[Avodah] nefilat apayim

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, Dec 04, 2008 at 12:07:59PM +0100, Simon Krysl wrote:
: A possibly silly question: is there a general halachic ruling (a
: prohibition?) on doing nefilat apayim in the absence of a minyan?
: (Alternatively, is there a disagreement on this?) Or would what we do
: (sitting straight even in shul with a Torah present, but without a minyan)
: be a local minhag? I am merely wondering about the status, viz., origin of
: this practice.

Interestin time to ask. RDSchoemann got me started on KSA Yomi, and this
was in Monday's learning. KSA 22:4. There is a bi-lingual copy at
<http://www.geocities.com/yona_n.geo/kizzur/kizzur22.htm>.

    One does not "fall on one's face;" except in a place where there
    is a Torah scroll. However in a place where there is no Torah scroll,
    even though there are other sacred texts, one does not "fall on
    one's face." [1] Rather, one says the psalm without "falling on
    one's face." When one prays in the courtyard of the synagogue and
    the entrance to the synagogue is open, it is considered as if a Torah
    scroll was there. [2]
    
    1) The Mishna Berurah 131:11 mentions opinions which require "falling
    on one's face" in the presence of sacred texts even though a Torah
    scroll is not present.
    2) So one can "fall on one's face."

The footnotes from "Darkei Halakhah (based on the SA, the Ben Ish Chai
and the Kaf haChaim) footnotes (translation mine):
    3) We say "tachanun" even in a place that has no seifer Torah (BIC
    Ki Sisa 14)

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             A life of reaction is a life of slavery,
micha at aishdas.org        intellectually and spiritually. One must
http://www.aishdas.org   fight for a life of action, not reaction.
Fax: (270) 514-1507                            -Rita Mae Brown