The West African Jews of the Diaspora Traditions: (Taking Off Ones Shoes Before Entering the Sanctuary

or the Tebah.)
by West African Jews of the Diaspora on Wednesday, December 31, 1969 at 7:00pm

Many have asked, what are some of the customs of the West African Jews of the Diaspora, that differ from those of other Jewish communities? Ive decided to write this note to answer this question and to begin a series, which will acknowledge other customs of the West African Jews of the Diaspora as well, one subject at a time. Whenever I mention the practice of removing one's shoes before entering the sanctuary, tebah or prayer, the scripture where G-d tells Moshe robennu or Yehoshua Ben Nun to take off his sandals, immediately comes to mind by most who hear it. For those of you who are not familiar with these passages, the scriptures says: (He (G-d) said [to Moshe], Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.) Shemoth/Ex 3,5 " ' " (Remove your sandals off and away from your feet; for the place whereon you stand is holy.' And Yehoshua did so.) Yehoshua/Jos 5,15

One of my teachers, Rabbi Eliezar Brooks zl, explained that we practice this because the act of prayer is holy, and we are commanded to prepare to call on our Maker who is Holy, Amos 4,12. In the Torah, G-d also commands us saying be holy, for I AM HOLY Wayikra/Lev 19,1-2. This is why the preparations for prayer are extremely important, and they are as follows: 1. Thikun Haguf (= preparation of the body) 2. Thikun HaMalbush (= preparation of one's clothing) 3. Thikun HaMakom (= finding a suitable location) 4. Nokah HaMikdash (= facing the Temple) 5. Amidah ( = standing) 6. Hashwayath HaKol (= lowering one's voice) 7. HaKri'ah (= bending onto one's knees) 8. Yoshev La'ares (= sitting onto one's own legs on the ground) 9. Kidah, al Apayyim ( , = bowing on to one's face) 10. Hahishtahwaya (= the prostration) Only those who are experienced in making Hakri'ah, Yoshev La'ares and Kidah al appayyim, truly understand the discomfort, inconvenience and awkwardness of wearing shoes while attempting to render the service of the heart unto our Creator,

through prayer. Another reason for the tradition of removing your shoes relates to the Beth HaMikdash. The West African Jews of the Diaspora respects the sanctuary of their Beth Kenessoth as a holy place. For not only is it a place for prayer, but also a place where the very words of the Most High are chanted from the sifre Torah. In this sense, there is always a reminder of the days when the Beth HaMikdash stood, and when Moshe robennu first encountered the Most High. This usually brings on an intense sense of reverence and awe to an oleh (one of 7 people representing a particular tribe of Israel) approaching the sifre Torah when called to read. We must also consider that whenever one prays the Amidah, we are taught to take three steps forward, representing the approaching of Eres Israel (the land of Israel), Jerusalem and the Beth HaMikdash (Holy Temple/G-d's presence) for those in the galuth, where shoes are off limits. This is why our sages also teach that we take three steps backwards when we are done... " "

(R. Alexandri said in the name of R. Yehoshua b. Lewi: One who prays [the Amidah] should go three steps backwards, and then recite peace. R. Mordecai said to him: Having taken the three steps backwards, he ought to remain standing, as should a disciple who takes leave of his master...") BT Mas. Yoma 53b The Sages attest to the fact that shoes were off limits in at the Beth HaMikdash (Holy Temple) saying: " ( ) "

