Forgoing the Facilities vs. Missing Minyan

776. Forgoing the Facilities vs. Missing Minyan

A person is required to begin davening with a guf naki (a clean body), which includes emptying the bladder (and the bowels). It is therefore appropriate to time a trip to the bathroom as preparation for tefillah (prayer), even if not needed, so that it should not be necessary to interrupt davening for that purpose.* However, if using the facilities would delay davening to the point that the individual would miss tefillah b’tzibbur (davening with a minyan—prayer quorum) or the z’man tefillah ([latest] appropriate time for davening), there is no obligation to use the facilities if there is no need.

If facilities are needed, a person has an additional obligation to go, since there is an issur (prohibition) of bal t’shaktzu (do not act repulsively—see details in Halachah #759) and davening in a state of gufo meshukatz (his body is repulsive) is not acceptable. What if going at that time interferes with the z’man tefillah? Under those particular circumstances—since davening on time is so essential—we may rely on those poskim who are lenient and permit delaying a trip to the bathroom in cases where it is possible to postpone using the facilities for a minimum of shiur parsah(the amount [of time it takes to walk a distance] of about 2.5 miles), which is seventy-two minutes. However, with regard to tefillah b’tzibbur, a person should not rely on the kula (leniency) which allows a delay of shiur parsah and must use the facilities without delay, even if it entails missing the minyan.

However, if a person cannot delay urinating for that length of time or if they must relieve their bowels, they must do so before davening even at risk of missing the z’man. If someone needing to relieve their bowels went ahead and davened regardless, their tefillah is considered an Toeivah (abomination) and they must repeat the davening after using the facilities.

*For cases when the bathroom is needed during davening, see Halachah #759 and Halachah #682.

https://halacha2go.com?number=776

Practical Halacha: One minute a day. By Horav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, shlita, Mara D'asra and member of the Badatz of Crown Heights.