Q. A person is davening and a moment after he started Shemone Essre, all the people in the minyan decided to go to a different location to daven because of noise disturbances, may he also go there? Does it make a difference if the noise bothers him also or if he would have extreme Agmas Nefesh (pain) and lack of kavana over having to daven beyechidus (alone)?
A. Poskim permit to move to another location after having started the Amida, when one finds it impossible or very difficult to concentrate, due to the noise created or the movement of people close by (Salmas Chaim 117). Or when it is too cold, too hot or a constant disturbing noise such as a ringing telephone, make it hard to maintain one's attention (Tefila Kehilchasa 12: 6, quoting Horav Eliashiv zt'l).
Poskim permit even taking a quick rest sitting down when one strongly needs it. (See Piskei Teshuvos (104: 3).
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Dovid Pam and Horav Akiva Steinmetz Shlit'a
Important Numbers
