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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION

Siman ע״ד · Covering for the ק״ש

דין שלא לברך כשאבריו רואין את הערוה — one does not recite the ק״ש nor bless when the limbs "see" the ערוה: one who sleeps naked interposes his טלית over his heart (לבו רואה את הערוה אסור); bathing in water; embracing the body with the arms; women בחלוק; limbs that touch; and a wrap around the loins
סימן ע״ד · ו׳ סעיפים
דין שלא לברך כשאבריו רואין את הערוה
🌱 Introductory level · Beginners
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This siman teaches, with modesty, that one does not recite the ק״ש nor bless when the body "sees" the ערוה: one who sleeps naked must interpose his טלית over his heart (חציצה), for לבו רואה את הערוה אסור; one who bathes covers below the heart; embracing the body with the arms counts as הפסקה; women בחלוק may bless; limbs that touch the ערוה; and a wrap around the loins (ק״ש permitted, תפילה forbidden). Hebrew text, fluent English translation and explanation of the ו׳ seifim, with a section of practical cases.

Topic: Covering the ervah for the ק״ש and the ברכה — לבו רואה את הערוה, the חציצה, the water, טלית על מתניו
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן ע״ד · ו׳ סעיפים

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

The Torah says (דברים כ״ג): וְלֹא יֵרָאֶה בְךָ עֶרְוַת דָּבָר — "let no nakedness be seen in you." From this our Sages learned that one does not recite the ק״ש, pray or bless when the ervah is uncovered, nor when the organs close to the heart "see" it. The siman deals with the unclothed body — under a covering, in water, or with a wrap — and with the חציצה required. 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 ו׳ seifim — לבו רואה את הערוה (séif 1), הרוחץ במים (séif 2), מחבק בזרועותיו (séif 3), הנשים בחלוק (séif 4), אבריו רואים ונוגעים (séif 5), טלית על מתניו (séif 6)
1. Practical case — sleeping naked: interpose a cloth over the heart
2. Practical case — bathing: clear water and murky water
3. Practical case — the wrap: ק״ש permitted, תפילה forbidden
+ Comprehension questions and going further

A. Covering for the ק״ש — the ו׳ seifim

לִבּוֹ רוֹאֶה אֶת הָעֶרְוָה — the heart sees the nakedness — two planes are distinguished. On the plane of the Torah, "וְלֹא יֵרָאֶה בְךָ עֶרְוַת דָּבָר": the ervah must not be uncovered and visible. On the rabbinic plane, the Sages added that the heart (and the head) must not "see" the ervah without a חציצה (separation) between them. Hence the conduct of one who sleeps naked, bathes, embraces his body, and wears a wrap.

Séif 1 — לבו רואה את הערוה: the חציצה over the heart

היה ישן ערום בטליתו — צריך לחוץ בטלית על לבו ואז יקרא, משום דלבו רואה את הערוה אסור. הגה: וה״ה אם לבו רואה ערות חבירו אסור.
Séif 1: one who sleeps naked under his covering must interpose his טלית over his heart (לחוץ בטלית על לבו), and only then read, for "the heart that sees the nakedness" is forbidden (לבו רואה את הערוה אסור). Rama: and likewise if his heart sees his fellow's nakedness, it is forbidden.
Even when naked under a covering, one does not read while the heart "sees" the ervah. A חציצה (an interposed cloth) is needed between the heart and the ervah, and only then does he read. The Rama adds that this also applies to a fellow's nakedness (e.g. two people naked under one covering).

Séif 2 — הרוחץ במים: clear water and murky water

הרוחץ ערום במים צלולים ורוצה לשתות — יכסה בבגד ממטה ללבו כדי שלא יהא לבו רואה את הערוה כשיברך, ודוקא בבגד אבל בידים לא הוי כיסוי. ואם היו המים עכורים שאין איבריו נראין בהם — מותר לקרות והוא בתוכן, והוא שלא יהא ריחן רע. ואם אין לבו בתוך המים רק למעלה מן המים — אף בצלולים שרי.
Séif 2: one who bathes naked in clear water and wants to drink (and thus bless) covers with a garment below his heart, so that his heart does not "see" the nakedness when he blesses — and בבגד דוקא, specifically with a garment, since hands do not count as a covering. But if the water was murky such that his limbs are not seen in it, he is permitted to read while inside it, provided it has no foul smell. And if his heart is not within the water but above it, even in clear water it is permitted.
Clear water does not conceal the ervah: to bless, he covers below the heart with a garment (the hands are not a covering, since the body does not cover itself). Murky water (עכורים), where the limbs are not visible, forms a הפסק and reading in it is permitted — provided there is no foul smell.

Séif 3 — מחבק בזרועותיו: embracing one's body

אם האדם מחבק גופו בזרועותיו — דיינין ליה כהפסקה.
Séif 3: if the person embraces his body with his arms (מחבק גופו בזרועותיו), we consider it as a separation (כהפסקה).
Although the hand is not a covering (séif 2), embracing the body with the arms counts as הפסקה — a separation between the heart and the ervah — since the heart no longer "sees" the ervah.

