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Why do I have to be disturbed during davening by someone elses cell phone ringing?
jphone…I disagree, you can’t forget to turn off your phone when there’s a nice big sign saying “SWITCH OFF YOUR PHONE!” at the entrance…
Firmly agree. There is no reason for anyone to have their phones on in shul. If you *absolutely* must be available for contact (i.e. your wife is due to go into labor any minute, etc.), then put it on vibrate and when it rings, go OUTSIDE and answer it.
The Wolf
I respectfully disagree. People “forget” where they are when they are in shul and dont turn off their cell phones. I doubt anyone would forget to turn off their ringer if lihavdil they had a meeting with the president. Perhaps there should be signs that remind people not to blow their nose really loud so that it distrubs people during davening? It is just as annoying and quite frankly even less mentchlekeit and I assure you nobody would let loose with a loud “tekiyah” during an audience with lihavdel, the president. It sounds funny, but the fact remains: Da Lifnei Mi Ata Omed. If you know this, then you wont forget to take care of your phone or anything else that distrubs the davening. Yours as well as others.
Yeah, it always bugs me when people’s phones go off during davening. Please, people! Lets have some proper respect for the Ribbono Shel Olam.
You misunderstood my use of the word “forget”. I didnt mean it should be understodd that it slipped their mind to do so. I meant that the idea of “Da lifnei Mi Ata Omed” is not on peoples mind. Because people “forget” where they are, they do these things. Do you belive someone would let loose with a loud tekiya into a tissue if he was lihavdil at a White House dinner? Why is it ok during davening? The same “forgetfulness” dictates that people are not aware that phones shold be off, emails can wait and that noses can be blown at ridiculous decibel levels.
If you were at the White House for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, you can be sure that you would “forget” to turn off your ringer after a while. Forgetfulness is natural (as is becoming accustomed to common occurances), acceptance is not. If someone thinks that it is not necessary to turn off the ringer, that is a problem. If someone forgets but regrets, it’s understandable.
If you were at the White House for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, you can be sure that you would “forget” to turn off your ringer after a while.
Or, you could do what I do… leave it on vibrate all the time. This way, if I do forget to turn it off, it’s barely noticeable and easily ignorable.
The Wolf
After reading “squeaks” message, I asked someone in shul who, in his profession, regularly meets with politicians and “C” level corporate executives. As familiar and comfortable he might be sitting across a table from these people, he never forgets to turn off his ringer. It is considered disrespectful. Would you scroll through your email while talking to your father? Spouse?
Leave it on vibrate all the time? Come on. Half the enjoyment of owning a cell phone for some people, is making sure everyone hears the loud obnoxious song they are using for a ringtone!
I know it’s not the popular view, but the idea that ‘there is no reason a person should have his cell phone on in shul’ is so wrong! Who is the one that decided that cell phones are more bothersome than having children run around in shul??? A newlywed, who’s wife is pregnant and in labor, is he an exception? A Rabbi who needs to be available to answer sheilos, is he an exception? A mashgiach who must be available for kashrus reasons… is he an exception? I can find many many exceptions… I still feel that those exceptional people should put their phones on viabrate mode, but I am firmly against the posting of ‘no cell phones allowed’ on shuls, and I feel it is against halacha. I know many Rabbanim who have cell phones in shul and many shuls that have hard wired phones inside the Bais HaMedrash for people to use… how can it be prohibited? Answer is… it’s not.
“…Who is the one that decided that cell phones are more bothersome than having children run around in shul???…”
the children are our future. We bring them to shul to teach them how to behave properly and how to doven. your comparison of cell phones ringing to noisy children is not valid. I do not dispute the issue of some children not behaving properly, however, give me a “bothersome” child anytime over a cellphone.
Cell phones, like other objects have a time and a place for usage, we can argue re: the place, however, unless there are certain circumstances (emergencies), the time to talk on a cell phone is not during dovenen.
it is a simple act of courtesy to either turn the ringer off or to vibrate.
