Attending High Holidays Services Without Payment
Question
If someone does not purchase a seat at a synagogue for high holidays and does not ask the synagogue for permission to pray there, is it forbidden to walk in and sit in the vacant seat of a no-show or stand in standing room in order to be present at any part of the service? Is it forbidden to be present during a shofar blowing in order to fulfill the mitzvah of hearing the shofar or recite Yizkor on Yom Kippur or to fulfill any other mitzvah? Is this considering stealing from the congregation?
Answers
It would be considered stealing to sit in a seat even if it is empty. Whether it is a problem to attend the Services and stand, depends somewhat on the protocols of each Synagogue. In any event, I would strongly recommend that the person ask the Synagogue ahead of time, and, if they refuse to allow it, to find another congregation who is more flexible.
Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team