So we've moved into the new year (5769). The stock market crashed, got bailed out (pending the house vote) and life goes on. I really try to have kavanah and daven for a good year for everyone, but It gets hard to concentrate for so long. I'm struck by how fast the Chagim seem to zoom by. I told Mrs. LFD, you know you're old when you know most of Davening for Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur by heart (well a lot of it anyway). There are always some things that bug me about Rosh Hashonah davening. First of all, I may be turning into a grumpy old man because my seat in my shul is right next to the main door, and I can hear the kids running back and forth screaming. I actually got one of the gabboim at one point. The kids, quite creatively strung a bunch of plastic hangars across the coatroom and were having a volley ball game. While entertaining, they were also spiking the ball (laffy taffys) onto the younger kids heads for fun. Call me a kill joy. I also sit right under an air conditioning duct. My shul has the airconditioning set at 66 degrees. When I'm sitting still, and especailly when I'm fasting, which to all intensive purposes I am until 2:00 on Rosh Hashonah, I get cold. I have no desire to come down with a cold before going into Sukkos. Grumpy, grumpy, grumpy. Of course there are the tunes. Now, I like a majority of the tunes my shul uses, but some are downright dirge-like. I looked around the room at one point expecting to see druids in long robes. Who else chants like that? Last on the list of things I don't like are the shul talkers. I actually went over to a pair of them during krias hatorah and said "There is no talking during krias hatorah on Rosh Hashonah or any other time". Of course, the person I was talking to was coincidentally then called up for an aliyah... Oh well, at least I got to have my fish head!
9 comments:
"It gets hard to concentrate for so long"
i'd like to know exactly what was going through the minds of the hakhamim and paytanim every time they added another page to the mahzor.
personally i prefer a shul that ends earlier. i davened in the shul in the basement the first day but went elsewhere on day 2 because it was too long.
"I may be turning into a grumpy old man"
don't be so grumpy. a young shul with loud kids is much better than a dying shul with no kids. the solution to your problem is that the shul should have groups for the kids. (you could lead one and then wouldn't have to sit in shul so long :) )
"until 2:00"
don't be such a sadist. you think they were in shul that late during the time of bet ha-mikdash?
"I have no desire to come down with a cold before going into Sukkos."
i'm not looking forward to sukkot this year. i hate when it is so late and it is freezing outside.
said...
Lion:
"I may be turning into a grumpy old man" One of the problems is my shul really needs a space for the kids. I really only object when they get to the point of big kids hurting smaller kids. Another observation is which kids throw their candy wrappers on the floor. I find it's the kids of the shul talkers, no respect breeds no respect. My little one did that exactly once, and never again.
Until 2:00
My parents didn't finish until 3:30 w/o a break!
AND FYI, the phrase "Lion" was used to describe R' Eliezer in today's Daf!
Seriously, your shul is a bunch of shnozzals.
And I also hate sitting underneath an air duct.
You think you have it cold...i was next the an a/c vent too, but at least you get to wear a wool suit jacket and wool tallis. In every shul i've ever been in for the yamim noraim, the men complain that its hot and the women complain that its cold.
that's why i advocate prayer shawls for women.
Jacob- Every shul would have the few guys I like and the rest would be moot. At least the friends I have here are very nice, and like to read your blog!
Out of Towner-
I sympathize with you. And I prefer prayer shawls to burkas any day!
woot!
who reads da bloggy by u?
Jacob-
On the basis of anonymity, I can give initials only.
BK, DK, SL, SJ, BY, CZ, and a few others who read printouts of your posts and others I print out and hand around shul.
Don't fret, we're sponsoring a really bad polyester suit for you so you can krechtz in the real spirit of things...LOL!!
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