We know turning our back on somebody is quite impolite. Today’s daf TB Yoma 53 applies this rule of etiquette to the High Priest as he is leaving the Holy of Holies, to regular priests, Levites, and Israelites at the conclusion of the sacrificial service, to students parting from their teachers, and people finishing the Amidah take their leave of the Holy One Blessed be He.
“The mishna teaches that the High Priest exits and comes out the way that he entered, i.e., he does not turn around, but walks backward with his face toward the Ark. The Gemara asks: From where are these matters derived; what is the source in the Torah for this halakha? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said that Rabbi Yonatan said that the verse states: “And Solomon came to the high place that was at Gibeon, Jerusalem” (II Chronicles 1:13). Now, what does Gibeon have to do with Jerusalem? Either he came to Gibeon or to Jerusalem; these are two different places.
"Rather, the verse compares his exit from Gibeon to Jerusalem to his arrival from Jerusalem to Gibeon. Just as in the case of his arrival from Jerusalem to Gibeon his face was necessarily turned toward the high place, in the usual manner of a person’s arrival, so too, upon his exit from Gibeon to Jerusalem his face was still turned toward the high place, in the manner of his arrival. This teaches that one does not turn his face away from a sacred place; rather, he must walk backward.
"And likewise, with regard to priests in their service; and Levites on their platform in the Temple, where they recited songs; and Israelites at their watches, where they observed the sacrifice of the daily offering: When they departed from the sacred place, they would not turn their faces and walk but would turn their faces sideways and walk, so as not to turn their backs on the sacred place.
"And likewise, a student who takes leave of his teacher should not turn his face and walk but turn his face sideways and walk...
Ҥ Apropos the obligation of a student to walk backward when taking leave of his teacher, the Gemara discusses a similar topic. Rabbi Alexandri said that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: One who prays must take three steps backward upon concluding his prayer and then recite: Peace, in a manner befitting one who departs from before the Holy One, Blessed be He. Rav Mordekhai said to him: Since he has taken three steps backward, he should stand there and not return to his place immediately. ..
“The Gemara comments that this was also taught in a baraita: One who prays must take three steps backward upon concluding his prayer and then recite: Peace ( עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם)…”
“The Gemara relates that Rava saw Abaye reciting: Peace, by bowing at the end of his prayer to his right first. Rava said to him: Do you maintain that you should bow to your right? I say you should bow to your left first, as it is the right of the Holy One, Blessed be He, since He is opposite you face-to-face, as it were.”
Many commentators give reasons why we take three steps backwards when we finish the Amidah. The Geonim hold that the Shekhina’s presence during prayer is found within four amot of the davener, Assuming the davener is standing in the middle of the four amot, three backward steps what take him out of God’s presence he encountered while praying. The Beit Yosef (Yosef Kairo) quotes in the name of Rav Hai Gaon that the three steps backwards symbolize three stratum of stones that were close to the east where the priests would walk and exit. The Arkhot Hayyim explained that the three steps symbolize theחושך, ענן, וערפל (the darkness, the cloud, and the mist) that encircled the Shekhina which the person metaphorically left God’s presence via these three separations. The Vilna Gaon explained that the three steps are remembrance of the three steps that the Gemara says that Nebuchadnezzar walked backwards in honor of heaven. Because of these three steps he was greatly rewarded.
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