Fwd: Halacha Yomis - Davening Outside, Garbage Cans

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: OU Kosher <noreply@ounetwork.org>
Date: Mon, Jun 8, 2020, 7:02 AM
Subject: Halacha Yomis - Davening Outside, Garbage Cans
To: <agentemes4@gmail.com>

 

I daven with a minyan on a driveway...     The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis This column is dedicated in memory of: Rav Chaim Yisroel ben Reb Dov HaLevi Belsky, zt'l Senior OU Kosher Halachic Consultant from 1987-2016 Q. Due to social distancing, I daven with a minyan outside on a driveway. There are garbage cans near the end of the driveway. Is there any issue in davening while facing the garbage cans? A. Shulchan Aruch (OC 79 and 87) writes that one may not recite Shema, berachos, tefillah and words of Torah when facing a "graf shel re'i". A graf shel re'i is a pail that serves as a commode, as well as a garbage can used for the disposal of soiled diapers or any refuse with a foul odor (OC 79:8). It would therefore seem that it is problematic to daven in a driveway when facing garbage cans that typically hold spoiled refuse. However, poskim maintain that our garbage cans do not have the status of a graf shel re'i. This is because garbage is typically placed in plastic bags and then disposed, and the bags cover the foul contents in the pail. As such, one may face the garbage pails in the driveway while davening. Nonetheless, if the garbage emits a foul odor, one must stand four amos away from the spot where the odor is no longer discernible. (See B'tzeil Hachochma 6:26 and Ishei Yisroel 53:36) More about this program and to subscribe visit https://oukosher.org/halacha-yomis-email/ View archive on https://oukosher.org/halacha-yomis/ Subscriber comments and questions related to this mailing can be sent to GerstenE@ou.org. These questions and their answers may be selected to become one of the Q and A's on OU Kosher Halacha Yomis. Dedicated by Gerald and Karin Feldhamer in memory of their parents R' Moshe ben R' Elyokim Getzel Feldhamer and Pesha bas Reb Mordechai R' Avrohom Abba ben R' Chaim Finkelstein and Taube bas R' Yissocher Dov HaKohen In memory of R' Kalman ben R' Moshe Feldhamer   **NEW from OU Press** Halacha Yomis: A Daily Halachic Companion Halacha Yomis is now available as a highly readable compendium of practical laws and customs   Forward     Unsubscribe Please do not 'reply' to this message. The inbox of noreply@ounetwork.org is not monitored.