Do We Care?

There's one thing I don't get. Why do people think that parts of davening are unnecessary, and don't require that they do them?

Take for instance Karbanot, the first part of davening. Why do people assume that it's OK to come late and that they can miss them. The truth is that this is the only part the people don't do that might have a legitimate reason, and that reason being that it's hard to get up in the morning. That's pretty much the only reason, and my response it to wake up five minutes earlier.

But there are other, more pressing things. I'm only going to highlight one today, and that's Tehllim after davening.

At about the start of the 2000 Terror War the Arabs started waging against Israel, Rabbanim in America decided that that instead of moving to Israel to show support (chas v'shalom) they would start saying 3 chapters of Tehillim after davening as a way to show support for the Jews who lived in Israel.

Over the years it's trickled down to one, and maybe they'd say an extra one if there's R"L an illness or other current serious threat.

So how's that support?

"Oh, it's optional."

That's right, leaving at the Tehillim and going home is more important than waiting, oh, about ONE AND A HALF MINUTES!!! And that's with saying two chapters of Tehillim. My Rav started saying the most common one Chapter 130 and more recently 122 for Yerushalyim.

As soon as we hit eithier the end of Kriat HaTorah, or Tachanun (depending on the day) there are people who have started to take of their tifillin and as soon as the last Kaddash finishes they are out the door ("come on, those Tehillim are optional right? They're not really part of davening right?")

YES! THEY ARE!!!

Think about it, you're saying to G-d, I've finished with my davening but I'm going to stay JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER and prove to you that I'm sincere and am willing to say something extra to let you know that I CARE ABOUT YERUSHALAYIM!!

My rule is that you don't start taking off the tifillin until the Chazzan is completely done. And that means he has stopped talking as is able to take of his tifillin. That's just a common courtesy, to not take off you're tifillin unless the Chazzan is able to.

Care. This is the Jewish people we're talking about, and it makes me wonder if there are Muslims who are skipping out early on their prayers so they can go home and check the sports scores, or whatever, before they have to go to work of school.

Something to think about.