Monetary, Interpersonal Laws and Din Torah (26)
Davening in a Car. If one is a passenger in a moving car he is allowed to daven those parts of davening that one may sit for. He can also say berachos and bentching. He should take extra care to concentrate and not be distracted by the movements of the car and the surrounding scenery. If he is driving the car, he is not permitted to daven for at least three reasons:
1. Danger. In the olden days, there was a heter to daven if stopping and getting off a donkey or wagon would cause a disturbing delay. Today, though, driving a car does not allow for this heter. To avoid risking one’s life and the lives of others, one has to keep his mind on the speed, activity on the road, directions around him as seen in mirrors, etc. Being lax in these things can be fatal. If one finds himself in a situation where he cannot stop because of danger and the only way to daven before he misses, is to say Shemona Esrei while driving, he is still not allowed to daven. He should make up the lost tefillah by davening a second Shemona Esrei in the next tefillah to make up for the lost tefillah.
2. Distraction. Even if there would not be any danger, there is a certain amount of concentration needed to drive which decreases one’s focus on davening. This is true even when driving with cruise control on an empty highway, and certainly with traffic, stop lights, signals, etc. If one listens to Torah or a shiur, which is a desirable activity while traveling (ובלכתך בדרך), it should be a topic which does not require great concentration.
3. Dishonoring the Service of Hashem. Even if the above two reasons would not apply it is still prohibited to daven while driving. The Mechaber writes: “It is prohibited to do any act of work while saying a beracha.” (1) The Mishna Berura explains (2) because he is showing that he is treating the service of Hashem in an unserious manner. Thus, even light activity needing minimal concentration is prohibited and certainly one that requires real concentration. This applies to all tefillos and berachos and is included in the posuk: “If you behave casually with Me.” (3) The Ben Ish Chai (4) gives some examples of “light” acts that are prohibited - putting on or taking off a garment, signaling with one’s eyes or fingers, etc. The Kaf Hachaim (5) adds cleaning off a table while saying a beracha after eating, to the list. Certainly, then, one may not daven while driving. Therefore, one who says birchas hashachar while driving to shul for Shacharis is doing the wrong thing.
(1) שו"ע או"ח קצ"א (2) משנ"ב שם (3) ויקרא כו:כא (4) בן איש חי [שנה א', חקת ה'] (5) כף החיים קצא:ה