Traditionally, Jews need to pray in the direction of Jerusalem. But why it that, and how do Jews know which direction is Jerusalem when praying?
The general answer is maps or a general sense of geographic orientation. Generally, if you know where you are in the world and have some knowledge of the globe, you should know the general direction of Israel. And if you are in Israel, you should know the general direction of Jerusalem. To make it even easier, synagogues are built so that the ark (cabinet) containing the Torah scrolls is always on the wall nearest to Jerusalem (something architects take into account when designing the buildings).
If you are outside, you can also use an app for your smartphone which indicates the correct direction.
Read below for some more tips. But first:
Why Jews Pray Facing Jerusalem?
Jews traditionally pray in the direction of Jerusalem, where the “presence of the transcendent God (shekinah) in the Holy of Holies of the Temple” (quote from the book “The Monotheists“). But why is that?
Historically, the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem became the focal point for Jewish prayers as in it lay the Ark of the Covenant – a place that held the Ten Commandments tablets given to Moses by God. The custom confirmed with the tale of the prophet Daniel, which was in Babylon and “went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open to Jerusalem; and he got down upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously” (cf. Daniel 6:10).
After the destruction of the Temple (of which only the western wall remains), Jews continue to pray to face Jerusalem in the hope for the return of the Messiah.
The Talmud instructs Jews outside the Land of Israel to face the Holy Land while praying. Jews residing in Israel should turn towards the city of Jerusalem; those living within Jerusalem should orient themselves towards the Temple Mount, and those next to the Temple Mount should turn towards the former site of the Holy of Holies.
The Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) specifies that in synagogues, the Ark should be placed in a way that “worshipers may pray in the direction of the Holy Land and the place of the Sanctuary in Jerusalem”. This is why when synagogues are built, especially in the US, they usually face Jerusalem. This means when you are in a synagogue, facing the ark at the front is considered “local east”, regardless of the direction that the building is facing.
Which Direction Is Jerusalem
As we already mentioned, you shouldn’t have an issue determining which direction is Jerusalem as synagogues are built facing that direction, and in the U.S., if you’re not in a synagogue, you face in a generally eastward direction and it’s considered good enough.
in Shanghai, the Synagogue is set up facing west. Synagogues in Russia and Eastern Europe are generally built facing South or Southeast.
For those who would like to be more precise, there are map projections that can show the direction of Jerusalem on a spherical earth:
The order of direction while praying is as follows (as outlined in the Talmud Berachot):
- If in outer space – face planet Earth.
- While on Earth outside Israel – face Israel.
- When outside Jerusalem – face Jerusalem.
- In Jerusalem – face the Western Wall (the Old City).
- Near the Western Wall, it is advisable to turn a little toward the place of the Temple, the place of the Holy Arch (Kodesh Hakodashim).
- When directions are unknown (no cellular coverage, you know) – face toward East.
- When completely lost, just direct your heart to our Father in Heaven.
And while we are looking for Jerusalem, why not learn about the Jerusalem Trail?
