285. Davening Under the Influence

Tefillah u’Birkas Kohanim 4:16

Proper intention means that one should clear all thoughts from his mind and picture himself standing before God’s Presence. One should sit for a short amount of time before davening in order to focus his attention; he should then daven in a pleasant and humble manner. One should not treat his prayers as a burden to be discarded. Therefore, one should remain behind a short time after davening, then depart. The pious people of earlier generations would wait an hour before davening and an hour after davening; they also extended their davening so that it took an hour.

Tefillah u’Birkas Kohanim 4:17

A drunk person may not daven because he can’t have the proper intentions. If a drunk person does daven, his prayer is considered an abomination. Therefore, he must daven again after he sobers up. One who is only a little tipsy (“buzzed”) should not daven but if he does, his prayer is valid. A person is considered drunk when he would be unable to address a king; one who is tipsy would be able to address a king. Nevertheless, since he drank a reviis of wine (about 3.5 ounces), he shouldn’t daven until the wine has left him.