Monday, December 17, 2012

Shabbes at Yeshiva

B'H

Normally I go to Beit Haroi at Mizrachi Shule. This week I davened for the first time in years at Yeshiva. I was shocked by the amount of talking during layning of the Torah, the Rabbi's speech and also during the amida prayer later at Ma'ariv. It is just not on. How can you call yourself religious, if you are conversing with your friends and laughing raccaously during any parts of the service. It as almost as if some people have forgotten why they are coming to shule.
The Rabbi gets up to speak and even if he is not your personal rav or spiritual mentor, at least have some respect. He is far more learned than probably 99% of the people in shule, especially those upstairs in the women's section. Now I am not saying the women are ignorant, although a couple of the Rebetzins who are unusually learned were not in shule. However, when the Rav of a shule gets up to speak, shut up and listen or go quietly and respectfully into the foyer at the back of the women's section and continue your conversation there if it is that important.
I have seen the Rav at the main shule in Mizrachi actually tell the Hazan to stop and wait until people are quiet. Perhaps someone at the Yeshiva should do the same. The level of noise is extraordinary and not in a good sense. I actually had someone come up to me whilst in the middle of davening the amida prayer and she wanted me to do something which I promptly forgot because it was the wrong time and place.
If we respect Torah we shut up during the layning of the Torah and we show at least some respect for the learning of the learned.

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