Interrupting Shemoneh Esrey During Emergencies

If I am in the middle of Shemoneh Esrey and there is a ‘red alert siren’ may I stop praying and run to the shelter?

Thank you for your question.

When it comes to Teffilat Shemoneh Esrei, we find an interesting halacha in Masechet Brachot (Chapter 5, Mishnah 1), one may not stop in the middle of the Shemoneh Esrei even if a snake is wound around one's ankle. The commentators ask, why is that so? Don’t we always say that when one is in a situation of danger, this is called 'Pikuach Nefesh' and one is permitted to violate even prohibitions of the Torah to save himself? This is learned from the verse (Leviticus 18,5).

וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת חֻקֹּתַי וְאֶת מִשְׁפָּטַי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם הָאָדָם וָחַי בָּהֶם אֲנִי ה'

“He shall live by them…” It is explained in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 74a) that we learn from this that the commandments were given for one to live by them, not to die through them, so why is it forbidden for one to interrupt the Shemoneh Esrey if a snake is wound around his ankle? isn't it a case of Pikuach Nefesh?

Rabbeinu Yona, in his commentary on this halacha, writes, that one may run away from the snake, and the intention of the Mishnah ‘not to interrupt’ is; that one may not speak in the middle of Shemoneh Esrey even if a snake is wound around one’s ankle. This opinion is brought by the Rema le’halacha (Siman 104,3) however the opinion of the Me’chaber is that one may not even move away from the snake, so the question remains, why not?

Rashi explains (on page 33a) that most snakes are not considered dangerous because they do not usually bite, therefore, encountering a snake is not deemed a hazard. However, if one sees a scorpion approaching, one may run away even in the middle of prayer, since scorpions are always considered dangerous.

One might ask, even though in most cases a snake does not bite, when it comes to danger, we do not decide based on percentages because we have a rule that the obligation to save oneself from danger is more stringent than the general halacha of saving oneself from a prohibition. For example, even if in a case of halacha we decide according to the majority, when it comes to assessing a dangerous situation we take into consideration even a small percentage?

Rebbi Elchanan Wasserman zt”l explains in 'Kovets Shiurim' (tractate Pesachim 8a) that since the danger of a snake represents only a small percentage, we have a rule (cited in Tractate Pesachim, page 8) that a person who is in the middle of performing a mitsvah does not need to be concerned about the minority chance of danger. The merit of the mitsvah will protect him. However, in a case where danger is likely (שכיח), such as with a scorpion, one must escape even in the middle of performing a mitzvah.

When it comes to the danger of rockets, one might argue that most rockets do not actually hit populated areas, since they are Baruch Hashem intercepted by the Iron Dome. However, since each rocket poses a danger when it is launched over civilian areas and is capable of wrecking damage if not intercepted, le’halacha it is considered similar to the danger of a scorpion. Therefore, one must leave in the middle of praying to go to a protected room, stairwell, or shelter.

It is important to know that after one runs to the shelter, and it may have taken, let's say, three minutes, does he continue from where he left off or start again? The Shulchan Aruch )Siman 65,1. Mishnah Brurah, Se’if 6) writes that it depends on whether it would have taken him more than three minutes from where he was in the Shemoneh Esrey to finish. If so, it is considered an interruption (hefsek), and he needs to start again. However, if it would have taken him five minutes to finish the Shemoneh Esrey, then the interruption was less, and he can continue from where he left off.

May we merit that the next siren we hear will be the shofar of Mashiach!

Masechet Brachot, Chapter 5, Mishnah 1

Rabbeinu Yona ibid

Leviticus 18, 5

Talmud Sanhedrin 74a

Rema, Siman 104,3

Rashi, page 33a

Kovets Shiurim, Tractate Pesachim 8a

Shulchan Aruch, Siman 65,1. Mishnah Brurah, Se’if 6