Chapter 68 : Laws of the Traveller's Prayer and Precautions To Be Taken When Traveling

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§1

When you set out on a journey, whether from home or from a place where you lodged overnight en route, as well as on returning home, after having left the boundaries of the city, that is seventy and two-thirds amohs beyond the last house, you should say the traveller's prayer: "May it be Your Will, Hashem our God and the God of our fathers that You lead us in peace, etc." This prayer is said in the plural form, except for: "vesiteneini lechein" which is said in the singular form. It is preferable to recite Tefillas Haderech after you have travelled a mil beyond the outskirts of the city. Once you are en route and stay overnight in any city, you may recite it in the morning even before you leave.

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§2

It should not be recited unless you have to travel at least a parsah. It is preferable to recite it within the first parsah. If you forgot, you may recite it as long as you are still on the road, provided that you have not yet reached to within a parsah of the city where you intend to spend the night.

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§3

Tifillas Haderech should be said following another berachah. Therefore, if you depart in the morning and will say the morning berachos while en route or if you lodged overnight on the trip, in any city, (in which case you may recite Tifillas Haderech even before you depart) and you recite the morning berachos even before departing, then, you may recite Tefillas Haderech after the berachah Hagomeil chasadim tovim le'amo Yisrael. [But,] if you depart from home after prayers, [then] you should eat or drink something while en route and recite the after-berachah, and immediately [thereafter] recite Tefillas Haderech. After urinating and reciting Asher Yatzar, you may recite immediately [Tefillas Haderech.]

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§4

It should be recited while standing. If you are riding an animal or travelling in a wagon, if it is possible to stop the animal [then,] you should stop it because riding an animal is equivalent to walking. If it is not possible to stop the animal you may recite it while riding.

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§5

Tefillas Haderech is recited only once each day that you travel. But, if you stopped off in a city intending to spend the night there, and, afterwards, reconsidered and left it to continue onward or to return home, you should recite it a second time. If you travel day and night or if you spent the night in an uninhabited place, [then,] the first time you recite Tefillas Haderech, you recite it with a closing berachah and the remaining days you recite it without a closing berachah, because as long as you do not spend the night in an inhabited place, it is considered one [continuous] journey.

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§6

Before departing on a journey, you should give charity, for it is said: "Righteousness will precede him and he will set his footsteps upon the way." You should take leave from the leaders of the city that they may bless you with success on your journey. You should endeavor that some people escort you. When escorting a friend, and when taking leave of him, you should remain standing in your place until the traveller disappears from view. Those who bless the traveler should not say to him: "Go in peace," but, [rather,]: "Go towards peace;" because David said to Absalom: "Go in peace." He went and was hung, whereas Yisro said to Moshe: "Go towards peace," and he [Moshe] rose to success. While traveling, you should be occupied with Torah study, for it is said: 'And when you travel on the road." You should also recite some Psalms each day with concentration and humility. You should take care to take along bread even when traveling to a nearby destination. You should also take along tzitzis lest a tzitza become invalid and being unable to obtain another, you will remain idle from [fulfilling] a mitzvah." "A person should always arrive when it is good and depart when it is good," that is, when traveling to an inn towards evening, you should arrive while the sun is still shining, and the following day you should wait until the sunrise and [then] depart, and then things [will be] well for you, as is written: "God saw the light that it was good." You should not overeat while on a journey.

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§7

When eating at an inn, you should carefully take note whether the owner and his household are righteous and trustworthy. If you contemplate eating meat at an unfamiliar place, you should investigate thoroughly as to who is the Shochet [ritual slaughterer] and who is the Rabbi who supervises him, for due to our "many sins" violations are common and one who is wise will understand [the allusion]. And certainly where wine is concerned, where because of our "many sins" the transgressors have proliferated, therefore scrutiny and investigation are necessary.

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§8

When praying shacharis on a journey, you should take care to wrap yourself in a tallis gadol just as you do when praying in the synagogue, because the "small" tallis is unlikely to be the proper size. If you are traveling by foot, then, when reciting the verses: Shema Yisrael and Baruch shem kevod malchuso le'olam va'ed, you should stand still so that you are able to concentrate well. If you are riding an animal or sitting in a wagon you are permitted [to recite Shema in that position.] [When reciting] Shemoneh Esrei you should stand. If you are pressed to be on your way, [then] if you can stand for at least the first three berachos of Shemoneh Esrei and the last three berachos, you should do so, and if it not (you cannot stand), then you may pray sitting in the wagon and perform the [required] bendings in a sitting position. However, it is preferable to pray even immediately at dawn, and Minchah even immediately after a half hour past midday, in order to pray while standing and to pray properly. (The distance you must travel to seek water [for washing the hands] and to pray with [a minyan of ten], is discussed in Chapter 12 parag. 5 and 8.)

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§9

The law concerning the situation of a traveler when mealtime arrives and he finds no water, is discussed in Chapter 40:14. In Chapter 42:19 it was explained that one who eats bread may not leave his place27 before reciting Birkas Hamazon. In Chapter 44:6 it was explained that one may recite (Birkas Hamazon) only while sitting. However, if you eat on the road, while walking, you are permitted to recite Birkas Hamazon also while walking, because you would be uneasy if you were compelled to halt [in order to say Birkas Hamazon. But, if you ate while sitting, then, Birkas Hamazon, too, must be recited while sitting.

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§10

It is the custom of some, when traveling and eating at the house of a Gentile, not to recite Birkas Hamazon with a mezuman because it is not considered [a] fixed [meal]. Nevertheless, if they set themselves there to eat together [as a group] [then,] it is not proper to annul the mezuman. They should recite: Harachaman hu yishlach lanu berachah merubah bimekom halichaseinu "May the Compassionate One send us an abundant blessing wherever we travel," uvimekom yeshivaseinu ad olam "and wherever we stay, always." If they partake of the food of one person, they may recite: Harachaman hu yevareich es ba'al habayis hazeh, "May the Compassionate One bless this host" referring to the owner of the meal. If not, (i.e. if each eats his own food) they should recite: Harachaman hu yevareich osanu "May the Compassionate One bless us." See above, end of Chapter 44.

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§11

Halachically, it is prohibited to travel more than three parsas on Fridays whether to your home or any other destination, in order to enable them (i.e. his hosts) to prepare adequately the needs for the Shabbos meals. [However,] in these lands this [law] is not adhered to because most people prepare in abundance. Nevertheless, you should take great care to arrive at your place of accommodation when there is still sufficient daylight, because many violations of the Shabbos result due to late arrivals. Therefore, you should take great care and not rationalize by saying: "The day is yet long and the road is good."

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§12

Should you find yourself, on the holy Shabbos, in mid-journey at an inn, and have money in your possession, if you can deposit it safely with someone, or hide it, it is forbidden to keep it in your pocket, for it is muktzeh. If you fear lest it be stolen, you may sew it into your garment on Friday and remain in the house and not walk out with it if there is no eiruv. But, if there is concern that because of not leaving the house all day it will be sensed that you possess money and you may be robbed, you may go out with it if it is sewn into your garment. But, if it is in your pocket, [then] going out is prohibited in all circumstances. (See also Chapter 189 concerning precautions to be taken for a journey).