By Rabbi Avrohom Bluming
In our age of social media, images travel fast—and some leave a lasting impression. Recently, photos began circulating of people in synagogue, glued to their smartphones during davening (prayer). For some, these images might spark a smirk, for others, a deep cringe. But let’s be honest: when sacred moments are disrupted, the discomfort is real.
There are things we smile at—like children dancing at a simcha. There are things we don’t—like moments that erode our values or spiritual connection. Prayer is the foundation of Jewish life, our direct line to Hashem. When that sacred bond is interrupted by screens, we need to ask: where are we headed, and what can we do before something precious is lost?
Before smartphones took over, when we only had payphones (a dime, then a quarter!), people used to say something beautiful: Davening is a local call—it goes straight to Hashem, and it’s free. No need for a cell tower. No waiting on hold. Just you and your Creator. That metaphor still holds power. Why let smartphones take the place of our deepest connection?
We were taught from a young age: don’t look at the Rebbe during davening—look into the siddur. Focus. Today, the distraction isn’t a saintly gaze, it’s a glowing screen. Should we really be looking at our phones during the holiest moments of our day?
In a sicha, the Rebbe once said that every “normal” person understands that thinking about business during davening is counterproductive—parnassah comes from Hashem. If that’s the case, how much more so should we disconnect from our phones while we pray?
These images may be man made, but as the saying goes, “Every dream contains a hint of truth.” Let’s use these viral photos as a wake-up call. Not just to cringe, but to act.
Let’s adopt a movement:
Turn Off or set your phone to Do Not Disturb during davening.
Inspire others to do the same.
Encourage your community to reclaim the sanctity of tefilla.
With Yud Alef Nissan—the Rebbe’s 123rd birthday—fast approaching, this could be our gift:
1-2-3 – Adopt. Inspire. Encourage.
A small change. A powerful gesture. A true gift to the Rebbe—and to ourselves.
What if you are someone like hatzalah that needs their phones?
What about people that are in middle of a very important situation?
I believe everyone should pay deep attention during davening, but you can’t outright say that people must have there phones on do not disturb
There’s a very big difference between having your ringer on, and you actively going to check your phone while you are davening.
We all know this is not about pikuach nefesh. Ironically the people busy with important things are not usually the ones scrolling. Hatzalah takes a call and runs …
Or daven that your important situation is resolved.
I think we need a separate article for Hatzalah members who should have their phones on them
Obviously they are an exception if they’re getting a call
Hatzalah and other emergency services are the exception, not the rule. They can even break Shabbos (under rabbinical guidance for the criteria/rules).
Hatzalah uses radios to receive calls. Not their cell phone
You can set that certain notifications like an emergency call can go thru on do not disturb
In the Shul I daven you are required to shut your phone during davenen and if your phone rings it’s 10 dollars per ring.
I hope you are joking. This is a recipe for disaster
Project כבוד המקדש _A new approach to improving reverence in shuls_ Many of us don’t want to be talking during davening. This grassroots movement is friends encouraging friends to up our game in this important area of not talking from the beginning of davening until the end. 1. This is not a movement that encourages shushing 2. The idea is not to encourage loud announcements and scary divrei Mussar 3. The goal is to identify friends who naturally want to grow in this area, and חברך חברך אית ליה 4. We’ve seen the negative approach backfire 5. We don’t want… Read more »
I often daven using my phone instead of using a siddur! I have all the tefilot and tehillim and chitas on my phone and i find it easier to hold. I can also enlarge parts to see it better.
Perhaps thats what people were doing.
I put the phone on airplane mode so i get no interference when davening
There is nothing wrong with doing this
What if your battery runs out in middle of shmoneh esrei?
When you use a proper siddur, you carry all the tefilos that others said with it too.
It’s heillig.
“There is nothing wrong with doing this”
You think so, but the effect it has on the eyes of others is undoubtedly counterproductive.
והייתם נקיים מה’ ומישראל
You may have the best of intentions, but you’re unwittingly creating a bad impression.
Whenever you have a physical Siddur, Tehilim, etc. on hand, please! give it priority!
The Rebbe told multiple people to davven from SIDDURIM
There is an actual inyan to using a siddur idk the details tho just trust in this one also notifications distract u
Please speak with your mashpia about this.
I do think hours of reading from a phone isn’t that good for your eyes.
