Amidah/Shemoneh Esrei standing so long

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Forum -> Yom Tov / Holidays -> Rosh Hashana-Yom Kippur

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amother

Fri, Sep 10 2021, 7:56 am

How can I manage to stand so long for the Amidah/Shemoneh Esrei?
It's a real struggle for me, taking away from my kavana because I feel the need to finish it.
I am young (40) with no physical issues (none with my knees or feets)
But somehow my feet starts to hurt or burn with standing so long.
I did try different shoes or Crocs ...

oneofakind

Fri, Sep 10 2021, 8:00 am

I don't daven in a shul where they blow shofar in middle of shemona esrei ( still traumatized from my childhood). I saw somebody brought to shul those special rubber mats that are supposed to be easier to stand on- maybe that'll help.

amother

Viola

Fri, Sep 10 2021, 8:00 am

You don't need to stand if you don't have energy. I've been sitting through shemona esra on yom kippur ever since I'm a teen, as do many others in shul.

watergirl

Fri, Sep 10 2021, 8:03 am

Stand during the silent part (your part) which is less than 10 mins. Sit when the aron kodesh is closed the rest of the time.

shabbatiscoming

Fri, Sep 10 2021, 8:05 am

Get shoes with better support. Crocs have no support. Thats first.
Second, I am almost 42. I havent stood the whole time in YEARS.
You need to do what you can, not more.

chocolate moose

Fri, Sep 10 2021, 12:11 pm

do the best you can. everyone doesn't stand for everything.

amother

NeonPink

Fri, Sep 10 2021, 12:17 pm

Speaking of which....can anyone recommend comfortable shoes for Yom Kipur?

amother

Indigo

Fri, Sep 10 2021, 12:21 pm

I sit even on Yom Kippur for shemona esrei. It started around 16 years ago when I was 9 months pregnant on y’k. I daven a lot at home. I’m not yet comfortable to sit for s’e in shul.

amother

Starflower

Fri, Sep 10 2021, 1:01 pm

watergirl wrote:

Stand during the silent part (your part) which is less than 10 mins. Sit when the aron kodesh is closed the rest of the time.

For many people, silent Mussaf on Rosh Hashanah takes over ten minutes, and vidduy on Yom Kippur can take awhile too. Ask your rav about standing without feet together, and yes, sitting is an option. If you feel weird about it, daven it in another room or at home before coming to shul.

And yes, look into one of those mats made for barbers and the like. You can use it at home too while you cook if you like.

Hashem_Yaazor

Fri, Sep 10 2021, 1:04 pm

They're called anti-fatigue mats.
My 16 yo got one last year for yomim noraim 😉

Crookshanks

Fri, Sep 10 2021, 2:02 pm

I wear sneakers and accept that my feet will hurt.

Elfrida

Sat, Sep 11 2021, 12:05 pm

I wear comfortable, supportive sandals for shul on Rosh HaShana, and a skirt long enough so that no one will really see them. Sometimes I lean on the shtender, to take the weight off my feet a bit. Sometimes I shift the weight from one foot to another, to give them a break.

During the amidah I don't notice so much. It's more of an issue during piyutim when the Aron Kodesh is open.

Coming out of shul this year, I noticed the person in front of me was wearing five inch heels. My first though was, 'How does she daven?' But obviously some people are used to it and it doesn't bother them.

On Yom Kippur I wear crocs, and don't have a problem most of the day. I stand up right through Neilah, and at the beginning that can be hard. As the tefilla gets more intense I don't notice it, but it's always a relief to sit down afterwards.

ImmaBubby

Sun, Sep 12 2021, 12:20 am

2 things really helped my feet and my back for the Yom Kippur Shemoneh Esreis- first, really supportive sneakers with added gel insoles, and using a machzor that was thinner and therefore lighter to hold through all that standing.

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