Davening from a Blackberry/PDA

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  • #594496
    lovebeingjewish
    Participant

    Just curious, whats everyone’s view on davening or praying however you want to say it from a smartphone or Blackberry? Is it frowned upon? I sometimes do this when i don’t have a siddur on me.

    #732630
    apushatayid
    Participant

    Is it better to mispronounce or even skip words?

    #732631
    mom of a few
    Member

    where can I get the siddur app for blackberry?

    #732632
    real-brisker
    Member

    If you dont have a siddur gezunta heit, What wouuld be the other option? Otherwise if you are accessable to a siddur use it.

    #732633
    AinOhdMilvado
    Participant

    I can’t see where there would be anything INHERENTLY wrong with it, BUT you MIGHT be opening up the possibility for 2 problems:

    1) Maaras Ayin – Some people, seeing you looking at the BB while davening, not knowing you are davening, might (obviously, wrongly)think, “hey it’s OK to check a BB while davening”.

    2) Leefnai EEvair – People, knowing it’s wrong to be scanning your BB during davening, but NOT knowing you are using it to daven from, might condemn you, in their own minds or to others, for not being able to tear yourself away from your BB even while davening.

    #732634
    apushatayid
    Participant

    http://www.jewishcontent.org

    At the bottom of the page on the left, under the “PDA” category, choose blackberry. All downloads for the BB are there. You will probably have to download the font pack and possibly the “hebrew reader” first. I downloaded (and really like) the Nusach Ashkenaz version. There is also sefard and I believe nusach Ari.

    #732635
    dunno
    Member

    I would say to try to daven with a siddur but if necessary use a blackberry rather than nothing at all. For example, a blackberry would be fine at a wedding but not in shul.

    #732636
    always here
    Participant

    sorry to say but IMO, I veryy highly doubt that people would be dan lekaf zechus

    #732637
    mamashtakah
    Member

    Why would you care what other people think? You’re doing what is correct- davening from a text. If people think you’re doing something wrong, then they have the problem – not you.

    #732638
    lovebeingjewish
    Participant

    thats the last thing i worry about if people look at me. but was more curious as any halachic issues with it. i think Gd would rather us pray from a siddur than an electronic gizmo.

    Does anyone sometimes kiss their blackberry after they daven like they kiss their siddur only to realize they forgot they were davening from a blackberry!? i sometimes do this by mistake and feel so silly afterwards..

    #732639
    mewho
    Participant

    the guys in my family have davening in their ipads, bbs etc. i think its wonderful. u never know where u might be and need a siddur. it also gives u any additions which need to be said that day , such as rosh chodesh, chanukah etc.

    they have megilla and other prayers as well.

    #732640
    dunno
    Member

    lovebeingjewish

    That scene is just too funny!!

    #732641
    apushatayid
    Participant

    “i think Gd would rather us pray from a siddur than an electronic gizmo.”

    He wants you to say all the words, slowly, clearly and with kavana. If you dont have a siddur, then the electronic gizmo, as you call it, is a fine substitute. I wonder if just after Guttenberg invented the modern printing method and siddurim were published for the first time, if people asked, if I dont have my handwritten siddur, is it ok to use one of those bound volumes that looks a a novel. Who knows maybe people will think I’m reading the latest nachman seltzer (or his equivilant).

    #732642
    mamashtakah
    Member

    i think Gd would rather us pray from a siddur than an electronic gizmo.

    I think God wants us to daven. The mitzvah is to daven; as long as it’s done in a meaningful way, does it really matter if it’s from a siddur or a “gizmo” (or by heart, for that matter)?

    #732643
    yitayningwut
    Participant

    I don’t think there should be any inherent problem, however, if when you receive a text or a call it will show up while you are davening then I think it is not appropriate because it will disturb your concentration even if it is on silent.

    #732644

    i totally agree with AinOhdMilvado

    another point is that people will be looking at you and thinking what a chutzpa how can this guy do this during davening(thinking you are texting or something) and it will cause them to spend their whole shmoneh esrei looking at you

    #732645
    Bobchka
    Participant

    I have seen peolpe doing the daf on their phones at weddings.

    #732646
    apushatayid
    Participant

    Chayav. Since we are dealing in a situation where there are no siddurim, is it such a stretch to assume the person is davening?

    Doing the daf. I’d prefer to learn the daf. You can download the entire shas, or individual masechtos at jewishcontent.org

    #732647
    Duct Tape
    Member

    I use AndDaaven on my Droid X

    Its great to know I have a siddur and brachos in my pocket at all times. The only time this is an issue is on shabbos. I always say that Jews will keep the printers in business….

    #732648

    I would say Bishaas Hadchack it is ok, its just that realize your talking to GD and all of a sudden your friend or whomever texts you and you stop concentrating on Hashem and you concentarte on him/her…that is a problem. But hey, i am not a Rav yet, so ask your LOR.

    #732649

    If you need it, use it. Why not? just be sure to turn on the “airplane mode” which will halt all calls, texts and emails.

    A siddur does have the advantage that its used exclusively for davening which will bring a certain feeling with it. Like you said, you kiss it… 🙂

    #732650
    zaidy78
    Participant

    Davening from a Blackberry or FOR a Blackberry?

    My Nokia 5160 still works great and it even has games on it, like Snake.

    #732651
    cherrybim
    Participant

    Is it any different than learning from the telephone or computer or radio or video?

    #732652
    bezalel
    Participant

    Ask your LOR. Generally a person is not allowed to hold objects while davening but there are exceptions. A determination must be made whether a PDA used as a siddur is such an exception.

    #732653
    HaLeiVi
    Participant

    I don’t have a BB, but I sometimes use http://www.idaven.com

    #732654

    apushatayid obviously you are yotzei davening from a blackberry but its not ideal. if there are no siddurim its also obvious that its better to use ur blackberry than daven without a siddur

    #732655
    ItcheSrulik
    Member

    FIrst of all, why should a blackberry be less fit to daven from than a siddur? Is it because of the dreaded “T” word?

    The only real issue is one of “tarud,” i.e. a lack of kavanna. It says that one should not hold tefillin while davening because he will be worried about dropping them and hence not concentrate properly. Most poskim extend this chshash to anything valuable so it might be better to avoid holding your expensive phone during shmoneh esrei even to daven from it. Personally, I daven by heart.

    #732656
    Duct Tape
    Member

    I have insurance…

    #732657
    ItcheSrulik
    Member

    So daven gezunterheit.

    #732658
    apushatayid
    Participant

    If you have an iphone. Great apps from “the rusty brick”. Not sure the exact name, but their siddur only displays the things you need on that day. on rosh chodesh yaleh viyavo, hallel etc…will be there, but not the next day. chanuka or chol hamoed, the appropriate kriah.

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