Movement during Davening

During Davening, would MA frown on pacing the floor? Also, was it the custom to shuckle or stand stiff as a stick?

SRainus

R’ Breuer, in an essay entitled “Our Way,” describes what he does and does not consider being indigenous to the “Yekkish” way of life. On the topic of swaying during davening, he writes as follows. “The same holds true for our posture during the Teffila. The Halacha is silent on the preference of a stationary versus a moving position in regard to the intensity of kavonoh during the Teffila. The sainted Ari hakadosh, and with him many of our Torah Greats, assumed stationary positions during the Teffila – and they were certainly not German Jews.” I believe that two things can be concluded from here. First, the “Yekkish way” (or not), at least during R’ Breuer’s time, was not to sway. Second, you see that there were those who were very into Kabbalah (e.g. Ari) and did not sway during Teffila!

Daniel

Here is a quote from the מטה משה, a well known source of Ashkenaz minhogim.

צ ריך אדם לנענע עצמו בשעת התפלה
שנאמר כל עצמותי תאמרנה ה׳
וגו׳ וכ״כ הצרור המור פרשת יתרו וכן כתב הר״ר
יונה בספר היראה וכן עשה מהרי״ל שהי׳ מתנועע
בעת תפלתו

Regards

Richard St