17 Oct CELL PHONES IN SHUL

It is unfortunate that
cell phones have made
their way into our
shuls. Yet cell phone
usage is not only an
issue during davening.
Throughout the day,
we can’t go more than
a few seconds without
looking at our phones.
We have become slaves
to the cell phone. Every
time the phone makes a sound, we look at it.
We line up like troops to await the newest
model on the market.
To fight this battle, we must train ourselves to
turn off the phone at least during the night. A
life that is enslaved to a piece of metal is not
a true life. Furthermore, there are many issues
that arise when bringing a phone to shul.
Before a King
The Shulchan Aruch says that when we
daven, we should have the mindset that we
are standing before a king. Certainly, one who
knows he will stand before a human king will
prepare what he will say beforehand. All the
more so when we stand in front of the King
of kings. The Shulchan Aruch further says
that one should remove all thoughts that take
one’s mind off of davening. There is no greater

deterrent to davening than having a cell phone
in shul. Even if one does not look at the phone,
having it near him will cause him to wonder if
he received a text or an email. If it rings during
Shemoneh Esrei, he will end up turning the
phone off while he is davening, which is not
permitted.
At times, someone will pick up his cell phone
in shul and say “nu, nu, nu,” indicating that he
cannot speak. This is disturbing to others who
are davening. In addition, one who answers a
call in the middle of davening will miss out on
saying amen and responding to Kaddish. He
will also daven more quickly so he can see who
is calling, and perhaps even remove his tefillin
before he’s supposed to. When one has his cell
phone with him in shul when it goes off people
get disturbed from their davening and until one
is able to get it from his pocket to close the
ring the entire shul lost concentration because
of you. When reading a message on a phone
during davening, what type of honor does this
show?
Despite all these issues, the biggest issue is
that no one would have the nerve to allow their
cell phone to ring in front of the president or
an important dignitary. Yet when talking to
Hashem, people don’t feel there is anything
wrong with using their phones, and this is a
tremendous chillul Hashem.

Talking on the Phone
The prohibition to talk in a shul and beis
medrash applies to talking on a cell phone,
since other people will be disturbed. One who
must talk should go outside. He should not
take care of personal matters in a shul or beis
medrash. Of course, one should never allow his
phone to ring in a shul or beis medrash.
A Loss of Reward
Harav Chaim Kanievsky says that even if one
does not look at his phone in shul, just having
it with him will cause him to lose the reward of
the Torah that he will learn in the shul.
Without a Heart
At the end of Shemoneh Esrei, in Elokai Netzor,
we say, “Our hearts are before You.” How can
we say this if at any time our phone can ring
and we will be distracted? Such davening
is without a heart. If a child sees his father
davening while he is looking at his phone, the
child will surely not take davening seriously.
Using a Phone as a Siddur
Many phones have a siddur downloaded onto
them. Using a phone to daven is common in an
office, where there may be a lack of siddurim.
May one use a phone as a siddur during
Shemoneh Esrei?
One should not hold items during Shemoneh
Esrei, since it is not derech eretz to stand in
front of Hashem while holding something.

This includes tefillin, a sefer Torah, and so
on, because one will be worried that the item
may fall and he will not concentrate properly
on Shemoneh Esrei. One who davened
while holding such an object has fulfilled
his obligation bedi’eved, according to most
poskim. It is permitted to daven from a siddur,
since it is being used for davening and will not
interfere with concentration. One may hold his
phone during Shemoneh Esrei if he is using
it as a siddur, but this is not preferable. There
may be a halachic basis to allow one to daven
on his cell phone, but this should not be done
on a practical level.
If one started to daven Shemoneh Esrei without
a siddur, he should not get a siddur unless it
is readily available. If he finds that he cannot
keep track of where he is up to, he may leave
his place and get a siddur.
If there is a concern that an object will be
damaged or stolen, one may hold it during
Shemoneh Esrei or place it between his feet,
as the worry about the welfare of the object
is a greater impediment to concentration than
actually holding it.