Forget about the President or CEO analogy, how about when meeting with a Rebbi or Rav -would you leave it on? We ask for insight and da’as during our tefilla
how about when going to a Dr. or a job interview – would you leave it on? we ask for refuahs and parnassa during our tefilla.
the list goes on…
Let’s leave aside the discussion of how *important* or not someone is, or how necessary it is that he (or she) be “on call”. How can any yid not want to maximize their precious few minutes of tefillah, Especially if they really are so busy/important! aside from maybe a husband whose wife is immenently due (but if she’s that close that it can’t wait 20 min, maybe he should be at home!), everyone understands that a man needs to daven! Most of all, the man himself should understand that!
there’s an old poem that atarts “I had so much to do, I had no time to pray..” and then everything goes wrong. the next day it’s “I have so much to do, I HAD to find time to pray…” !!
what i hate is the pepole who, not only ther phone rings in middele of davning, they slowly take out the phone- and its oser to talk- so in a loud wisper they go uh, uhh, uuuuuuh nu ehemmmm and evryones giving him this derty look and he just gos on as if its the most normel thing in the world….
“A newlywed, who’s wife is pregnant and in labor, is he an exception?”
Leave it on vibrate.
“A Rabbi who needs to be available to answer sheilos, is he an exception?”
During davening? Someone from the back of the shul is going to call him up tell him he forgot yaleh veyavo and ask what to do?
“A mashgiach who must be available for kashrus reasons… is he an exception?”
During davening? What, the Rav must be available for the kiddush club during davening in case shailos come up?
“I can find many many exceptions”
All as silly as these?
“I still feel that those exceptional people should put their phones on vibrate mode,”
I am an exceptional person. I always turn my cell phone off, but maybe I will keep it on vibrate now.
“but I am firmly against the posting of ‘no cell phones allowed’ on shuls, and I feel it is against halacha.”
No cell phones, refer to their use, not that you cant bring one across the threshold.
“I know many Rabbanim who have cell phones in shul”
How many of those Rabbonim take phone calls during davening?
“and many shuls that have hard wired phones inside the Bais HaMedrash for people to use”
INSIDE the bais medrash? That I find hard to believe. Talking on the phone, whether during davening or while people are learning is distruptive, no matter how exceptional the person may be.
In our shul, the Gabbai announces before davening “Please turn off all cell phones” to remind those who inadvertently forget to silence their phones. I actually saw a very cute sign in one shul that said: “Unless you’re expecting a call from G-d Himself, please turn off your cellphone!!”
Helvai only people would shut their cell ringers anywhere (and there are many such places) it is inappropriate. Why must one be wedded to their phone as if dear life depended on it?
now lol theres the jewberry(its a program that u can buy that has all of davening on ot plus tons of other stuff-so if u forget a siddur your fine) on blackberrys so e/o is using that to daven from-so people arent turning off their cell and e/o can be dan lecaf zechus when they c s/o on their phone while davening
don’t have:
that’s a little more than SICK! so in the middle of davening you get a phone call. or a text message. if that doesn’t disturb you then what does? maybe it’s a great thing to have on you JUST IN CASE you get arrested and don’t have a chance to grab a siddur. but honestly, is it such a big deal to use a siddur from the shul? or to keep one in your car for the once in a blue moon that you might get stuck davening be’yachid?
worse is at a funeral!!! if people just think, it wouldn’t be a problem!!!!
im not saying in general its good to use a jewberry but if ur stuck somewere and u dont have a siddur like if u have to daven byechidus or even an on the spot minyan by a wed or by a rest stop
people seem to forget that theres such a thing as sending s/o to voicemail…what about when your on a date and the boy keeps answering his phone….
dont have internet: wow on a date!!! that’s just plain rude!!!!
that’s called plain old rude and if it would happen i’d dump him. it never actually happened to me, though. i guess yeshiva guys are tought a few things before they take out girls.
not some of the ones ive gone with-they arent tought anything-or so it appears-i officialy have the craziest dating stories lol
dont have internet – you should start a new thread and tell all about them
Unfortunately what it boils down to is quite simply that for some people there is not the same respect for Davening as other apsects of life.
Shame really.
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