So I have generated some discussion of how to do with shull talkers, even one phone call from someone who said its hopeless and here’s why:
Shull has always been and will continue to be the number one place to socialize period. Besides being with a bunch of your friends that you most probably haven’t seen all week, in an orthodox shull where this is most likely to take place you have time alone with the guys unintentionally. Meaning you did not get permission from your wife or partner to go out with the guys/girls, you came to shull as one would normally and by default you have got free time with your buddies. But aren’t people supposed to come to shull to daven? Of course people come daven and then during laining, chazaras hashas or any other lull in the prayer where there is nothing to do but make eyes with your wife across the mechitza, read that weeks sedra in the stone or actually answer amen, most folks would rather get chitty chatty with the person next to them or even across the room. Anbother cause for talk in shull on shabbos is the freedom many people feel since they don’t have any where to rush to, the worries of the week behind them they feel as if they could be loose and relax with their buddies around the bima or in the front row left of the Rabbis shtender.
This is wrong of course and a violation of many halachos but frankly I don’t think many people actually know or care about those halachos. Respect for fellow worshipers may also come to mind but I am sure many people don’t care about that either- especially the way respecting others with regards to cell phone talk has become a thing of the past, why should anyone care if they are disturbing the poor bloke who is trying to have kavanah while avoiding listening to that weeks market report at the same time?
Many people have decided they know the best way to end this madness so to speak. I have decided I know the best way, leave the current shull you are going toand pick a new one. Eventually if enough people are incensed by all the talk in shull, those shulls which are talking shulls will be left with only the talkers, causing them to shut their doors and forcing the talkers to try their hand at disturbing those in the strictly quiet shulls- devirginizing the quiet shulls through chatter is harder because frankly the congregants their don’t take no for an answer and will probably get into a fight with you until you are reduced to sitting at home and waiting for your wife and kids to get home from shull. I personally don’t think talking is a new issue and I don’t think it can be stopped, if people talk leave that’s all.
If I need to talk, which I do, I walk outside usually for the entire laining and Rabbis sermon and do it clear of other worshippers so as not to disturb. I would suggest shulls possibly having more reading materials like old copies of emailed divrei torah and back issues of Rolling Stone and at the same time providing couches in the back so you can wake your tush up that has fallen asleep on the hardwood surface of the pew.
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