[Be-Ahavah
U-Be-Emunah – Re'eh 5772]
If
you are the one leading the davening
Do
not daven slower or faster than what is acceptable. Do not place "a burden
on the congregation." If you daven too slowly you will cause others who
have to go to work to leave before the end of the davening, and you will
prevent the next minyan from starting on time. If the someone davens too
quickly, do not admonish him in the middle of the davening and embarrass him.
Talk to him as a friend after davening. If speaking to him gently does not
work, do not ask him to lead the davening.
Shul
is not an opera house
Use
the accepted tunes of the community. Do not use tunes with which the community
is not comfortable. This causes discomfort to the community in addition to the
halachic question that arises from acting this way. If the person leading the
davening acts differently from the accepted practice, please do not embarrass
him, as we said above. If you ask your guest to lead the davening, advise him
of what is expected of him in order to prevent any unpleasantness.
Shul
is not a day care center
Do
not bring young children who cannot remain quiet. It is permissible to bring a
quiet child. If he begins to make noise please take him out immediately, even
in the middle of the Shemoneh Esrei. In fact, especially in the middle of the
Shemoneh Esrei.
Shul
is not a club house
Please
take an urgent conversation outside, and "Hashem, the Beneficent One, will
forgive." If you talk inside and disturb others who are davening, however,
it is not certain that they will forgive you. If the conversation cannot be
delayed and it is impossible to take it outside, please whisper and
"Hashem, the Beneficent One, will forgive."
Shul
is not a carpenter's workshop
Close
chairs and folding shtenders quietly without banging them.
Shul
is not a place to create work for others
Please
return siddurim to their places. The Gaba'im are not your slaves.
Shul
is not a welfare office
Pay
your dues and donations, and do not perform Mitzvot with money that does not
belong to you.
Shul
is not a Chasidic Rebbe's court
Do
not make a long "Mi She-beirach" to which no one listens. A blessing
will come to someone who is strict to forgo a "Mi She-Beirach." Donate
money when you receive an Aliyah, and I promise you that the Master of the
Universe will bless you even without the Gabbai's announcement.
Shul
is not a "Shteibel"
If
you are late, repent. Do not organize a private repetition of the Shemoneh
Esrei which prevents others from leaving and places a "burden on the
community."
Shul
is not an election rally
Do
not shout out "Yasher Koach" to people who receive an aliyah or led
the davening. They will be happier to receive a personal "Yasher
Koach" with a smile.
Shul
is not Hyde Park in London
Try,
as much as possible, to hang announcements on the bulletin board.
The
Netilat Yadayim room is not a club house for Cohanim and Levi’im
Conversation
and the "jokes" are usually at the expense of the repetition of the
Shemoneh Esrei and others people's ability to concentrate.
The
Silent Shemoneh Esrei is exactly that: Silent.
Our
Sages said that one should not daven the Shemoneh Esrei out loud in the
presence of others, since a person is not permitted to increase his own
concentration at the expense of another person's concentration. Do not clap
your hand in the middle of the Shemoneh Esrei "to expel external
distractions." Ask Mekubalim (mystics) how to attain this result without
making noise.
If
you see a new face in Shul
Smile
at him, extend a handshake and greet him. The usual crowd in shul should also
be viewed as a new face.
If
you have an obligation to lead the davening, forgo it
The
merit of forgoing it will benefit the ascension of the soul of the deceased
even more than the merit of prayer.
If
you are looking for challenges in Mitzvot between one person and another – come
to shul.
If you are
looking for challenges in Mitzvot between a person and Hashem, fulfill these Mitzvot
between one person and another. They are also the will of Hashem.
