...Continued from previous week
1) A laborer, a serviceman and the like who wear "work clothing" that often get dirty, should ideally change into cleaner, more respectable clothing before davening. (See Talmud Shabbos 144a and Shulchan Aruch Siman 98:4 where he likens davening to the offering of korbanos in the Bais Hamikdash, where the kohen was required to don special clothes before commencing holy service.)
2) In areas where it isn't acceptable to meet with respectable people and dignitaries while wearing boots, sandals or crocs without socks underneath or with slippers, they should also not be worn while davening, and surely not while davening shemona esrei. Likewise, davening while only wearing socks should be avoided. (See Aruch haShulchan Siman 91:5 and Mishna Berura Siman 91 S”K 12 and 13. It is questionable if rubbers on the shoes are like boots or not. There are various opinions in the Poskim, and every individual should consult a Rav for a psak Halacha l'ma'aseh. The Poskim point out that on Yom Kippur and Tisha b'av, it is of course permitted to daven with socks, slippers etc.)
Some Poskim are lenient regarding davening while wearing a plastic hat covering which is commonly worn to protect the hat from the rain, if it is attached well to the hat. (See Halichos Shlomo Tefilah, Perek 2:18. Some Poskim are stringent and recommend removing it. A regular shopping bag on top of the hat is surely not acceptable though)
3) It is proper to have a belt tied around the waist while davening shemona esrei. This is indeed the prevalent minhag amongst Chasidim, who don a special belt, called a "gartel" while davening. (See Shulchan Aruch Siman 91:2)
Many Rishonim and Poskim are of the opinion that as long as one already has a separation between the top and the bottom of his body (bein libo l'ervah) via the waistband of his pants or via his regular belt, no additional "gartel" is required for davening unless it is that person's minhag to wear a "gartel" all day, in which case if he took it off before davening, he must put it back on for shemona esrei. (See Mishna Berura Siman 91 S”K 4 where he concludes that even according to these opinions, it is still praiseworthy, midas chasidus, to do don this "gartel" regardless.)
4) The prevalent custom among most non-Chasidic Ashkenazi Jews as well as among most Sephardic Jews is to daven without donning a "gartel". (See Shu”t Teshuvos v'Hanhagos vol. 1 Siman 69 for more about this. Interestingly he writes there that the Chazon Ish Zatzal wore a "gartel" for shemona esrei in order to satisfy the "midas chasidus" cited in the Mishna Berura above, whereas the Chofetz Chaim Zatzal, the author of the Mishna Berura, himself, seemingly did not wear one.)
If one's family minhag is to wear a "gartel" he should hold on to this minhag and not change. If one's family minhag is not to wear a "gartel", he should consult with a Rav before deciding to adopt this minhag.
5) A Jewish male may not recite devorim shebikedusha, holy utterances (e.g. Brachos, davening, words of Torah etc.) or even enter a shul, with his head uncovered. (See Shulchan Aruch Siman 91:3 and Mishna Berura Siman 2 S”K 12. He writes that males putting on and reciting the bracha on the Tefilin shel rosh, where it is common to momentarily uncover the head, should be aware not to recite the blessing until the head is once again covered.)
M'ikar Hadin, all females, including those that are married may daven and recite brachos without a head covering, though it is praiseworthy, and it is indeed the accepted custom, for married women to cover their heads when davening [and reciting brachos], even when they are not in the presence of men. (See Halichos Shlomo; Tefilah Perek 2:17; dvar halacha 28 and footnote 88 at length what is quoted from the Chasam Sofer. He rules that divorced women as well should ideally cover their heads when davening and reciting brachos.)
6) It is ideal, if possible, not to say "Shalom Aleichem" or "Shalom" to a man who is not wearing a head covering, lest he respond with the word "Shalom", which is a name of Hashem, while with a bare head. It is better to greet him with an alternate greeting such as "hello" or "how are you doing" or “Mah Nishma?”. (This can be more relevant in Eretz Yisroel, where many not-yet Torah observant Yidden commonly use the word “Shalom” in greetings. See Shu”t Igros Moshe Orach Chaim vol. 4 Siman 40:24. See also Halichos Shlomo; Tefilah, Perek 2, dvar halacha 26 where he is more lenient with regard to this.)
7) Placing your own hand on your head does not suffice to be considered a proper head covering, and davening this way is akin to davening with a bare head. Someone else's hand on your head suffices. (Shulchan Aruch Siman 91:4)
8) Extending the sleeve of your shirt or jacket over your palm and covering your head with the cloth suffices as a head covering. (See Mishna Berura Siman 91 S”K 10. See also Mishna Berura Siman 2 S”K 12 that for a bracha, b'sha'as hadchak, there may be room for leniency, but he concludes that it is better not to rely on this leniency.)
...To be continued next week B’Ezras Hashem
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