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The poskim discuss the halachic status of our bathrooms. In the olden days, a toilet was essentially a hole in a board and after time the accumulated waste needed to be cleaned out and removed manually (or moved to a different location). It goes without saying that these bathrooms emitted quite a stench. (Today’s porta-potties are somewhat similar though they have a special mix of chemicals to help contain the odors and bacteria.) The gemora discusses a different type of restroom, that is referred to as the Persian Restroom. These were set up so that all refuse would immediately depart from the room and never remain in the room itself. Modern day bathrooms are a combination of both. Before the toilet is flushed the refuse remains, however, with a throw of the lever the waste is removed. The question regarding the status of modern restrooms has been discussed by numerous poskim including the Chazon Ish (Orach Chaim 17:4) and Rabbi Moshe Feinstein Even Haozer 1:114) 

The Shulchan Aruch writes that one should not sleep so that his bed is aligned perpendicular to East/West. The Zohar writes the opposite, one’s should place his head on the East side and his feet on the Western side of the room. The Mishna Berurah (12) concludes that one should follow the psak of the Shulchan Aruch. The Aruch Hashulchan, however, writes that one may place his bed in either direction. 

It is important to ensure that the facilities in one’s homes and in the Beis Hakenesses are in good working order in order to avoid situations where one is forced to hold himself back, which could cause him to transgress a number of prohibitions.

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