Should Shuls Ban Phones During Davening?
Question of the Week: An AI-generated image reimagined Zalman Kleinman’s iconic painting of davening in Kfar Chabad, depicting Chassidim holding cellphones instead of siddurim and seforim. Should shuls ban phones during davening? Comments
Question of the Week: An AI-generated image reimagined Zalman Kleinman’s iconic painting of davening in Kfar Chabad, depicting Chassidim holding cellphones instead of siddurim and seforim. Should shuls ban phones during davening? Comments
with the necessary exceptions for people who need exceptions like hatzlaha workers and a few other exemptions
IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO SHUL YOU CANNOT BAN PHONES IN CROWN HEIGHTS
Let’s be real people will just stop coming to shul
People need their phones.
As a wife with kids B”H I need to reach my husband when I need him.
I don’t care how long he goes for but I know that I could always reach him if I won’t be able to reach him I would not let him go for a long time.
That photo is trash & garbage
Ban phones in shul
100%
It’s the saddest thing. Schools should make teachers and therapists put them away ( our tuition dollars and tax dollars to people scrolling instagram )Schools should ask parents not to walk in with them. Chevra kadisha should ask people coming to levayas, party planners should tell simcha participants etc etc etc.
Although practically it’s a little hard to implement. However I think it would be proper for every individual to take upon himself to put his phone away while Davening. Regardless of the rule of the shul.
Agreed your not davening to apple your davening to hashem ithink people have to do it themselves not because its a rule
Definitely!!
I use my phone to daven. It’s the best on days like Rosh Chodesh – don’t have to flip pages back and forth and remember what’s next etc etc
Siddur app is the best
Seriously?! Come on. Just be normal and use a siddur.
dont get in the way of bros avodah
The Torah teaches us to rebuke one who is doing something not necessarily correct.
The Rebbeim instituted the concept of a mashpia. Is not our responsibility to help another person? Especially when it disturbs the atmosphere of the shul…
And other torah learning
And how many other notifications come through and leave you distracted. Flip a few pages it’s better for you. And if you’re a parent or teacher it’s being a much better role model.
I can’t believe how many people sit here telling someone to “just” use a siddur. You have no idea if this individual is blind, struggles with their vision, or possibly with their dexterity making turning pages difficult.
If you don’t understand why something exists (a davening app for example) than it probably wasn’t made for you.
– sincerely an Occupational therapist
Normal?
I believe Hashem wants the heart.
If you explain what is not normal about it, and have a plan that is intended for the specific recepient you are judging, maybe type that up in a way that comes from and enters the heart instead?
The only advice I would recommend is to put it on airplane mode.
lol the laziness of dor hashvii
While I agree that Shuls demand a certain honorable and dignified decorum I don’t think banning is a Jewish approach. God created a world wherein we have the autonomy to transgress His will and the self control to refrain from doing so.
If it comes with a cost you can ban, u fool.
You ever learnt a word of chassidus?
we ban non kosher etc.
anything that is completely bad we stay far away from.
We use them for JEM, Ashreinu, and chitas — daily study. How’s that completely bad??
And we’re a scrolling generation. We send something “inspirational” on social media. It’s looked at for 3 seconds and then scroll to countless other waste of time as well as not “kosher”things. This is the greatest excuse people use for their addictions.
There is a right time and place for everything. A phone in shul is completely bad.
What about for the yid who struggles to turn pages or is in pain trying to read small letters? An iPad or phone can make davening accessible to people with disabilities – and not all disabilities are visible
Cherem is real and it still happens.
At the same time, everything is relative, and group decisions are sometimes made which is enforcable in one direction or another.
I think we should educate people about Kedushas Beis Hakneses and the importance of Tefillah! Halochos and Chassidus on Davening which hopefully will create a change and inspire people to put away the distractions whether it’s a phone or something else…
Absolutely
I agree that the siddur app can be helpful, but if you are in shul and you have a siddur, please respect the atmosphere and put away your phone.
…
Just put it on silent. And be mindful and talk outside the minyan. It’s klipas nogah, not issur. I agree with a comment above that says about educating about what a shul is and respect it. So the person will understand by himself that he shouldn’t be using the phone. No need to ban things. Banning the use of phone is a scapegoat for people that want to feel good without having to face the real issue ,when the problem is not the electronic, it goes deeper than that. It’s not the phone, is the person using it. Just put… Read more »
Most people I see, are capable of self discipline when davening. So my answer is “no.” Adults are capable of controlling themselves. And it is a good skill to learn.
Immediately!
the diagnosis of the problem is an accurate and true one,but the prescription for the solution is not the right one.
i once went to a bris and someone’s phone rang during the bris. i was horrified. maybe ban phones for bris milahs. how dare someone let their phone ring while they are circumcising a baby!!!!
If he was sandek, better it should ring rather than buzz and make his lap shake..
We need to figure out how to help ourselves get out of phone addiction. Phones are intended to be addicting and most people have fallen prey to the addiction. BH I think most people are able to keep off of their phones over shabbos and yom Tov, but other than that….
