עברית
Prayer and Blessings
Halachic Questions on Prayer and Blessings When Needing to Use the Bathroom
Guidelines for Prayer, Blessings, and Actions in Challenging Situations
Question
Shalom u'vracha, my name is Noa. First, I would like to thank you for answering my questions. I have several additional halachic questions I would appreciate your answers to:
1. Is it permitted to make blessings, pray, or meditate when barefoot and immodestly dressed?
2. What should one do when constipated or unable to find a place to relieve oneself? Should one make blessings, pray, or is it better not to?
3. Is it permitted to speak, meditate, eat, or drink after reciting Kriyat Shema in bed?
Answer
Shalom u'vracha,
1. It is permitted to make blessings, but one should not pray in such a state; one must stand for prayer with dignity, as if standing before a king.
2. When constipated, it is permitted to pray. However, if one is obliged to find a place to relieve oneself but there is none, if you estimate you can wait 72 minutes, you may pray and recite holy texts. If you cannot wait that amount of time, it is forbidden to recite holy matters.
3. Nothing should be done after reciting Kriyat Shema in bed; all such activities should be done before reciting Kriyat Shema in bed.
With blessing, Binyamin Shmueli
