| A. It is forbidden to daven or speak words of Torah if one smells human or animal feces, even if they are not visible. One might assume that the same restriction applies to any foul odor, such as hot tar. However, that is not the case. The Mishnah Berurah (79:23) cites the Chayei Adam that one may daven or speak words of Torah in the presence of items that have a natural foul odor, such as "itran" (a form of naphtha). The Chayei Adam offers the following proof. The Mishnah (Shabbos 2:2) writes that one may not use itran for Shabbos candles because the foul odor would dishonor the Shabbos. If it would be forbidden to recite Kiddush or berachos near itron candles because of the odor, the Mishnah should have stated a second reason that itron should not be used for Shabbos candles – because berachos cannot be said. He offers a similar proof from the Halachos of Sukkah. The Gemara (Sukkah 12b-13a) states that you may not use schach that has a bad smell, because it might cause you to leave your sukkah and eat indoors. Again, there is no mention that one should not use foul smelling schach because it would be impermissible to recite berachos in the Sukkah. This proves that one may recite a bracha in the presence of items that naturally emit a foul odor. However, Sefer Mikor Chayim (79:4) writes that if the offensive smell will affect your concentration, you should not daven in this place. Why is the odor from feces different? Isn't that also a natural smell? The answer is feces is the waste product of food that has decomposed and rotted as it passes through the digestive system. Based on the Chayei Adam, it is permissible to daven on a driveway that emits a pungent odor from the heat, unless a person's kavanah is compromised. |
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