who was standing in the Amida and from whom wind escaped from below (רוח מלמטה) waits until the smell dissipates (ממתין עד שיכלה הריח), then resumes and continues his prayer.
Wind that escaped involuntarily is no willful הפסק: one does not restart the Amida. The only consideration is the smell — one does not pray where there is a foul smell. Therefore one waits until the smell dissipates (עד שיכלה הריח), then resumes at the point where one stopped (חוזר ומתפלל).

Séif 2 — אינו יכול להעמיד עצמו: distance oneself and say רבון העולמים

ביקש לצאת ממנו רוח מלמטה ונצטער הרבה ואינו יכול להעמיד עצמו, הולך לאחוריו ד׳ אמות ומוציא הרוח, וממתין עד שיכלה ממנו הריח, ואומר: רבון העולמים יצרתנו נקבים נקבים חלולים חלולים, גלוי וידוע לפניך חרפתינו וכלימתינו, חרפה וכלימה בחיינו, רמה ותולעה במותינו, וחוזר למקומו וחוזר למקום שפסק. הגה: וע״ל סי׳ פ״ה, דכל זה מיירי כשמתפלל בביתו, אבל כשמתפלל בצבור דהוי ליה ביוש גדול אין צריך להרחיק כלל לאחוריו, וגם לא יאמר הרבון, רק ממתין עד שיכלה ממנו הריח, וכן נוהגין.
Séif 2: if wind from below sought to come out, and he is in great discomfort and cannot restrain himself (אינו יכול להעמיד עצמו) — he walks back four cubits (הולך לאחוריו ד׳ אמות), passes the wind, waits until the smell dissipates, then says: « רבון העולמים, You formed us with many holes and cavities; revealed and known before You is our disgrace and shame… », and returns to his place and to the point where he stopped. Gloss of the Rama: all this applies when he prays at home; but when he prays with the congregation (בצבור), where it would be a great embarrassment for him, he need not distance himself at all backwards, nor say the רבון — he only waits until the smell dissipates, and so is the custom (וכן נוהגין).
When one cannot restrain oneself, one does not pray in that state: one distances oneself ד׳ אמות backwards, passes the wind, waits until the smell dissipates, then says the רבון העולמים — words of humility recalling the frailty of man. One then returns to one's place and to the point where one stopped. The gloss of the Rama distinguishes: at home one follows all this; but in public (בצבור), where the shame would be great, one does not distance oneself and does not say the רבון — one only waits until the smell dissipates, וכן נוהגין.

Séif 3 — עיטוש: the sneeze, a sign

המתעטש בתפלתו מלמטה סימן רע לו, מלמעלה סימן יפה לו.
Séif 3: one who « sneezes » during the Amida — from below (a gas) it is a bad sign for him (סימן רע לו), from above (a sneeze from the nose) it is a good sign for him (סימן יפה לו).
The word מתעטש is used here with restraint for both cases. מלמטה (a gas) — סימן רע; מלמעלה (a sneeze from the nose) — סימן יפה. The sneeze from above, which brings relief (נחת רוח), is perceived as a good omen for the fulfilment of the prayer.
The siman in one sentence: one to whom wind from below occurs during the Amida — he waits until the smell dissipates and resumes where he stopped; if he cannot restrain himself, he distances himself ד׳ אמות and says רבון העולמים — but in public (Rama) he neither distances himself nor says the רבון; and the sneeze — מלמטה סימן רע, מלמעלה סימן יפה.

Practical cases

Case 1 — Wind that escaped involuntarily

Situation: wind escapes him from below in the middle of the Amida. Must he start over?
Conduct: no — involuntary wind is no willful הפסק. The only question is the smell: he waits until the smell dissipates (עד שיכלה הריח), then resumes at the point where he stopped (חוזר ומתפלל). For the practical application, one follows one's Rav.

Case 2 — Being unable to restrain oneself

Situation: he is in great discomfort and cannot restrain himself from passing wind. How does he conduct himself?
Conduct: at home, he distances himself ד׳ אמות backwards, passes the wind, waits until the smell dissipates, says the רבון העולמים, then returns to his place and to the point where he stopped. In public (בצבור), where it would be a great embarrassment, the Rama rules that he does not distance himself and does not say the רבון — he only waits until the smell dissipates (וכן נוהגין). For the details, one follows one's Rav.

Case 3 — The sneeze (סימן)

Situation: he sneezes during the Amida. Is it a good or a bad sign?
Conduct: the siman teaches a סימן: מלמטה (a gas) — סימן רע לו; מלמעלה (a sneeze from the nose) — סימן יפה לו. This is not a matter of restarting, but of an omen: the relief from above is perceived as a good sign. For the precise conduct, one follows one's Rav.

Comprehension questions

Check your understanding:
  1. Why does one to whom involuntary wind escapes not restart the Amida, and what does he wait for (séif 1)?
  2. What does one who cannot restrain himself do at home — and what does he say (séif 2)?
  3. How does the Rama ease the conduct in public (בצבור), and why?
  4. What does רבון העולמים יצרתנו נקבים נקבים mean, and why is it said?
  5. What does the siman teach about the sneeze — מלמטה and מלמעלה (séif 3)?

Going further

If you wish to deepen this siman:
Continue to the next simanSiman 104 →
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DAAT · רב יוסף חיים סממה

סימן ק״ג · ג׳ סעיפים · Level 1 — Introduction
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