Point is – banning is a bandaid, not getting to the root of the problem.
(And I am speaking to myself as well)
I just want Moshiach Now!
Phones absolutely should be kept on!
It may be good news about the arrival of Moshiach!! And I don’t want to miss that call.
people shouldn’t have to put them in a basket or like give them to someone. they should be able to keep them in their own bag or with them but the volume is off and they don’t use them.
I think they should definitely have a basket
I don’t want other peoples’ germs getting onto my phone.
–said no man ever on his way into shul.
If someone bans me from using my phone in shul and they enforce it im gonna be pissed and then im gonna walk out. There are no minyanim that everyone is on their phone like this. Its just hysterics. Let me do my own iskafiya, thanks.
I think the excessive drinking in shuls is more disrespectful and more dangerous.
The discussion is not drinking though
(It’s not like because we are wrong in this aspect, let us wait until we take care of it, and then take care of the other problem)
That’s the way people daven and learn a mamar chassidus be done lechaf zechus
That’s what people said by communist Russia, but they knew very well that that’s not how it’s supposed to be
And remember then it was a hard time to keep mitzvos properly
This website is part of the problem, not the solution
…and we expect our children to daven, with kavana, without distractions…seriously? this conversation is about ADULTS who can’t make a mature decision to keep phones out of sight during davening???
Personally I use my phone to learn Chitas and Rambam at down times during davening and throughout the day.
The Rebbe spoke many times on how we need to use technology to our advantage. I think it would be positive if everyone downloaded Dvar Malchus, Chayeinu etc on their phone so where ever you are, you have minute here a minute there you can always learn. This idea used to be reserved for those that learn by heart today everyone has access. Let’s focus on the positive!
theres a big difference between having chassidus on your phone for the “I have some spare time” to l’chatchila having a phone in shul as your siddur which inevitably will also be a distraction by incoming messages/let me just check… etc….
On this topic someone brought up that it’s the parents and educators – true %100 To my ‘dear’ teacher, You have always punished me for speaking during davening in class, true it is wrong, But in shul on Shabbos you wouldn’t stop talking, You took upon yourself holy work educating children and instead they understood that everything you sell them in school about Judaism is really not what’s on your mind and that yiddishkeit is not so important Where am I today… If you are a teacher a) you should know you are representing holy work b) don’t scar forever… Read more »
Just imagine when HaKodosh Boruch Hu would listen a chosid davening accompanied by a chassidsher niggun and heart wrenching tenuah of the heart. Today what sounds (tenuahs) does Hakodosh Boruch Hu hear during a chosids davening, alerts, notices, chirping, ringing, reminders etc. etc. Wow we have moved in the wrong direction !!!
B”H
For women worrying that they won’t be able to reach their husbands, in the merit of their husbands davening and then switching on their phones afterwards, you will have nothing to worry about.
It will also make for a speedier and better davening as they don’t have distractions. When you put Hashem first, He will put you first.
Since cell phones became a regular thing, I was wondering what a non-shabbos farbrengen would look like if cell phones were around, back then. Just an imagination image.
Yidden have been davening from siddurim for the past thousands of years and its one of the holiest places and times to Daven. Put away phones and connect to the Eibeshter.
Why is nobody talking about how the picture looks?
Ridiculous
So do the people in most shul (in ch)
This is a typical shul nowadays… Unfortunately.
Indeed, we look ridiculous
“My water broke” is one of several beeps that prevents a ban.
There’s no such thing as banning the phone, rather banning PEOPLE. Don’t ban jews from shul.
Rather, show how to limit the phone to its actually purpose, using pleasant & peaceful ways.
It’s not ther Person being banned It’s the phone!
Leave your phone out of shul
In response to your inquiry regarding whether it is proper to ban the use of phones in Shuls: It is well known that a Beis HaKnesses is called a “Mikdash Me’at,” a miniature sanctuary, and as such demands the utmost respect, awe, and sanctity. The atmosphere in a Shul must be conducive to prayer, to Torah study, and to reflection on one’s relationship with the Creator. Introducing elements that disturb the peace and sanctity of the Shul, such as the ringing or use of phones, stands in direct contradiction to this purpose. Even more, it is explained that disturbances during… Read more »
If davening with a phone in your pocket, or using it as a Siddur gives you piece of mind, then do it.
But please refrain from blasting a video, or having a video call in the middle of davening
phones should be put in a locker or basket outside the actual shul. a shul is a beis hamikdash
I was zoicheh to be at the Rebbe’s farbrengans for about 6 years. Imagine if for hours at weekday farbrengans people would have smartphones and would be live streaming and texting and grabbing that one call from their spouse who cannot find their keys. I am so grateful to the Aibishter that smartphones were not out yet – everyone focused for hours
If we are going to be in the business of banning phones then why stop there? Let’s ban internet, pictures of women and sheitels just like all the other chareidim