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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION

Siman פ״ד · Reciting in a bathhouse

דין אם מותר לקרות במרחץ — may one recite in a bathhouse (בית המרחץ) : a new bathhouse in which no one has washed — מותר ; the old bathhouse by its three rooms, the outer room (dressed), the middle room (mixed) and the inner room (naked) ; שאילת שלום, הרהור and answering « אמן »
סימן פ״ד · סעיף אחד
דין אם מותר לקרות במרחץ
🌱 Introductory level · Beginners
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This siman teaches whether one may recite (ק״ש, prayer, Torah) in a bathhouse: a new bathhouse (מרחץ חדש) in which no one has yet washed — מותר ; then the old bathhouse by its three rooms — the outer room (all dressed — מותר), the middle room (mixed: שאילת שלום but לא ק״ש ותפלה) and the inner room (all naked — אפילו שאילת שלום אסור). Hebrew text, fluent English translation and explanation of the seif, with a section of practical cases.

Topic: Reciting in a bathhouse — מרחץ חדש, בית החיצון, בית האמצעי, בית הפנימי
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן פ״ד · סעיף אחד

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

Our Sages taught that « שלום » is one of the names of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: וַיִּקְרָא לוֹ ה׳ שָׁלוֹם (Shoftim 6:24) ; therefore אין שואלין בשלום במרחץ — one does not greet with « Shalom » in a bathhouse. The siman sets where and how one may recite in a בית המרחץ: according to whether it is new or old, and according to the room and the dress of those standing there. 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 — מרחץ חדש, בית החיצון, בית האמצעי, בית הפנימי
1. Practical case — reciting in a new bathhouse (מותר, as long as no one has washed there)
2. Practical case — the steam room where one is undressed: neither ק״ש nor prayer, but הרהור in the mixed room
3. Practical case — saying « שלום » or answering « אמן » in a bathhouse
+ Comprehension questions and going further

A. Reciting in a bathhouse — the seif

בֵּית הַמֶּרְחָץ — the bathhouse — a place where one undresses and where immodesty prevails; one recites there neither the ק״ש nor the prayer. Yet not all is equal: a new bathhouse in which no one has yet washed has not yet acquired the status of a מרחץ; and in an old bathhouse, all depends on the room — outer (בית החיצון), middle (האמצעי) or inner (הפנימי) — and whether those standing there are dressed or naked.

מרחץ חדש — a new bathhouse

מרחץ חדש שלא רחצו בו — מותר לקרות בו.
A new bathhouse in which no one has washed (מרחץ חדש שלא רחצו בו) — it is permitted to recite in it (מותר לקרות בו).
The ban on the bathhouse rests on its use: the nakedness and immodesty found there. As long as the place is new and no one has yet washed in it, it has not acquired the status of a מרחץ — so one recites the ק״ש and prays there. It is only the old bathhouse (ישן), already used, that calls for the distinctions that follow.

בית החיצון — the outer room

ובישן, בבית החיצון שכל העומדים שם לבושים — מותר.
And in an old bathhouse, in the outer room where all who stand there are dressed (בבית החיצון שכל העומדים שם לבושים) — it is permitted (מותר).
The bathhouse comprised several rooms. The outer room is the entrance, where one undresses and dresses: all are dressed there. Since there is neither nakedness nor immodesty, one recites the ק״ש and prays there freely.

בית האמצעי — the middle room

ובאמצעי שקצת העומדים שם לבושים וקצת ערומים — יש שם שאילת שלום, אבל לא ק״ש ותפלה. הגה: ומותר להרהר שם בדברי תורה.
And in the middle room where some who stand there are dressed and some naked (שקצת העומדים שם לבושים וקצת ערומים) — there is the greeting of « Shalom » (יש שם שאילת שלום), but not the ק״ש nor the prayer (אבל לא ק״ש ותפלה). Rama: and one may contemplate words of Torah there (ומותר להרהר שם בדברי תורה).
The middle room is mixed: some dressed, some naked. An intermediate status: one may greet there with « Shalom », but one recites neither the ק״ש nor the Amidah — a holy text uttered before nakedness is unfitting. The Rama adds that one may contemplate (הרהור) Torah there, for inner contemplation is not like uttered speech.

בית הפנימי — the inner room

ובפנימי שכולם עומדים שם ערומים — אפילו שאילת שלום אסור. הגה: ואסור לענות אמן בבית המרחץ.
And in the inner room where all stand naked (ובפנימי שכולם עומדים שם ערומים) — even the greeting of « Shalom » is forbidden (אפילו שאילת שלום אסור). Rama: and it is forbidden to answer « Amen » in a bathhouse (ואסור לענות אמן בבית המרחץ).
The inner room, the hottest, is the one where all are naked. Immodesty there is total: even greeting with « Shalom » is forbidden, for « שלום » is one of the names of the Holy One, blessed be He. The Rama specifies that one does not answer « Amen » there either — answering « Amen » is a matter of holiness, which has no place in a bathhouse.
The siman in one sentence: in a new bathhouse in which no one has washed — מותר לקרות; in an old bathhouse, the outer room (all dressed) — מותר; the middle room (mixed) — שאילת שלום and הרהור permitted, but לא ק״ש ותפלה; and the inner room (all naked) — אפילו שאילת שלום אסור, and one does not answer « אמן » there.

Practical cases

Case 1 — Reciting in a new bathhouse

Situation: a bathhouse has just been built and no one has yet washed in it. May one recite the ק״ש there?
Conduct: yes — מרחץ חדש שלא רחצו בו מותר לקרות בו. As long as no one has washed there, the place has not yet acquired the status of a מרחץ. Once someone has washed there, it becomes an old bathhouse and one applies the distinctions by room. For the practical application, one follows one's Rav.

Case 2 — The steam room where one is undressed

Situation: he stands in the hot part of the bathhouse where people are undressed. May he recite the ק״ש, or at least contemplate a verse?
Conduct: in the mixed room (some naked), one recites neither the ק״ש nor the prayer, but one may contemplate (הרהור) Torah and greet there with « Shalom ». In the inner room where all are naked, even greeting is forbidden. For the details, one follows one's Rav.

Case 3 — Saying « שלום » or answering « אמן » in a bathhouse

Situation: he meets a friend in the bathhouse and wants to greet him, or hears a blessing and would like to answer « Amen ». May he?
Conduct: « שלום » is a divine name: in the room where all are naked, even greeting him is forbidden (in the mixed room, by contrast, greeting is permitted). And the Rama teaches that one does not answer « Amen » in a bathhouse. For borderline cases, one follows one's Rav.

Comprehension questions

Check your understanding:
  1. Why is it permitted to recite in a new bathhouse (מרחץ חדש), and from when does this change?
  2. Why is the outer room (בית החיצון) permitted without reservation?
  3. In the middle room, what is permitted and what is forbidden, and what does the Rama say about הרהור?
  4. Why is greeting with « שלום » forbidden in the inner room?
  5. What does the Rama say about answering « אמן » in a bathhouse?

Going further

If you wish to deepen this siman:
Continue to the next simanSiman 85 →
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DAAT · רב יוסף חיים סממה

סימן פ״ד · סעיף אחד · Level 1 — Introduction
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