Shemoneh Esrei: Sitting

Do I stand for Amidah on a moving bus

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

As you correctly note, one is to stand when reciting the Shemoneh Esrei. In fact, for example, it is preferable to recite Shacharit, and stand for the Shemoneh Esrei, before sunrise and without a minyan, rather than to recite Shacharit, and sit for the Shemoneh Esrei, at a later time or with a minyan.

Only in an emergency may someone sit for the Shemoneh Esrei. One who is on a bus or plane and has no choice should recite the Shemoneh Esrei sitting down. But if one is confident that one will arrive at one’s destination before the prayer deadline should wait and recite the prayer in question later.

I will also add that on a bus or plane it would be forbidden to recite the Shemoneh Esrei standing in aisle or the like, as doing so will be very disturbing to the crew and other passengers (unless the crew designates him a place to pray). So too, one will not be able to properly concentrate on one’s prayer in such circumstances anyways.

When reciting the Shemoneh Esrei while sitting on a bus or plane, one should stand for the bowing sections if possible, though this is rarely feasible. Otherwise one should sit oneself upwards (not lean on the one’s chair) and keep one’s feet together. One should bow one’s head at the times when one would normally bow the body.

See OC 94:5, 98:4, Mishna Berura 89:39,40; 95:2.