...Continued from previous week
1) A person should always try and be from the first ten people to arrive in shul, as the first ten people receive s'char (heavenly reward) equal to all the s'char received by all the people who subsequently arrive. (i.e. If 100 people or more davened in that minyan, the first ten people receive reward equal to all of them!) (See Talmud Brachos 47b and Shulchan Aruch Siman 90:14)
Moreover, even among the initial 10 people who arrive, the first receives more s'char than the second; the second receives more s'char than the third and so on. (See Machtzis Hashekel Siman 90:28)
This applies to shacharis, mincha and ma'ariv, and is only the case if you are davening with them. (Just being in shul to learn, or any other reason, isn't enough to get s'char equal all the people davening) (See Kaf Hachaim Siman 90:99 and Mishna Berura Siman 90 S”K 47)
2) Even if there are already 10 people in shul, the 11th person is better off than the 12th, the 12th is better off than the 13th, and so on. Thus, the earlier one can arrive for davening, the more beneficial it is for him, as he is closer to the root of the shechinah. (See Aruch HaShulchan Siman 90:18. See also Ateres Zekeinim to Shulchan Aruch Siman 90:14)
3) It is important to have a set, steady place to daven. (See Talmud Brachos 6b. See also Rabbeinu Yonah there at length that this also assists in the Tefilah being more accepted in shomayim as it shows humility and that he takes Tefilah seriously. See she'arim metzuyanim b'hlacha on the kitzur Shulchan Aruch Siman 12, kuntres achron 10 that this halacha only applies to shemona esrei and not to the other parts of davening. Not all poskim agree with that.)
4) This refers [to the best of one's ability] to always daven in the same shul or bais midrash, as well as to davening in the same spot (or within 4 amos of that spot) within the shul or bais midrash. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 90:19 and Mishna Berura S”K 60. According to many poskim, it is acceptable to have one steady place for shacharis, another for mincha and another for maariv, or to have one place for the weekday and another place for Shabbos, or one place for winter and another for the summer and similar situations, as long as there is some semblance of steadiness to one’s davening routine. See Aishel Avraham, Butchatch Siman90:19, Pri Megadim, Aishel Avraham Siman 90:34 and Halichos Shlomo, Tefilah, Perek 5 footnote 2.)
5) It is best to not change the place of davening unless for a mitzvah purpose (e.g. Davening in a bais avel, davening at a bris) or for another significant reason, or if one is compelled to change. (Shulchan Aruch ibid. See also Kaf Hachaim Siman 90:118 and Aruch Hashulchan Siman 90:22)
6) Even one who davens at home, due to necessary circumstances (or women, who usually daven at home), should have a set place in the home where he davens. This place should be in a quiet area where the people in the household will not interfere with his davening. (See Mishna Berura Siman 90 S”K 58 and 59 and Aruch Hashulchan ibid.)
7) The ideal way (mitzvah min hamuvchar) to daven shemona esrei, if possible, is to stand facing a wall, with nothing [significant] in between you and the wall. (The main reason for this is to maximize your concentration during shemona esrei. The Poskim give other reasons as well.) (Shulchan Aruch Siman 90:21, Shulchan Aruch Harav Siman 90:20 and Mishna Berura S”K 63. See Rama ibid.and Mishna Berura S”K 68 regarding the size of the item as it relates to it being deemed significant enough to be a separation.)
8) If the item between you and the wall is something that stays put, and doesn't move from there (like a dresser, book shelf or a bench in shul etc.) it isn't deemed a separation, and it is considered like you are at the wall. (Shulchan Aruch ibid. Chairs in a shul, even though they aren't rooted to their place like benches, are still deemed as items that stay put, and are not considered a separation. See Halichos Shlomo, Tefilah, Perek 8, dvar halacha 1)
Likewise, if the thing separating you from the wall is used for davening (e.g. a shtender, or table for your siddur) it isn't considered a separation. (Mishna Berura S”K 66)
...To be continued next week B’Ezras Hashem