(A man should not enter the Temple mount either with his staff in his hand or his shoe on his foot, or with his money tied up in his cloth, or with his money bag slung over his shoulder, and he should not make it a short cut, and spitting [on it is forbidden] a fortiori from the case of the shoe: seeing that regarding a shoe, the wearing of which does not show contempt, the Torah has said, Put off your shoes off from your feet,) BT Mas. Berakhoth 62b However, many would argue that the sages say, that one may wear shoes in the beth kenesseth (synagogue), as opposed to the Beth HaMikdash, and

this is correct. " " " (Rather, said Raba: [The beth kenesseth (synagogue) is] on the same footing as a man's house. Just as a man objects to his house being made a short cut but does not object to the wearing of shoes or to spitting there, so in the case of the synagogue, the using it as a short cut is forbidden, but wearing the shoe and spitting in it is not forbidden.) BT Mas. Berakhoth 63a Additionally, the Talmud even tells us that the kohenim must take off their shoes in a beth kenesseth before giving the birkhath hakohen (priestly blessing, BaMidbar/Num 6,23-27), which indicates that even in ancient times, shoes/sandals were worn in a beth Kenesseth. " " (The Rabbis said: It is derived from the regulation that the kohanim are not permitted to ascend the platform wearing their shoes. This is one of the ten ordinances, which R. Johanan b.

Zakkai instituted. What was the reason? Was it not out of respect for the congregation? R. Ashi said: No; [the reason] there was lest the shoe-lace become untied and he proceeds to retie it, and people will say: He is the son of a divorcee or a Haluzah) BT Mas. Sotah 40a The context of the above Talmudic passage regarding the beth kenesseth being on the same footing as a man's house, means that like a Jewish home, the Beth Kenesseth should always be holy. But there remains the option for the community to do as they please regarding the rules, policies and sanctity of their individual places of worship. Whereas the Beth HaMikdash is on the highest level of sanctity and there is no halakhic tolerance for the wearing of shoes, at all. The West African Jews of the Diaspora have a tradition to regard our sanctuaries as holy, and apart from approaching the tabah and aron kodesh (the Ark, a place where the sifre Torah is stored) being even holier, both of which are located within the sanctuary, shoes are normally allowed to be worn within the building. There is still an additional practical reason for a few other congregations, in which the shoes must be removed, and this issue is in regards to a halakhic ruling that is not practiced by most Jews today. According to both the Torah and Talmud, Jews are to

wash their faces, hands and feet before entering prayer. " ' (Make a bronze kiyor, with its bronze stand, for washing. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. Aharon and his sons are to wash their hands and feet with water from it. Whenever they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to YHWH, they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aharon and his descendants for the generations to come.) Shemoth/Ex 30, 18-21 ' ) ( (As what was taught: One must wash his face, hands, and feet daily in his Maker's honor, for it is said, YHWH has made everything for His own purpose Mishle/Prov 16,4.) BT Mas. Shabbath 50b ("But in during the shaharith (morning) he washes

his face, his hands, and his feet, and afterwards he prays.") RaMBaM MT Hilkhoth Tefillah 4,3 Today many will also argue that in ancient times, most Jews didnt cover their feet with shoes, but wore sandals which allowed their feet to get dirty, so washing was necessary then, and since the advent of shoes this halakha is no longer applicable. Nevertheless, many of the West African Jews of the Diaspora, regard such reasoning equal to that of one who says, a person who wear gloves isn't obligated to wash their hands. There remains the fact that Jews are obligated to follow a set of halakhic protocols before prayer (the Shema/Amidah), as prescribed by the HaZaL. Most West African Jews of the Diaspora still wash our feet before entering prayer and of course this means, that we must take off our shoes and will keep them off while wearing our socks or disposable slippers as we enter the sanctuary. Furthermore, this practice extends even into the many homes of the West African Jews of the Diaspora. Where we regard our homes as places of holiness, and/or simply carry the traditions of our forefathers for the sake of keeping our homes clean. Additionally, Im sure that many of you are aware that practice removing your shoes before entering the home is not isolated amongst the West African Jews of the Diaspora, but it is also practiced by many Mid-Eastern Jews as well.

Notwithstanding, the practice of removing one's shoes before entering prayer, the sanctuary and the tebah is one of many customs that distinguishes the West African Jews of the Diaspora from other communities, more will information on our other traditions will come soon, b'ezrath HaShem. Any question or comments are welcomed. Shalom uvrakha