If a person cannot restrain himself from flatulence through the entire Shema and Amidah, should he skip prayer entirely and make it up at Mincha, or should he pray despite the interruptions?
Synopsis
When a person's condition prevents him from maintaining a clean body (guf naki) throughout prayer, the question is whether he should forgo prayer entirely and rely on the compensatory Mincha prayer, or whether he should pray despite the unavoidable flatulence. Authorities debate whether the requirement for guf naki is rabbinic and thus overridden when necessary, or whether it is severe enough to warrant completely delaying prayer.
More in Prayer Near Flowing Water and Waste
Must a person also let the time of Shema pass (in addition to prayer) if he cannot maintain a clean body, or does the rule apply only to the Amidah?
4 opinions
When a person in this situation can restrain himself during Shema but not the Amidah, may he put on tefillin between the blessing of Ahavah Rabbah and the recitation of Shema, and does he recite a blessing over them?
5 opinions
What is the halachic status of the requirement for a clean body (guf naki) during prayer — is it biblical or rabbinic, and does that affect when it can be overridden?
2 opinions
Does the rule about deferring prayer due to inability to maintain guf naki apply even to Mincha and Maariv (when tefillin are not worn), or only to Shacharit?
2 opinions
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Discussion
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