Question
I had just finished Shemoneh Esrei and was waiting for the chazzan to reach Kedusha before taking my three steps forward, when someone urged me to step up immediately so he could pass. He claimed that the Shechinah remains in front of a person until they take three steps forward after Shemoneh Esrei, and therefore it’s forbidden to pass in front of them. I argued that this only applies while one is still in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei, not after it has concluded. Please clarify the correct ruling.
Answer
The individual was incorrect in what he stated, and was incorrect in pressuring you to transgress the halacha and take three steps back up prior to the Chazan reaching Kedusha.
Explanation:
While it is true that there is a custom among some people to not allow others to pass within the three-step space of someone who has not yet stepped forward after completing Shemoneh Esrei, nonetheless, this custom is not a binding halachic requirement and is only practiced by some. Furthermore, it is not based on the Shechinah remaining there, as in truth the Divine Presence departs once the prayer concludes. Rather, it is based on an idea that one is supposed to take a total of six steps, three back and three forward, at the conclusion of Shemoneh Esrei, and some individuals do not wish there to be an interval between these six steps and hence prevent others from passing within it. However, even this custom is only followed by a select few and according to the letter of the law, others may walk within that space. Accordingly, one who is not personally particular about this custom does not need to impose it on others as the custom applies primarily to the individual who finished Shemoneh Esrei, not to those around them. Thus, there is no room for one to hurry a person to take three steps back up when that person is not particular in this matter.
Furthermore, the Poskim explicitly negate this practice of people taking the three steps back up right away in order so another individual doesn’t walk within their three-step space, if doing so will compromise on the amount of time that they are meant to wait prior to taking three steps back up. When praying with the minyan, one is meant to wait until the Chazan reaches Kedusha, and hence pressuring someone to take the three steps back up before hand would be violating halacha for the sake of a nonbinding custom.
As a personal note I would like to mention that in contrast to the above stringency of not passing within a person’s three-step space, it is a clear halachic prohibition to walk in front of someone who is still in the middle of Shemoneh Esrei, as ruled explicitly in the Talmud and Shulchan Aruch. Likewise, one may not take three steps back if another person is still praying behind them within four cubits. It is thus surprising to me that some of the people who are meticulous about the former (which is not required) matter of not walking with the three-step space of a person who is after Shemoneh Esrei, neglect the latter and walk in front of people who are in middle of Shemoneh Esrei, which is an explicit halachic prohibition.
All this comes to emphasize the need for continuous study and review of halacha so one not come to make a mistake and override a prohibition due to a personal stringency.
Sources: See Admur 123:4; M”A 123:6; Lechem Chamudos Brachos 73; Ketzos Hashulchan 20:25; Kaf Hachaim 123:14
