Siman 97

Since one must stand in prayer as one standing before the King, therefore it is forbidden for him to belch or yawn in the middle of the prayer. "Geihuk" is defined as when one emits wind from his mouth with a sound, and smells the scent of the food he ate or the scent of the drink he drank. In our language we call this "greptzen." And "pihuk" is when one opens his mouth wide and emits a light breath, like a person rising from his sleep. And we call this "genetzen." The prohibition applies when he does this by his own will, and not when he is compelled. Only regarding a belch is compulsion not applicable, for he can restrain himself, as is known. However, a yawn he is forced to do when it happens to him, and therefore he should place his hand over his mouth so that the opening of his mouth is not seen. This is due to necessity, but when it is not a time of necessity—he should not place his hand near his mouth, meaning on his chin which is the lower jaw, during the prayer, for this is the way of haughtiness. As for what some chazzanim do—they do not do this because of pride but rather to sweeten the voice. Therefore, it is also their way to spread their hands upward, downward, and to the sides, because such is the way of melody. Therefore, they also open their mouths wide and make strange movements, for it is impossible for them to do otherwise.

And know that regarding what we wrote, that in the case of a geihuk there is no compulsion, I have so inferred from the wording of our teacher, the Beit Yosef, in section 1, who wrote: One should not geihuk, and one should not yawn. And if one needs to yawn due to compulsion… see there. And since he did not mention "geihuk" as well, it implies that in the case of a geihuk there is no compulsion. However, from the wording of the Rambam in the fourth chapter and from the wording of the Tur, it does not imply this. And it is likewise clear from the wording of the Gemara (24b) that regarding both of them it says that in a case of compulsion it is permitted, see there. However, the senses testify like our teacher, the Beit Yosef, that in a geihuk a person can compel himself. Therefore, it seems to me that for the halacha it is certainly so, that one must compel himself, for we see that when sitting at a gathering and one needs to geihuk—he compels himself not to geihuk, because this is not the way of derech eretz. And the Shas and the poskim who said that in a case of compulsion it is permitted—it is certainly so, for if the compulsion is great and he is forced to geihuk—he should place his hand over his mouth and geihuk. And our teacher, the Beit Yosef, did not mention this because for the most part one can compel himself. And so one should instruct.

Just as one standing before the king would not have the audacity to spit, so too it is forbidden to spit during the Shemoneh Esrei. One should swallow the saliva in his mouth. If it is impossible for him not to spit, such as with phlegm or mucus, if it is possible for him to swallow the saliva in his clothing, such as in an undergarment, or if he has a kerchief with which he wipes the nose and saliva—he should spit into it. But in an outer garment where the saliva will be seen—he should not swallow it. If he is an istanis, and his mind is repulsed by doing so—he throws the saliva behind him. The Rambam wrote: he throws it with his hand behind him, and the implication is that he should spit into his hand and throw it behind him, and he should not turn his head backward. But the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch, section 2, wrote: he throws it behind him, meaning: that he should turn his head and spit. And in his great book, he questioned the interpretation of the Rambam: for since he is an istanis who cannot swallow it in his clothing, how could he take it in his hands? For this reason, he wrote that the intention of the Rambam is also by means of a kerchief, and when he does not have a kerchief in his hand—he should throw it thus, see there. But I do not understand: for certainly it is so, that to take the saliva in his hand for a moment and throw it—there is no issue of istanisut in this. This is not the case with swallowing it in clothing where the saliva will certainly remain there—the mind cannot tolerate this when one is an istanis, and the senses testify to this. It requires further study. Therefore, it appears in my humble opinion to be concerned for the words of the Rambam, and to spit into the hand and throw it behind him. And it is simple that just as the law is regarding saliva—so it is regarding mucus of the nose. And even though it was explained in siman 92 that one who touches mucus of the nose requires washing, we explained there that it is sufficient to clean it on a wall, see there. And this fact that they permitted him to spit when he is forced to do so is because it is better that he should pray in cleanliness than that he should suffer and have a distraction in his prayer (Tosafot R"i). And so it is explained in the Yerushalmi. And know that the supplications after the prayer are like the prayer regarding spitting, as long as he has not stepped the three steps. For as long as he has not stepped—he is like one standing before the king (Magen Avraham, subsection 2).

