After re-embracing the commitment to follow their religious obligations, Moses tells the Israelites that they are bidden to enforce public allegiance. As Rashi explains the verse (Deut. 29:28), “v’haniglos lanu u’lvaneinu” (and the revealed is for us and our children) dictates that it is the Jewish public’s responsibility to eradicate transgression wherever it is found. And I find talking in shul almost everywhere.Why do people talk in shul? So there can be only two reasons: they either think that it’s not inappropriate or they think it is inappropriate but they do so anyway.
In his responsa in regards to people’s poor attitudes to prayer, Maimonides lambasts those who don’t take prayer seriously, emphasizing how they likely neither know what they’re saying nor to whom they are speaking (Shailos u’Teshuvos 261).
About 2 years ago, I had my best friend over for Shabbos, and when we were each choosing a siddur from the bookcase in shul, he chose a Hebrew/English ArtScroll while I went for the all Hebrew version, and he accused me of not taking a Hebrew/English siddur because it’s not the cool thing to do. Well, that bothered me a lot — was that really why? Is it not cool to know what you’re saying? So, shortly after that, I began taking only a Hebrew/English siddur whenever I daven. At first, I would find it very difficult to use, because who can read the Hebrew, glance over at the English and think about what one’s saying, while at the same time trying to keep up with the chazzan who’s only pretending to say all the Hebrew words, let alone know what they mean?
So I decided that I would use the English for things that I already knew by heart in Hebrew — basically the Shema and Shmoneh Esrei. I would say the Hebrew words by heart while reading the corresponding English words, and boy was that something. I actually looked forward to davening a lot more than I had used to. Now I do this regularly, and I also enjoy reading the English during Lecha Dodi (Heshy’s favorite poem, by the way). It amazes me that people talk in shul as though they have all the time in the world after having completed saying everything — but now I realize that I was once guilty of not really davening myself — as Maimonides puts it, what’s the use of saying lots of words that I don’t even understand? As the Shulchan aruch puts it (OC 1:4), it is better to pray less with more intention than more without intention. The key to prayer is, as the Mishnah Brurah puts it, to “direct one’s mind to Heaven.” And if we each promote an environment in shul in which we direct our minds to Heaven, who’s going to have time to talk and who are they going to talk to?
And to those who continue to talk, let’s issue a fatwa.
I enjoy the Artscroll Interlinear siddur which places the English under the Hebrew and allows one to easily see what’s going on at all times.
I enjoy the Artscroll Interlinear siddur which places the English under the Hebrew and allows one to easily see what’s going on at all times.
I find it difficult to read English from right to left, so the one I am speaking of above is the original, opposing page version. Moreover, because Hebrew uses a different grammar construct, you’ll end up with a Hebrew phrase ABCD that translates into English as BCDA (like h’keil hagadol… in shmoneh esrei) and the interlinear makes me feel restricted by having to read only the words they want me to be reading right now 🙂
shabbos kodesh magic!
This is a very interesting point of view. Your blog is refreshing, but I wish one could find more content, though. I am looking forward to reading more from you. Keep up the good work. thanks.
No…thank you!
Yeah… I have sort of concluded what the Rambam says before I ever saw the letter. It’s really impossible to fathom that one can have an idea that he’s standing before G-d and addressing him, and at the same time shmoozing with the guy next to him.
So in a way they are innocent. Sort of like a kid not being expected to figure out manners if nobody teaches them to him. These people have been praying all their lives, simply because they have been doing so the day before. The standard beliefs which normally lead one to prayer were built into their knowledge before thay were old enough to understand what the implications were, and therefore you sort of have this paradox of a person who is doing all the things which one does when moved to submit to G-d’s will – without really recognizing G-d or who he really is.
That’s why there’s a new concept today of “kiruv krovim”….
Let it be his will that all Jews from all backgrounds be moved to recognize him in truth and sincerety.
It’s all part of the debriefing that we all need but many never receive. For an intriguing and somewhat thorough review of this concept, you can check out R’ David Aaron’s text “Seeing God” — in summary, we all learn the Jewish equivalents of Santa Claus as a child, because that’s how things are best described to children (as stories, allegories, riddles, mnemonics, etc.) but all to often, parents don’t have the important 12-year-old sit-down with their children to explain what’s really a part of our Mesorah and what’s not. So, as R’ Aaron concludes, many, many Jews walk around with the notion that God is some Herculean cloud-rider with a quiver full of lightening bolts. Isn’t that what a little kid pictures in his or her mind when you tell them Hashem will be upset if they don’t bentch properly or ignore mommy’s requests? What sort of healthy relationship can we possibly expect from an interaction with God based on these principles if 25 year olds think of God in the same fashion?
R’ Mordechai Becher explains how, in a sense, kiruv krovim is more important that kiruv rechokim — those who are ignorant can at least claim they had no idea, but those who know and choose to ignore cannot invoke such a defense.