CCAR RESPONSA
New American Reform Responsa
21. Facing the Ark
QUESTION: It is our custom when we name a baby to have the rabbi face the ark; the young people and the baby face the congregation. The president of the congregation felt that this should be done. Some members of the congregation asked whether there is any halakhah which demands that the rabbi face either the ark or the congregation during such a prayer. Should the rabbi face the congregation during a baby naming, or the ark? (Rabbi Stuart M. Geller, Lynbrook NY)ANSWER: As all of us know, the general orientation of our services has been toward Jerusalem which has usually been interpreted as having the congregation and any synagogue building face East either during the entire service or certainly during the most important prayers of the service. Therefore, the reader in a traditional synagogue or the cantor who leads the service faces the ark and usually has his back to the congregation. We should, however, note that leaders of the congregation often were seated on the bemah facing the congregation. They face the congregation for most of the service with the exception of the barkhu, amidah, portions of the Torah service, etc. (Tur Orah Hayim 150; Shulhan Arukh Orah Hayim 1.4). There were also local minhagim which demanded that the ark be faced or the ark be opened and this, of course, meant facing it. Such customs varied from one locale to another. Similar minhagim have also been established within the Reform movement. For example, in a large number of Reform Synagogues the rabbi or cantor faces the open ark during the aleinu. Yet in my congregation that is not the minhag. We neither face the ark nor rise. In the matter of baby naming, there is no tradition at all. Normally this was done during the Torah service while the Torah was on the reading desk, and therefore the father and the rabbi faced in whichever direction the Torah was read according to local minhag. In some congregations it was toward the ark and others it was facing the congregation. I have seen both in traditional synagogues as well as Reform synagogues. You must therefore establish a local minhag and remain with it. Tradition provides no guidance.November 1990If needed, please consult Abbreviations used in CCAR Responsa.