Séif 4 — הנשים בחלוק: a woman in her shift

יש מי שאומר שהנשים יכולות לברך ולהתפלל כשהן לבושות החלוק, אף על פי שאינם מפסיקות למטה מהלב. הגה: ואם הן ערומות — צריך שתהא ערוה שלהן טוחות בקרקע או שיושבת על שאר דבר, דאז אין לבן רואה ערוה שלהן, מה שאין כן באיש.
Séif 4: there is an opinion that women may bless and pray when they are dressed in the shift (חלוק), even though it does not make a separation below the heart. Rama: and if they are unclothed, their ervah needs to be pressed against the ground, or they should be seated on something else, for then their heart does not "see" their ervah — which is not so with a man.
For a woman the ervah is lower; therefore, even dressed only in her shift without a separation at the heart, she may bless. When unclothed, if she is seated or the ervah is against the ground, her heart does not "see" it either (see סימן ר״ו).

Séif 5 — אבריו רואים / נוגעים: seeing and touching

שאר אבריו רואים את הערוה — מותר; אבל אם איזה מאיבריו נוגע בין בערותו בין בערות חבירו — אסור לקרות ק״ש או להתפלל. ויריכותיו שהערוה שוכבת עליהן — צריך להפסיקן בבגד או להרחיקן, בענין שלא יגע הגיד בהם.
Séif 5: that his other limbs "see" the ervah — is permitted; but if any of his limbs touches, whether his own ervah or his fellow's — it is forbidden to read the ק״ש or to pray. And his thighs, on which the ervah rests, he must separate with a garment or distance them, so that the member does not touch them.
Only the heart and head must not "see" the ervah; that the other limbs see it is permitted. But a limb that touches the ervah (his own or a fellow's) bars the reading. For the thighs on which the ervah rests, one interposes a cloth or distances them.

Séif 6 — טלית על מתניו: a wrap around the loins

היתה טליתו חגורה על מתניו לכסותו ממתניו ולמטה — אף על פי שממתניו ולמעלה הוא ערום, מותר לקרות ק״ש; אבל להתפלל אסור עד שיכסה לבו.
Séif 6: if his garment was wrapped around his loins to cover him from the loins down — even though from the loins up he is naked, it is permitted to read the ק״ש; but to pray (the תפילה) is forbidden until he covers his heart.
A wrap covering the lower body suffices for the ק״ש: the ervah is covered and the cloth already makes a הפסק. But for the תפילה (the Amidah) one must also cover the heart, for there one stands as before the King and greater reverence is called for.
The siman in one sentence: one does not recite the ק״ש nor bless when the heart "sees" the ervah — a חציצה is needed (sleeping naked → a cloth over the heart; bathing → covering below the heart, murky water making a הפסק; embracing the body → כהפסקה); that the other limbs see is permitted, but touching the ervah is forbidden; and with a wrap, the ק״ש is permitted but the תפילה only after covering the heart.

Practical cases

Case 1 — Sleeping naked under a covering

Situation: he is lying naked under his covering and wants to read the ק״ש. What to do?
Conduct: he does not read while his heart "sees" the ervah. He interposes a cloth over his heart (חציצה) — for example folding over a corner of the covering — and only then reads. This also applies if he shares the covering with another (ערות חבירו). For the practical application, one follows one's Rav.

Case 2 — Bathing and wishing to bless

Situation: he is bathing naked and wants to drink (and so recite a ברכה). May he bless thus?
Conduct: in clear water he covers with a garment below the heart before blessing (the hands do not suffice). In murky water where the limbs are not visible, he may read within it, as long as there is no foul smell. For the details, one follows one's Rav.

Case 3 — A wrap around the loins

Situation: the upper body is naked, but a wrap covers the lower body. May he read the ק״ש and pray?
Conduct: the ק״ש is permitted, for the ervah is covered and the cloth makes a הפסק. But the תפילה is forbidden until he also covers his heart, for in prayer he stands as before the King. For borderline cases, one follows one's Rav.

Comprehension questions

Check your understanding:
  1. What does "לבו רואה את הערוה" mean, and what must one who sleeps naked do (séif 1)?
  2. Why does clear water not suffice, and what does one do in order to bless (séif 2)?
  3. How does embracing the body with the arms help, when the hand is not a covering (séif 3)?
  4. What is the difference between a limb that sees the ervah and one that touches it (séif 5)?
  5. With a wrap, why is the ק״ש permitted but not the תפילה (séif 6)?

Going further

If you wish to deepen this siman:
Continue to the next simanSiman 75 →
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DAAT · רב יוסף חיים סממה

סימן ע״ד · ו׳ סעיפים · Level 1 — Introduction
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