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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION
Siman ק״ה · Waiting between two Amidot
דין המתפלל שתי תפלות — one who recites two Amidot one after the other (שחרית then מוסף, or the make-up תשלומין of a forgotten prayer) must wait between them the time to walk ד׳ אמות (four cubits), so that his mind is settled (דעת מיושבת) and he prays בלשון תחינה, in supplication
סימן ק״ה · סעיף אחד
דין המתפלל שתי תפלות
🌱 Introductory level · Beginners
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This siman teaches the conduct of one who recites two Amidot one after the other (שתי תפלות זו אחר זו): he must wait between them the time to walk ד׳ אמות (four cubits), so that his mind is settled (דעת מיושבת) and he prays בלשון תחינה, in supplication and not by rote. Two typical cases: שחרית then מוסף; the make-up (תשלומין) of a forgotten prayer. Hebrew text, fluent English translation and explanation of the seif, with a section of practical cases.
Topic: Waiting between two successive Amidot — כדי הילוך ד׳ אמות, דעת מיושבת, לשון תחינה
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן ק״ה · סעיף אחד
Compiled by: רב יוסף חיים סממה
DAAT · daattorah.com
The Amida is not a rote reading but a supplication: « תפילה » means תחנונים, a prayer of the heart. The Shulchan Aroukh rules (סימן ק״ה): המתפלל שתי תפלות זו אחר זו צריך להמתין בין זו לזו כדי הילוך ד׳ אמות — one who links two Amidot marks an interval, כדי שתהא דעתו מיושבת, to regain a settled mind and pray בלשון תחינה. 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 seif — המתפלל שתי תפלות זו אחר זו: wait כדי הילוך ד׳ אמות, כדי שתהא דעתו מיושבת להתפלל בלשון תחינה
1. Practical case — שחרית then מוסף: mark the interval between the two Amidot
2. Practical case — the make-up (תשלומין) of a forgotten prayer
3. Practical case — the measure of the wait: כדי הילוך ד׳ אמות
+ Comprehension questions and going further
A. The seif — המתפלל שתי תפלות
הַמִּתְפַּלֵּל שְׁתֵּי תְּפִלּוֹת — one who recites two Amidot one after the other. This happens in two situations: either one links two prayers of the day — for example the Amida of שחרית then that of מוסף; or one has forgotten a prayer and makes it up (תשלומין) at the following prayer, reciting two Amidot in a row. In these cases one must not chain them by rote: one marks an interval, the time to walk ד׳ אמות, so as to pray the second with a disposed heart.
Séif 1 — המתפלל שתי תפלות: waiting between the two
המתפלל שתי תפלות זו אחר זו צריך להמתין בין זו לזו כדי הילוך ד׳ אמות כדי שתהא דעתו מיושבת להתפלל בלשון תחינה.
Séif 1: one who recites two Amidot one after the other (המתפלל שתי תפלות זו אחר זו) must wait between one and the other (להמתין בין זו לזו) the time to walk four cubits (כדי הילוך ד׳ אמות), so that his mind is settled (שתהא דעתו מיושבת) to pray in supplication (להתפלל בלשון תחינה).
The Amida is a supplication (תחנונים): to stand before the King one needs a דעת מיושבת, a settled mind. Chaining two Amidot without a pause risks praying the second by rote. The shiur of the wait is כדי הילוך ד׳ אמות — the time to take four paces: enough to catch one's breath and regain focus before beginning again.
The two typical situations
When does one recite two Amidot in a row? (1) שחרית then מוסף: on days that have a Musaf (Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh, Yamim Tovim), one says the Amida of Musaf after that of Shacharit. (2) תשלומין: one who missed a prayer makes it up at the following prayer, reciting first the current prayer then the missed one.
In both cases the rule is the same: wait כדי הילוך ד׳ אמות between the two Amidot, כדי שתהא דעתו מיושבת. Some actually take a few paces; others simply wait the equivalent time. The essential is to regain a settled mind to pray בלשון תחינה.
The siman in one sentence: one who recites two Amidot one after the other (שחרית ומוסף, or תשלומין) must wait between them כדי הילוך ד׳ אמות — the time to walk four cubits — so that דעתו מיושבת and he prays בלשון תחינה, in supplication and not by rote.
Practical cases
Case 1 — שחרית then מוסף
Situation: on Shabbat (or Rosh Chodesh, Yom Tov), having finished the Amida of שחרית he is about to say that of מוסף. May he chain them directly?
Conduct: one must not chain the two Amidot without a pause. He waits כדי הילוך ד׳ אמות — the time to walk four cubits — כדי שתהא דעתו מיושבת, to approach Musaf with a settled mind and pray in supplication. For the practical application, one follows one's Rav.
Case 2 — The make-up (תשלומין)
Situation: he forgot a prayer (e.g. מנחה) and makes it up at the following prayer (ערבית), reciting two Amidot in a row. Must he wait between the two?
Conduct: yes. After the first Amida (that of the time), he waits כדי הילוך ד׳ אמות before reciting the second (the תשלומין), so that דעתו מיושבת. For the exact order of the two prayers and special cases, one follows one's Rav.
Case 3 — The measure of the wait
Situation: how long, concretely, must he wait between the two Amidot?
Conduct: the measure is כדי הילוך ד׳ אמות — the time it takes to walk four cubits (four paces). Some actually take these paces, others simply wait the equivalent time. The point is not the exact count but to regain a settled mind before praying again in supplication. For borderline cases, one follows one's Rav.
Comprehension questions
Check your understanding:
- Why must one wait between two Amidot recited one after the other (séif 1)?
- What is the measure of this wait, and what does it mean in practice?
- In which cases does one recite two Amidot in a row? Give two examples.
- What does it mean to pray בלשון תחינה, and why does it require a דעת מיושבת?
- Why does the tradition describe the Amida as a supplication (תחנונים) rather than a mere recitation?
Going further
If you wish to deepen this siman:
📖Join the khavroutha
- 📚 Level 2 — Lamdan: for the pilpoul — the shiur of כדי הילוך ד׳ אמות, the yesod of דעת מיושבת and לשון תחינה, the cases of שחרית ומוסף and תשלומין, and returning to one's place (cf. סימן קכ״ג)
- ✨ Level 3 — Synthesis: for review and quick memorization
- 👑 Level 4 — Daat HaRav (the Alter Rebbe): the shitah of the Shulchan Aroukh HaRav — המתפלל שתי תפלות זו אחר זו, כדי הילוך ד׳ אמות, דעת מיושבת ולשון תחינה