Megillah 22b
מגילה כ״ב ב — ד"ה תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן
Megillah 22b:16
Chachmei Bavel distinguish three forms of bowing: kidda, falling face-down; keria, kneeling; and hishtaḥava’a, spreading out the hands and legs in complete prostration.
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: קִידָּה — עַל אַפַּיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַתִּקֹּד בַּת שֶׁבַע אַפַּיִם אֶרֶץ״. כְּרִיעָה — עַל בִּרְכַּיִם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״מִכְּרוֹעַ עַל בִּרְכָּיו״. הִשְׁתַּחֲוָאָה — זוֹ פִּישּׁוּט יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הֲבוֹא נָבוֹא אֲנִי וְאִמְּךָ וְאַחֶיךָ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לְךָ אָרְצָה״.
Apropos Rav’s practice of prostrating himself, the Gemara continues with a discussion of different forms of bowing. The Sages taught in a baraita: The term kidda indicates falling upon one’s face, with one’s face toward the ground, as it is stated: “Then Bathsheba bowed [vatikod] with her face to the ground” (I Kings 1:31). Keria means bowing upon one’s knees, as it is stated with regard to Solomon: He finished praying and “he rose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling [mikkeroa] upon his knees” (I Kings 8:54). Finally, hishtaḥava’a, that is bowing with one’s arms and legs spread in total submission, as it is stated that Jacob asked, in response to Joseph’s dream: “Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow down [lehishtaḥavot] to you to the ground?” (Genesis 37:10).
