From the Rav’s Desk: Jumping up three times after taking three steps forward by the end of Shemoneh Esrei

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  1. Question: [Monday, 27th Iyar 5781]

I have seen some people, especially women, bounce their feet up three times [like we do by Kedusha] after they finish Davening Shemoneh Esrei, after they finish going forward the three steps. Is there any source for doing so and should I do so?

Answer:

There is no known source for this custom, and it is also certainly not the universal custom of world Jewry. It is not recorded in the Shulchan Aruch, or Nosei Keilim, or any Sifrei Minhagim and it is thus unclear as to how this custom started and if it is simply due to an error that began with one person and then began spreading or is authentic and has meaning being backed by Torah scholars. Accordingly, you certainly do not have to take it upon yourself to do so, as even if it were to be proven to be an authentic custom, it is certainly not universal and is thus not an obligation for everyone to accept, and until proven otherwise, we do not have to even assume that it is an authentic custom. Nonetheless, those who have a custom to do so, do not have to stop doing so just because we have not found a source for it, as there is seemingly nothing wrong in doing so, and perhaps we can apply the concept of “Minhag Yisrael Torah Hi” and “Minhag Nashim Zekeinos” which is attributed to the Rashba. However, those who desire to stop doing so after now discovering that there is no real source for this custom, and initially started doing it thinking that it is an obligation, may now stop doing so and are not required to perform Hataras Nedarim.

 

Sources: See Koveitz Shut Rav Chaim Kanievsky; Piskeiy Teshuvos 123:3 footnote 36 that perhaps it is done in correspondence to the three Milin that the Jewish people were distanced from Har Sinai and then brought back again by the Angels and hence just like by Kedusha we jump three times to emulate the Angels who can fly so too when we return and take the three steps forward; See Chut Hashani 54; Tanchuma Parshas Tzav; As far as I’m aware, the Rebbe did not follow this custom; See regarding Minhag Yisrael Torah and Minhag Nashim Zekeinos: Shut Aryeh Dibei Ilaiy Y.D 19 in name of Rashba, mentioned in many talks of the Rebbe such as Sichos Kodesh 5729 2:161; 5736 2:185; See regarding Hataras Nedarim: Michaber Y.D. 214:1; Shach 214:5; Yad Yosef 214:4

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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