Texting during davening

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  • #597781
    popa_bar_abba
    Participant

    So you probably aren’t allowed to during Shmone esrei (when you can’t even motion to someone.)

    When are you allowed to and when not?

    Lets keep this thread strictly halacha and non-judgmental.

    #783714
    real-brisker
    Member

    pba – Its probaly better than talking.

    #783715
    mewho
    Participant

    ppl seem to text ALL the time. i see parents doing it while pushing their child in the stroller, while pushing them on the swings.

    it is never ending. the kids sure get less attention this way.

    ive seen people text at the drs office as well.

    #783716
    flyer
    Participant

    just think about it like a King. Would you stop to text while talking to a King (or lehavdil teh president)

    #783717
    get a life
    Member

    I would venture to say that if you are not allowed to talk then you are not allowed to text. Oneis allowed to motion only when really necessary so if it is an emergancy then yes he could text but otherwise no.

    #783718
    apushatayid
    Participant

    Halachicly (not hashkaficly), I dont see a difference between learning from a sefer during davening and texting.

    #783719
    real-brisker
    Member

    get – I disagree, there are places one cannot tallk because of hefsek, I dont think texting is a hefsek.

    #783720
    popa_bar_abba
    Participant

    Firstly, I thought we were going to keep this thread about halacha, not judging people.

    Secondly: To those who say I should think about the fact that I’m talking to a king: How has that worked for you? Do you really feel like you’re talking to a king? No.

    You know why not? Because we’re human, and we don’t see no king.

    So maybe a way to work to improve all aspects of davening is to realize I’m talking to a king. But you can’t have that surprise that how could I want to text and don’t I realize I’m talking to a king.

    (P.S. My 5 year old niece learned a song in school that “When you daven your talking to a king…” My brother asked her what a king is. She said “It’s a kind of person.” So basically she is worshiping avoda zara because she thinks she davens to a kind of person called a king. But it’s ok, because I’m sure she doesn’t know what daven is either, besides that you sing fun songs.)

    #783721
    apushatayid
    Participant

    Dont think you are talking to a king. Make believe you are sitting across from your rosh yeshiva/Rebbe (I am speculating that this is something you can picture in your mind). Would you start texting in that situation?

    #783722
    yaakov doe
    Participant

    Do people really text during davening? I’ve never seen it.

    #783723
    ItcheSrulik
    Member

    real-brisker: It’s definitely a hefsek as much as writing a check would be. You’re stopping davening to do something else.

    #783724
    real-brisker
    Member

    Itche – How about not texting, rather just spacing out is that a hefsek?

    #783725
    get a life
    Member

    We have more control over texting then we do when we “space out”. One is done consciously the other not.

    And yes it most probably would be considered a hefsek of some sort (know the story of the Rav who said welcome home to the person who finished ????? ?????)

    #783726
    RedNails19
    Participant

    SHUT OFF YOUR PHONE DURING DAVENING!!!!!

    END OF STORY!!

    DAVENING IS SO PRECIOUS!! USE THE TIME 2 TALK 2 HASHWEM!!!

    #783727
    Ken Zayn
    Member

    Poppa would it be halachickly ok to play a game of chess during davening if the 2 contestants made sure not to talk at all?

    Some ppl I see do not text during davening, rather they daven during texting.

    #783728
    Chein
    Member

    How about reading and posting to Yeshiva World (from your phone) during davening?

    #783729
    nfgo3
    Member

    I thought davening requires concentration. If you are just mumbling words you learned as a child and have known all your life, and do not think deeply about the meaning of the words, you are not fulfilling the mitzvah to daven.

    #783730
    flyer
    Participant

    Obviously it is a little hard to feel the whole davening that you are in front of a king but you can still think about it like that so why would you consider texting????

    #783731
    RABBAIM
    Participant

    If we follow trhe rules of Tefilah as outlined in Halacha, washing, proper dress, contemplating for a moment before I start, becoming aware of what I am about to do, focusing on the meaning of the words (easy in a day when so many types of translations are out there), talking as if I was really issuing heartfelt thanks and anxious requests, then we would not even think of texting, writing, chess, or even thinking of other things. HIS presence will be felt…….. really felt……. quite an opportunity for a daily meaningful experience. It is available to all those who want to strive for it and who focus on it and ask Hashem for his help in making it happen. It nees our RATZON.

    #783732
    jewish unity
    Participant

    Rednails…that was beautiful. And even for the people who don’t feel that way, please respect those who do, and maybe even pick up a Praying with Fire.

    #783734
    basket of radishes
    Participant

    If you are texting when davening, you probably should not be davening at all.

    #783735

    I would say that any time it is muttar to talk during davening ie. before hodu (n. sefard) or boruch she’amar (ashkenaz) it is probably muttar to text as well.

    The halachos that talking during davening are derived from would apply to texting as well.

    The only question is what is considered a hefsek in general. If I wash for hamotzi and then go play a game without talking, do I have to wash again to eat bread?