Also I heard that according to Halacha their could be a problem as you
Aren’t supposed to hold an expensive item when davening Amida.
& if it’s cheap like what is considered expensive
Tefilen,hat, suit, all an”expensive item”
Instead of banning cell phones during davening, we need to ban davening while using cell phones! In a movie theatre – cell phones are banned. No cell phone rings during the opera. But in shul, we welcome all behaviors.
I love the spoofed painting. Not one of them is wearing tefillin while on the phone. Either it is Chol Hamoed or davening has already ended.
The image its based on is a Zalman Kleinman painting of Chassidim still davening Shabbos afternoon. (not because they woke up late, but because they were learning Chassidus or contemplating Chassidus until then.)
Phones on Shabbos OY VEY!!!
So then why are they still wearing a talis
Project כבוד המקדש _A new approach to improving reverence in shuls_ Many of us don’t want to be talking during davening. This grassroots movement is friends encouraging friends to up our game in this important area of not talking from the beginning of davening until the end. 1. This is not a movement that encourages shushing 2. The idea is not to encourage loud announcements and scary divrei Mussar 3. The goal is to identify friends who naturally want to grow in this area, and חברך חברך אית ליה 4. We’ve seen the negative approach backfire 5. We don’t want… Read more »
And yes for Maras Ayin alone and chinuch this is not a good idea. Stuck in middle of Zimbabwe ok. But at home , in Shul absolutely no excuse!! And most people have their distractions on
That someone took a great painting by a holy Jew and ripped it off to make this AI picture. I have no problem with AI art in general but please respect the artists and their work
There is a larger underlying issue with our need to be constantly connected to our devices. There is a movement building in general, not about the holiness of davening, but about the ways in which our screen time is affecting many aspects of our brain and our lives. One of the ways discussed to know if one has a problem is if we make all kinds of reasons why we MUST have our phone with us, all the time. Things like it’s my alarm clock, so I MUST have it near my bed etc. Perhaps we each need to look… Read more »
It’s a good opportunity to start consciousness.
Let’s keep in mind then that we are at the moment not using the phone so (having to turn it off) is not an automatic thing that we are accoustumed to because only Yom tov.
It’s a big problem which can lead to mixed dancing
Please explain how it can lead to mixed dancing?
If you’re looking at your phone you can’t see where you’re going and you walk into the wrong side of the mechitza and dance with women by accident
The phone is not the issue, it’s the person using it!
What next, ban food on shuls?
The problem is when it bother others, such when ring.
Also, stop the loud talking on shul! Please!! With or without a phone
The definition of the word inappropriate is something that is “not suitable or proper in the circumstances.” It is not something that is inherently wrong or evil, it is simply not the right time or place. “The right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing.” For the sake of argument, let’s say that phones are not inherently evil. However, in the shul setting, they most certainly are not fitting. They are simply inappropriate. BH there are adequate supplies of siddurim, phones are simply unnecesary. Okay, you need your phone for a minute, emergency or not, step out. The… Read more »
Technology, electronics, computers, internet, cellphones, smartphones… it’s all a new world for our (mankind’s) minds. Reading this article and COL are also part of the new world. Siyagim (adding boundaries) are halacha’s way of helping someone not bend to the folly of human desire. First decide whether you do not want your phone or computer to cut into what you consider quality use of your time. Then you decide what measure you will self-impose to ensure you don’t get tested. Not sure why this article writer thought his prescription is for all, but the general notion of creating a boundary… Read more »
Please take the article and don’t criticize
You all get what it means to you personally
Like the alter rebbe said gevald gevald. Go to Sephardic shul you won’t see one phone. It’s about respect the bet kenesset you should all be ashamed of yourself!!
Same in England
No excuse for disrespecting our Shuls.Invite Hashems Blessings instead directly. The phone used during davvenen might act as a partial barriere, chv. Davvenen is about getting close to Hashem, so we can stay with that closeness even when we go about our business.We wish everyone an easy way to break this undesirable addiction.
I think that AI generated picture is really sad. That painting was painted many years ago to illustrate the Tziyur of Avodas Hatefillah.
Zalman Klienman had a tremendous Chush Hatziyur and knew how to paint the perfect picture of Chassidim ‘doing their thing’.
This picture with the smartphones, really messes up the whole thing.
A fully AI picture of this would’ve been a little more ok, but don’t ruin a beautifull painting like that…
Stam.