The Tur wrote: He should throw it behind him or to his left, but not in front of him nor to his right. It is clear from this that behind him and to his left are equal. However, our teacher, the Rema, wrote that if it is impossible to throw it behind him – he should throw it to his left but not to his right, and certainly in front of him is forbidden. Thus far his words. For so wrote the students of Rabbeinu Yitzchak, that his left is preferable to behind him. And they asked regarding this: How could they write here that his right is preferable to his left, for further on in siman 123 they wrote regarding the three steps that first one gives peace to his left, which is the right of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and afterward to his right – behold, that the left is preferable. And they answered that there, where he stands before the Shekhinah – certainly his left is preferable, because it is opposite the right of the Holy One, Blessed be He. But here when he spits – one should not judge him as standing before the Shekhinah, for one does not spit before the Shekhinah. Therefore, his right is preferable (Rema in Darkhei Moshe). And some answer because the Shekhinah never descended below ten handbreadths, and therefore while he stands in prayer – we do not consider his left as the right of the Shekhinah, for the Shekhinah is above and opposite him. Consequently, his right is preferable, which is not the case there where he distances himself from his place of prayer and bows toward the Shekhinah – certainly he gives peace first to the right of the Shekhinah, which is his left (Beit Yosef in the name of his father).

And know that the Rambam mentioned only "throws it behind him" alone. Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in his great work that it is implied from his words that they only permitted behind him, and such is the halacha, see there. Therefore, he also wrote in the Shulchan Aruch only "throws it behind him." And I do not understand: for what shall he do if it is impossible for him to throw behind him, such as when people are standing behind him? Furthermore: in the Yerushalmi, chapter 3, it is explicitly explained according to the words of the Tur, see there. Rather, certainly the Rambam also does not disagree on this, and he did not see fit to elaborate on this because most times he is able to throw it behind him.

And if a louse bit him in his flesh during the prayer – he is permitted to remove it by means of a garment, so that he is not nullified from his intention by the pain. And if it is on the garment – he should not touch it. And specifically during the prayer he should not take it in his hand, but when it is not during the prayer he may take it in his hand and throw it in the beit knesset. And even though it requires washing, he can clean his hand on the wall (Magen Avraham subsection 7). Therefore, if it happened that he took it in his hand during the prayer – he should clean his hand on the wall. And if his tallit fell from him during the prayer, if it slipped from its place but did not fall entirely, even if the majority fell – he may feel for it and return it. But if it fell entirely – he cannot take it and return to wrap himself in it for it is an interruption, rather he should finish the prayer without the tallit. And it appears to me that the same law applies when his tefillin fell from his head or from his hand – he should not interrupt, and he should finish the prayer without them for it is forbidden to interrupt during the prayer. Therefore, if his tefillin merely became loose – he may tighten them just as with a tallit when it did not fall entirely, for the interruption is not so noticeable in this.

One who carries a burden on his shoulders of less than four kabin—he may sling it behind him and pray. Four kabin—he must place it on the ground and pray. And it appears to me that this is when he is afraid to place it on the ground due to fear of theft, or when he is forced to pray while traveling as I wrote in siman 94, for then they permitted him, with less than four kabin, to sling it behind him. But when it is in his power to place it on the ground or in some location, and he can pray standing without the burden—he is obligated to do so even with less than four kabin. And so too, to hold his staff in his hand during the time of the prayer appears to me to be forbidden. And if he is concerned about theft—he should place it before him and watch over it. And with eyeglasses, he may pray when they are placed well.