Bowing for the Avoda

On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we do something extraordinary: we bow down in prayer in a way that is generally prohibited according to halacha. Why is this ancient practice reserved for these sacred moments—and how should it be done properly? In this series with Rabbi Dovid Fink, explore the halachot and traditions surrounding prostration during the Yamim Noraim.

Classes

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August 26, 2026 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Bowing for the Avoda: Bowing for the Avoda

Class description

Torah prohibits bowing down on אבן משכית (Va-Yikra 26:1). Nonetheless we bow on Yom Kippur during musaf.

In this minicourse, we will survey the opinions of the leading posekim regarding the parameters of permitted and prohibited bowing on Yom Kippur and all year round.

A source sheet in both WORD format and pdf is available through the links. In class we will translate and explain these sources.

Handouts

Bowing -- WORD Bowing -- pdf

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Rabbi Dovid Fink

In addition to being one of Rabbi Brovender's first students, Rabbi Dovid Fink is an outstanding expertﾠand teacher of Halacha. Rabbi Fink received his Rabbinic ordination from ITRI and the Mir and was awarded his Ph.D in Semitic Languages and Linguistics from Yale University. Rav Fink has taught thousands of students from all over the world for over 35 years.