[Avodah] Davening Outside (was davening in public)

[Zev Sero]

Prof. Levine wrote:
> As far as the Kosel goes, I received the following:
> 
> *Please see Tosfos Brochos perek 4, ein omdin daf lamed daled omed beis 
> (34B) dibur habaschil chotzuf, Re Yitchok ovinu, : "Har HaMoria shaane !",
> see side comment there.  so the Kosel is the same matter.
> *I replied, "However, it is not at all clear to me that the Kosel Plaza 
> has the same din as the Har Habyis.  It certainly does not have the same 
> kedusha

But why is Har Hamoriah different?  It has nothing to do with its
kedusha, but rather, as the Taz says, because it was only *called* a
"field" but wasn't really a "mokom porutz".


Micha Berger wrote:
>> He replied, "It seems right that only Shmoneh Esreh is the issue.  Re 
>> "Kosel Plaza", it is Har-HaMoria (not only Har habayis that matters)"
> 
> According to <http://www.templemount.org/moriah.gif> this would include
> all of the Old City, Ir David (Silwan) and a little more.

Not all of the Old City; the Old City is based on *two* mountains,
which used to be separated by a valley; the valley got filled in over
the past 2000 years.


> Still, minhag Yisrael is to daven outside when necessary. I would be
> surprised to learn no heter exists for the rest of the planet.

The heter is very simple.  The issur applies only when there is a
safe house ready to hand in which to daven.   The Magen Avraham says
"*uposhut* she'ovrei drochim mispalelim basodeh".

-- 
Zev Sero                      The trouble with socialism is that you
zev at sero.name                 eventually run out of other people’s money
                                                     - Margaret Thatcher