Q. We live in Yerusholayim. About 35 minutes ago, the air-raid siren went off and we exited to a protected area. While there, Boruch Hashem, instead of getting panicky, we discussed some shailos:
What does one do if the siren goes off in middle of the Amidah? Is the threat of a missile attack as dangerous as that of a scorpion creeping up one’s leg? Does it depend where in the country we are, where the missiles fall every ten minutes or every couple of days? On the other hand, every missile has an address, so the chances of getting hit or being missed should be equal everywhere.
A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”a opinion is that the chances of being (l”o) injured from the Gaza missile attacks in Jerusalem are minimal and one should not interrupt the amida because of them.
I did hear that local Poiskim permit people that have great difficulty to concentrate in the tefilah, to interrupt and seek shelter when the air-raid siren goes off. See Mishna Berura and Biur Halacha (104: 3), and Teshuvos Vehanchogos (O.H. 35) in regards to go to another location in the middle of the amida when a child is crying.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
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