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Difference between revisions of "Full Prostration (השתחויה) Hebrew Hishtakhaweh, Arabic Sajda"


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[[Image:Prayer Positions 10.jpg|thumb|Lying prone with the face touching the ground]] The most prominent prayer position mentioned in Scripture is full prostration, lying prone with the face touching the ground. The Hebrew word for this gesture is ''histakhaweh'' ("to prostrate oneself"), (Genesis 37:10, Berachot 34b) usually combined with ''nefilah'' ("to fall down in surprise"; Joshua 5:14; Job 1:20); at other times preceded by the above mentioned partial prostration ''qida'' ("to bend the knee").  Often full prostration was preceded by partial prostration on hands, knees and head.
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''Hishtaḥawayah'' was the most common one in the Second Temple, especially as connected with the sacrifical service.  After every sacrifice the priests had to make the full prostration (Mishnah Tamid, vi. 1, 2).  Indeed, when the Temple was destroyed, full prostration ceased almost entirely (except for ''Tachanun'', see below “To fall on the face”)
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In addition, every worshiper to the Court of the Nations would have up to thirteen full prostrations to peform, with the hands and feet spread out and the face touching the ground (Mishnah Sheqalim 6:1,3). A further form of the ''hishtakhaweh'' is the ''nefilat apayim'' the sudden and complete prostration with the face to the ground, which took place only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, when the high priest pronounced the Ineffable Name.  When the worshipers heard this, they all threw themselves on the ground (Yerushalmi Yoma, 40d, The Mishnah in Babylonian Yoma 66a).
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After the destruction of the Temple, the custom in the Land of Israel converted partial and full prostrations into symbolic motions, and in Babylon were prostration continued, full prostration was discontinued except for ''tachanun'' and high holidays (Baba Metzia 59b, with reference to Eliezer b. Hyrcanus).  Thus it came about, some decades later, that when Rav, the founder of rabbinical learning in Babylonia, returned to his home from Palestine, he remained standing in the synagogue when all others threw themselves prostrate on the ground (Megilah 22b).
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==References==
 
==References==
 
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Latest revision as of 08:11, 25 May 2010

Lying prone with the face touching the ground
The most prominent prayer position mentioned in Scripture is full prostration, lying prone with the face touching the ground. The Hebrew word for this gesture is histakhaweh ("to prostrate oneself"), (Genesis 37:10, Berachot 34b) usually combined with nefilah ("to fall down in surprise"; Joshua 5:14; Job 1:20); at other times preceded by the above mentioned partial prostration qida ("to bend the knee"). Often full prostration was preceded by partial prostration on hands, knees and head.

Hishtaḥawayah was the most common one in the Second Temple, especially as connected with the sacrifical service. After every sacrifice the priests had to make the full prostration (Mishnah Tamid, vi. 1, 2). Indeed, when the Temple was destroyed, full prostration ceased almost entirely (except for Tachanun, see below “To fall on the face”)

In addition, every worshiper to the Court of the Nations would have up to thirteen full prostrations to peform, with the hands and feet spread out and the face touching the ground (Mishnah Sheqalim 6:1,3). A further form of the hishtakhaweh is the nefilat apayim the sudden and complete prostration with the face to the ground, which took place only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, when the high priest pronounced the Ineffable Name. When the worshipers heard this, they all threw themselves on the ground (Yerushalmi Yoma, 40d, The Mishnah in Babylonian Yoma 66a).

After the destruction of the Temple, the custom in the Land of Israel converted partial and full prostrations into symbolic motions, and in Babylon were prostration continued, full prostration was discontinued except for tachanun and high holidays (Baba Metzia 59b, with reference to Eliezer b. Hyrcanus). Thus it came about, some decades later, that when Rav, the founder of rabbinical learning in Babylonia, returned to his home from Palestine, he remained standing in the synagogue when all others threw themselves prostrate on the ground (Megilah 22b).

References