Wednesday, June 28, 2006

The incredible shrinking Siddur...



There was always this choice growing up.
Choice where to daven.

Can either go to the litvishe shul where they don’t say Korbanos, always say Tachanun and don’t say Tefilla L’Dovid (before the Yom).
Or you can go to the Chassidishe Shul where they say Korbanos, rarely say Tachanun, say Tefilla L’Dovid but daven quicker.

Well I’ve noticed lately that the typical minyan has sort of morphed into this hybrid davening. No Korbanos, Chassidishe Tachanun schedule and forget about Tefilla L’Dovid (I’m surprised it’s still in the siddur).

Another thing I've noticed..
In many shuls the Chazzen doesn’t go to the amud until Borchu which leads me to think that perhaps Psukei Dzimra is about to go the way of Korbanos.

And so..I wonder..

Is the Liturgy shrinking with our attention span?

14 Comments:

Blogger anonym00kie said...

you often hear women wonder why they dont need to pray with a minyan, and why they dont have the same obligations as men when it comes to praying.
prayer is about communication (with g-d), and its clear from this post that men are just as stingy in their communicating with G-d as they are with eachother, and with women!!

June 28, 2006 10:07 PM  
Blogger SS said...

I agree with you about attention span. The other day, I was at a little get-together for the women in my neighbourhood, and we were discussing the topic of "how you commune with G-d". I realized that a lot of the time, even if I don't daven in full (usually), I don't have the attention, and I arrive at the end without remembering how I got there. Prayer should be deep, but it isn't, and I sometimes wonder if a minyan helps or hinders the depth...

June 29, 2006 1:48 AM  
Blogger Pragmatician said...

Good observation, I've noticed that any excuse has become good to skip Tachanun in our shul and when the Chzaen choose to say it, there are loud groans emanating from the mispallelim.
I guess people do have less time and even less patience.
I wonder if one of the reasons is the fact that it never changes.
Same Tefillos every day...

June 29, 2006 4:32 AM  
Blogger A Frum Idealist said...

The scary thing is, oneday time how long tachanun takes. If you have a reallllllly slow chazzan MAYBE it takes two minutes. Can you imagine, all the fuss over TWO minutes?

I hate to sound like one of my high school rabbeim, but , "If the meshugna ball game went an extra two minutes would you turn it off?"

June 29, 2006 9:09 AM  
Blogger ggggg said...

If more emphasis would be put on teaching kids the meaning of the beautiful words they say, rather than emphasising that "if you dont pray....." then maybe more people would grow up wanting to daven, and actually understanding the words they say!

June 29, 2006 12:41 PM  
Blogger kasamba said...

We've become an ADD nation.

June 29, 2006 12:42 PM  
Blogger Stacey said...

rather than emphasising that "if you dont pray....."

Interesting. What are kids taught will happen if they "don't pray?"

June 29, 2006 1:29 PM  
Blogger FrumGirl said...

I never make it to shacharis shame on me... oh wait... i'm a girl!

June 29, 2006 5:06 PM  
Blogger chaverah said...

I'll leave this up to the guys......sounds familiar?

June 29, 2006 8:11 PM  
Blogger socialworker/frustrated mom said...

Very cool pic and analogy. To me its obvious that it is our attention span we all know that but it's good food for thought. It is sad how all the minyanim have to have such a speed and cut out things.

June 29, 2006 8:38 PM  
Blogger David_on_the_Lake said...

anonym00kie...
wow...wow...what a comment...u hold no punches..

ss...
Yes...
I'm not Tzaddik..but the other day I saw something that absolutely shocked me...
There was a guy in shul..checking his email..in middle of Shemoneh Esreh!!
Talk about attention span..

Prag...
Yes. This is the case in many shuls...Its almost a given..that someone will find areason not to say it.

AFI....
well..thats why if someone finds an excuse not to say it on Monday and Tursday..he's really a hero..lol

TB...
yes...well thats individually...
I'm talking as a community...I find we're collectively shrinking the davening down to the bare minimum

tuesday...
Your duaghters daven with a minyan every day?...thats incredible..
I suppose we could have different lanes..maybe an EZPass lane too...for those with prepaid Tachanun cards.lol

LV...
I agree...Pirush HaTefilla..is not taught enough

Kasamba...
well then...lets have Ritalin dispensers at the enterance to shul..lol

Stacey....
the Boogey Man..will get them...
:-)

FG...and Chavera..
yeah this is more of a guy post...sorry
we'll return to our regular programming shortly..
and yes Chavera..it sounds familiar..but how could u compare these 2 topics..?..lol

SW...
Thanks..

June 29, 2006 9:00 PM  
Blogger David_on_the_Lake said...

talmid...
iy'h..I'll work on it next week...
I agree about your assesment of Tefillah..it really does change you..

June 30, 2006 12:05 PM  
Blogger Michelle said...

You have to want to daven. That's the key.

July 02, 2006 2:35 PM  
Blogger David_on_the_Lake said...

michelle...
yes..
You have to want to daven before Hashem makes you want to daven...

July 03, 2006 10:32 AM  

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