The Other Side of the Story - Phoney Prayer
PHONEY PRAYER
About 10 years ago I was visiting my old country. I was in my brother's area when it was time to daven ma'ariv (pray the evening service). I went into one of the well known shteibels (small synagogues) and stood at the back. At the end of the davening, the Chassidic man to my left recited kaddish (sanctification prayer). In the middle, the person next to him got a phone call on his cellular phone. Not only did he answer it, but he turned to the man saying kaddish and said: "Shssh, I can't hear."
I lived off this story, telling it every time the subject of talking during prayer came up. I told it in order to ridicule the people of that shtiebel, to illustrate their improper attitude toward prayer.
About three months ago, I told it to my brother. He said, "Oh, that must have been Moshe Poloni (name changed). He's from Hatzalah, the Jewish emergency and ambulance service, and his Rabbi said he's not allowed to come to ma'ariv unless he brings his phone with him and answers it instantly, no matter where he is in the davening.
The Other Side of the Story Archives |
Do you have a story to share?
Were you in a situation where there was the potential to misjudge a person, but there really was a valid explanation? Has a friend or a relative ever told you how they were in such a situation?
Share you stories with us for inclusion in future columns of The Other Side of the Story.
To submit your story, send it to info@ohr.edu. (To insure proper handling, put "Other Side" in the subject line of your message).
Subscribe to The Other Side of the Story via PointCast
Copyright
© 2000 Ohr Somayach International.
Send us feedback.