    #783736
    newhere
    Participant

    derech hamelech- “The halachos that talking during davening are derived from would apply to texting as well.” Says who? Just because texting during davening is certainly improper doesn’t give you the right to make up new halachos. When chazal didn’t allow one to talk, they didn’t say anything about writing or texting.

    “The only question is what is considered a hefsek in general. If I wash for hamotzi and then go play a game without talking, do I have to wash again to eat bread?” If you talk you don’t have to wash again, so why would you if you texted (especially according to you that it’s one and the same). Obviously if you were mesiach daas after washing you would have to wash again, but I don’t know what the texting aspect adds to the question of what is hesach hadaas.

    #783737

    I’m sorry I didn’t mean to imply that this was the halacha. Just what I thought. I am not a boki in hilchos sicha b’emtza hatefillah so I found a site called GoDaven with an article by a Rabbi Doniel Neustadt. He lists the halachos of talking during davening:

    (4) During a scheduled prayer session one may not separate himself from the tzibbur and engage in idle talk.

    (5) Talking during davening causes a chillul Hashem, since it unfortunately lends support to the widely held perception that non-Jews are more careful than Jews to maintain proper decorum in their house of worship.

    (7) During certain portions of davening, talking is prohibited for additional reasons as well. Sometimes talking is considered a hefsek, an “interruption” which may invalidate the portion which is being interrupted, while at other times talking is prohibited because the congregation must give its undivided attention to that portion of the service.

    The ones I skipped out weren’t relevant.

    But you can see that the first two would apply to texting as well. And the last item is hefsek.

    but I don’t know what the texting aspect adds to the question of what is hesach hadaas.

    You’re right, texting is definitely being mesiah daas which is not relevant in davening. I don’t know what a good example of hefsek would be.

    #783738
    popa_bar_abba
    Participant

    If you are texting when davening, you probably should not be davening at all.

    Wow. What an interesting “all-or-nothing” perspective.

    Sounds like Avoda Zara to me.

    #783739
    HaLeiVi
    Participant

    If texting has the status of motioning, that would make it Assur during Krias Shema and Shmone Esrei. If it is like talking (unlikely) then you may only send a smiley, since that would be like winking. The question remains, what about LOL, OMG…? Those seem to be more a form of exclamation than actual speech.

    #783740
    mamashtakah
    Member

    I don’t understand this whole phenomenon. People think they’re so important that they can’t turn the phone off for ~45 minutes? That’s pretty sad.

    #783741
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    If you are texting when davening, you probably should not be davening at all.

    Wow. What an interesting “all-or-nothing” perspective.

    Sounds like Avoda Zara to me.

    A totally unfocused davening is very possibly “nothing” (see Minchas Shlomo 1).

    I would say it’s not worth the possibility of bracha/shem Hashem l’vatala.

    #783742
    WIY
    Member

    PBA

    I asked the asktherabbi (gateways) if it is muter to text during Shacharis and this was his answer:

    Personally, during Shacharis I think that it is forbidden at all points in davening because it is a cause of hesech haDa’as. At the very least I do not see how it can considered to be less than talking and it should be forbidden for all the moments that talking is forbidden.

    #783743
    HaLeiVi
    Participant

    WIY, obviously you mean after Baruch She’amar. But I wonder about that. Although it makes sense that when you can’t talk you can’t text, I haven’t seen any complaint about people writing to communicate when they aren’t allowed to talk. Texting is not worse than writing, although it looks worse.

    #783744

    I haven’t seen any complaint about people writing to communicate when they aren’t allowed to talk.

    Imagine two boys sitting on the same table by Yeshiva Shachris writing notes to each other.

    Imagine two boys sitting on the same table by Yeshiva Shabchris and texting notes to each other.

    You see a difference?

    #783745
    WIY
    Member

    HaLeiVi

    Writing isnt mutar lchatchila either, it is only permissible in rare cases that are a shas hadchak where it is a very important issue and necessary.

    #783746
    cherrybim
    Participant

    Using a cell phone during davening or when a Rav is giving a shiur (whether answering it or texting or looking at the text) is worse than those kids who text on Shabbos. The exception of course is Pikuach Nefesh.

    #783747
    apushatayid
    Participant

    Unless you are texting your bakashos to the ribbono she’ll olam.

    #783748
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    Using a cell phone during davening or when a Rav is giving a shiur (whether answering it or texting or looking at the text) is worse than those kids who text on Shabbos.

    They’re both bad; why do you think this is worse?

    The exception of course is Pikuach Nefesh.

    Then during davening or a shiur is better than on Shabbos? (I’m not sure I got your last point.)

    #783749
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    Unless you are texting your bakashos to the ribbono she’ll olam.

    Nah, He’s got a Kosherphone. ?

    #783750
    cherrybim
    Participant

    Pikuach Nefesh overrides issurim, such as if you are a physician or Hatzalah member. Otherwise, cell phones must be turned off before entering a shul or attending a shiur.

    #783751
    ☕ DaasYochid ☕
    Participant

    cherrybim,

    OK, I got you. I thought you were talking about texting for pikuach nefesh, which is highly unusual.

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