Can You Travel, Bathe, or Work Before Morning Prayer?

Two daily halachot from BeHalachah U’BeAggadah, based on the rulings of Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.

Is It Permitted to Set Out on a Trip Before Prayer?

It is forbidden to take care of one’s personal affairs before prayer, because it is not proper to place one’s business and personal matters ahead of praying to the Creator of the world. Therefore, if a person needs to travel from one city to another, he should pray first and travel afterward.

However, if the purpose of the trip is specifically to pray in a certain place, such as traveling to pray at the Western Wall, he is permitted to travel there before praying.

Traveling to work: A person who lives in a community where there is no minyan and wants to travel to the city where he works in order to pray there with a minyan may not do so if the primary purpose of the trip is work. For example, if on days off he does not travel to that city in order to pray with a minyan, this indicates that the trip is essentially for work. In such a case, he should pray alone where he lives and only afterward leave for work.

However, if he finds it difficult to concentrate and pray properly at home, while he would be able to pray calmly and with better concentration in the synagogue in the city, he may travel there and pray.

Is It Permitted to Bathe Before Prayer?

Bathing: Once the time for prayer has arrived, one should not bathe. However, if a person is sweaty and finds it difficult to pray in that state, bathing is permitted because it is considered a need of the prayer itself, enabling him to pray with proper concentration and cleanliness.

Similarly, if a person wishes to immerse in a mikveh and must wash beforehand, this is permitted, since the washing is necessary for the immersion, and the immersion is for the sake of prayer. He may also wash his hair and use soap after immersing.

Shaving: Those who shave every day should preferably not shave before prayer. However, those who are lenient have authorities on whom they may rely.

Performing a mitzvah: Performing a mitzvah is not considered attending to one’s personal affairs and is permitted before prayer. Therefore, if there is a need to care for one’s parents before praying, or to help one’s wife with the children in the morning by dressing them, preparing food for school, or similar tasks, this is permitted and is itself a mitzvah.

Daily Insight

A businessman was surprised to find himself seated next to an eight-year-old girl traveling alone on an airplane. He was impressed by how mature and calm she remained throughout the long flight and by the way she quietly entertained herself by drawing and coloring.

Suddenly, the plane entered severe turbulence. The captain announced that everyone needed to remain seated and fasten their seat belts. For more than half an hour, the aircraft shook and dropped sharply. People screamed and cried. Some prayed. Even the businessman sat trembling, gripping the armrests and praying for the ordeal to end.

And the little girl? To his amazement, she was still sitting quietly in her seat. She had placed her coloring book in the seat pocket and sat calmly, showing no sign of worry.

When the turbulence finally ended, he turned to his young seatmate and said, “You are so brave. How were you able to remain so calm, especially when you are here all by yourself?”

The girl smiled shyly and replied, “The pilot is my father. He is the best pilot in the world, and he is taking me home.”

When a small child knows that she is in her father’s hands, she feels safe. When a Jew remembers Who is carrying him, is there still room for worry?