The following is a Ynet report:
In response to concerned traveler who feels he can’t concentrate on prayers at airport, Rabbi Efrati says ‘best option’ is to go to Muslim house of prayer
“It would be better to pray in a mosque and do so with meaning and after the sun rises, rather than at home, at dawn or at the airport and without meaning,” Rabbi Baruch Efrati determined recently in a response posted on the Kipa website recently.
The surprising ruling came in response to a question posed by a web surfer living abroad who travels frequently for work purposes: “Most of the time the flights leave very early in the morning. I manage to put on tefilin at home after daybreak, but I don’t have time to wait until I can complete morning prayers,” he stated.
“On the other hand, if I pray at the airport – I feel extremely uncomfortable, because people stare and I find it hard to focus on my prayers.”
He wished to know how to act – and Rabbi Efrati had a surprising response: “Some airports in Europe and Asia have mosques, and they are usually empty of people who are not praying and so it is quiet,” he noted and suggested that the traveler inquire at the airport.
“Of course, this solution isn’t perfect,” the rabbi added, “but it is the best option. There is no prohibition on praying in mosques (apart for the Ran’s – Rabbi Nissim ben Reuven ruling, which was not accepted).”
Rabbi Efrati noted that an example was the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, which has a mosque.
Either way, the rabbi ruled that if the traveler has trouble praying with meaning in the airport – he shouldn’t pray there. In addition, he stressed that praying in churches was completely and strictly forbidden. In fact, it is forbidden to step into a church, he said.
(Source: Ynet)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
11 Responses
BS”D
Most airports have non-denominational chapels that are rarely in use and have no symbols.
We should say the heck with the people who stare! The yishmaelim pull out their magic carpets and prostrate themselves wherever they are (I’ve seen this on busy street corners in Manhattan!), there is no reason we cant do it in public too without being concerned about the stares.
I wonder what all the neshomos who were murdered al kidush haShem due to the muslims yemach sh’mom v’zichrom have to say about this?
Oh how I miss the old telephone booths! Really though, a Rebbe of mine told us back in seventies that we should rather daven in the open than in the telephone booths . . . what are we ashamed of after all? Besides, what concentration are we talking about here? The Shulchan Aruch say we don’t know how to concentrate during our davenning these days. (And that was 500 years ago!)
Can you explain to me what the headline “Zionist rabbi” means? First, how do you know that he is “zionist”, second, what difference does it make, third, if he has the relevant sources, what does his allegiance matter?? This is only someone’s internal bias showing…
Y can’t a person daven in puclic??? What is he ashamed of? He shld b proud to show his jewish colors!!!
“First, how do you know that he is “zionist”,”
He does identify as a religious Zionist and learned at the Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva.
” second, what difference does it make,”
None.
” third, if he has the relevant sources, what does his allegiance matter?? ”
It doesn’t.
#6 – I can tell from your spelling that keeping your dignity in public isn’t one of your strong points
I believe this is neither news, nor Zionist, nor a chiddush. Islam is not avodah zora and as far as I know Yidden have never been prohibited from davening in a mosque.
When our first child was born, I went into the “non-denominational” chapel at the hospital to daven shacharis. With a cross on one wall, a menorah and magen david on a second wall, and I don’t remember what on the third, and noticing a kneeling bench on the rear of the seat in front of me, I just could not daven there. So much for “non-denominational” or “multi-denominational.”
“Bhatznea Leches Im Hashem Elockecha” No mitzva to flaunt your Avoda for the whole world to see