The sages of the Kabbalah have written that it becomes him who has in him the fear of Heaven to have a vessel of water near his bed, in order that (on waking in the morning) he may not need to walk four ells without washing his hands, for he who walks four ells without washing his hands has forfeited his life as a divine punishment. Ibid., fol. 43, col. 2. When a man is dressing, he should first put on the right shoe and leave it unfastened till he has put on and fastened the left; then he should fasten the right, as it is explained in the Shulchan Aruch. Ibid., fol. 44, col. 2. The following are some of the many laws relating to the Shemonah-esreh, or the eighteen blessings which form the most devotional part of daily worship, and which are repeated three times on (ordinary) week-days, and four times on Sabbaths, new moons, and on appointed feasts:-- Before commencing the Shemonah-esreh one should step back three paces, in order to be able to advance three steps. The reason of this is that Moses our Rabbi--peace be on him!--advanced before his prayer into the three divisions, "darkness, clouds, and thick darkness" (Deut. iv. 11). And this is also the reason why after finishing the Shemonah-esreh three steps backward are to be made, returning through these three parts or divisions. This prayer is to be performed standing, and the feet so joined together that they should seem as it were one foot only, in order to be like the angels, of whom it is written (Ezek. i. 7), "And their feet were (so in the original) a straight foot," that is to say, their feet appeared as one foot. This attitude is a sign that the power of locomotion is gone; he cannot pursue and attain any other object than God. The Gentiles place their hands together, intending to signify thereby that their hands are as it were bound; but we, by placing our feet together, intend to signify that they are as it were entirely bound, which is indicative of greater humility; for with the hands bound one could still run away in search of his own pleasure, which he cannot do when the feet are bound. _Kitzur Sh'lh_, fol. 48, col. 2, and fol. 49, col. 1. It is lawful for him who rides upon an animal to pray the eighteen benedictions, and when he comes to the point when he should retrace three steps, he is to back the animal he is mounted on three steps. And so also it is lawful to pray the eighteen blessings when sitting and traveling in a wagon. Ibid., fol. 49, col. 1.