By Rabbi Yosef Ginzburg.
Translated for COLlive.com from Sichat Hashavua
When the cellphone rings in the middle of davening it disturbs not only to the owner of the device, but has a double problem to it:
Bein Adam Lamakom (between man and Hashem) – At conventions and meetings we silence our phone, but when standing before Hashem we leave it on?
Bein Adam Lachavero (between man and his friend) – When a phone rings it disturbs the entire congregation.
Therefore it is an obligation for one to turn off his mobile before walking into Shul (or at least switching it to vibrate).
Clearly it is forbidden to answer a call in the middle of davening. (A person dealing with life-threatening situations – Pikuach Nefesh – like a physician or Hatzalah member, should daven near an exit door so he can take the call outside).
One who is daveing Shmona Esre is forbidden to move from his place until the end and should stand in front of Hashem as a servant before a master – with awe and fear.
He is not allowed to occupy his hands with anything – even the most simplest of movements, and especially not signal with his fingers to someone or something. That includes a syllable of rebuke, encouragement or anger.
But it is says in halacha that if a baby cries in middle of Shmone Esre and disturbs the minyan, his father should stop devening and try to sooth him without speaking. If it does not help – he should take the child to another room.
Therefore, if the phone rings his owner should stop the ringing immediately, even if he is in middle of Shmone Esre. (The same is if he is davening alone in his home and the phone disturbs him).
If a sefer (book) falls on the floor and is disturbing him from davening Shmone Esre, and especially Tefillin or their case; or if a window is open and the wind disturbs him – one is allowed to move and even away from his current location (and return to his place and continue davening).
(Sources: Brachos 30,2; Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 104, 61; Shulchan Aruch Admur Hazaken 61, Mishna Berura 160, 1; Piskei Teshovos 100, 1 & 3)
THOUGHT LEARNED DONT EVEN INTERUPT IF A SNAKE GOES ON ONES LEG ONLY IF A SCORPION?
IF GOJ DISTURBS YOU SIGN OF GOOD DAVENING SO YETER HORAH WANTS TO DISTRACT YOU…
MOSHIACH NOW IF SO MUCH DAVENING WORTH OF BEING DISTURBED. AD MOSAI?..
Thats just one case, your just lucky and that is funny, but sometimes it doesnt turn out that way and it ends up being some silly person who wanted to annioy you! (that happened to me once!)
The Nokia E72 SUCKS
Yes, Brits say mobile, Americans say cell, or cellphone.
i’m from england and that makes sense but just checking.
Unusually for me, I forgot to shut off one of my cellphones when at the Ohel. It rang, very embarrassingly with my loud Lipa song ringtone right after I finished perek 119…and the message was an SMS that the person who I had just said that perek for was on the way to getting the necessary yshua!!
i do not have a cell phone because i don,t think i need one.if somebody calls my house & i am not home or for some reason unable to answer my answering macine comes on they leave me a message & i return the call when i get the message but people who have a cell phone the purpose of a cell phone is so that they can be reached when they are not home & i will tell you the truth.i have alot of friends where i have a hard time reaching them at home so i call them… Read more »
This an important start of writing (practical) Halachos on this Forum. More please. Cain Urbu
OMG seriously???? Have the guts to turn of ur stupid cellphone before u have a conversation with a King and ask favors! SERIOUSLY!!!
I learned something new. Thanks!
Lots of folks go directly to work from shachris. so leaving it home is not possible.
Perhaps develop the habit of moving your phone to your talis bag, just as you remove your watch when putting on tefillin. Then the act of moving it will remind you to quiet it too.
At least for Shacharis leave your phone home. Dont put it on your belt etc till after Shacharis. Once its on, the yetzer horo doesn’t let you take it off till you go to sleep, & some people even sleep with it on ! Wait to power up till after shacharis.
wow such practical halacha
looking forward to more such articles…
the Shu”a does not deal with a perfect world. It deals with reality. “sign of the times” or “why is it normal” are stupid questions. The fact is that it happens and we need to know the halacha in that case.
obviously we ought to turn it off before davening, but what about shogeg? bedieved? we are talking humans here, and finally we have a psak on what to do, bdieved
For those that never had a chance to read the “fine line” at the end of Shmonei Esrei (Tehillat Hashem Siddur) Their is a quote from the Alter Rebbe about bringing children to Shul. If a father cannot bring a child to shul cause he/she misbehaves how much more is having a cell phone on in shul…Lehavdil the muslims have a system that blocks incoming calls to Mosque….But it would not work for us since in a case of Emergency…Hatzallah ect…
The question itself is ridiculous. We have to ask ourselves; how did it come so far that we have to deal with the question?! Why do people find it normal to walk into shul or/and davening with their cellphone switch on.
Would someone please tell me Shulchan Orech has to do with our lives? Hasn’t Orthodoxy or Chassidus turned into another version of “kosher style”?