Prayer and Blessings
With which foot does one begin to step at the beginning and end of the Amidah?
Question
Hello, honored Rabbi,
I wanted to ask how one should take steps in the Amidah - at the beginning and at the end.
Does it matter with which foot one begins to step backward at the start of the Amidah? The same question applies to the end of the prayer.
And what about the three steps forward at the beginning and end?
Thank you in advance...
Answer
Shalom rav,
Steps before the Amidah - one may begin and end with whichever foot one wishes (see Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky zt"l in Daat Noteh, Part 1, p. 303, answer 625).
Steps backward at the end of the Amidah - one should begin with the left foot (Shulchan Aruch, siman 123, seif 1).
Steps forward at the end of the Amidah - some say one should begin with the right foot (Rabbi Chaim Palagi zt"l in his Kaf HaChaim, siman 15, ot 45), and some say one may begin with whichever foot one wishes (see Daat Noteh there, p. 335, answer 239).
With blessings,
Hillel Meirs
