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Many leaders and congregants in my shul bang with their hands on the shulchan and on their siddurs and stomp their feet in what is supposed to be the rhythm of the prayer's melody. The noise is overwhelming and disturbs my concentration and is damaging my hearing. What halachic citations should I research in order to present a reasonable case to have the banging and stomping toned down to a reasonable level?

For the record, I have tried the "nice" approach and it didn't work. I view this issue as a public health issue because of the damage the sound levels can, and probably will, do to the hearing of others; even those making the noise. Additionally, I am not the only one who has tried to get this issue corrected and failed. As for finding another Shul, I resist that action for the present because, other than this one issue, I like the members of my community. They are basically very good people. But in the end I will do what I must do to protect my health and well being and if that means changing Shuls, so be it.

Monica Cellio
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LMB
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    Hm. Change Shuls? – Gershon Gold Oct 01 '14 at 16:45
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    Is it Shabbat ? – Double AA Oct 01 '14 at 16:46
  • LMB, welcome to Mi Yodeya, and thanks very much for bringing your question here! Please consider registering your account, which will give you access to more of the site's features. I hope you find a solution to your problem, one way or the other. Either way, please take a look around for other content that might interest you, perhaps starting with our 150+ [tag:synagogue] questions. – Isaac Moses Oct 01 '14 at 16:47
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    Discovering and promoting the Halachic sources that apply to noisemaking as part of davening is certainly worthwhile, regardless of the particular instigating case. Note, however, that in your case, appealing to people's sensitivity to your needs as a person may be more effective than presenting a Halachic case that what they're doing is forbidden or frowned upon. – Isaac Moses Oct 01 '14 at 16:57
  • @IsaacMoses Why do you think that those sources are not included in the question, as worded? .....that's how I read the question, anyway. – MTL Oct 01 '14 at 17:10
  • @Shokhet, I think that the question is fine, as worded, and is asking for exactly what I said is worthwhile. I was just pointing out that LMB's goal might be more effectively reached elsewise. – Isaac Moses Oct 01 '14 at 17:13
  • @IsaacMoses I thought that halachic sources about "appealing to people's sensitivity to your needs as a person" is already part of the question as worded. – MTL Oct 01 '14 at 17:16
  • @Shokhet I'm suggesting just going ahead and making such an appeal without sources, based on my instincts and experience as a person. It may be possible to prove Halachically that people need to stop banging, for any number of reasons, and simultaneously be ineffective to use such proof to convince people to stop banging. – Isaac Moses Oct 01 '14 at 17:22
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    related http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/45347/759 http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/7029/759 http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/30695/759 http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/35395/759 – Double AA Oct 01 '14 at 17:43
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    LMB what will you do if your research ends up proving that it is allowed? What if it is actually a mitzvah? Don't you think it's wrong to use the Torah for your own personal needs? Don't use the Torah as a pick to dig with. You have a personal problem with them, not a religious one. – user6591 Oct 02 '14 at 00:35
  • Siman 338 in Hilchos shabbas,it it is on shabbas – sam Oct 02 '14 at 17:08
  • Is this on shabbos? Is it during shemona Esrei? Or other parts of Davening? – Shoel U'Meishiv May 20 '15 at 18:34
  • ואהבת לרעך כמוך You should love your neighbor as yourself. – mevaqesh Jun 19 '15 at 21:25
  • I somehow doubt that the sound levels will reach the "public health hazard" level.... Has the situation in shul improved since October? – MTL Jul 19 '15 at 19:28

1 Answers1

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The Rambam writes in Hilchot Tfila 5:9:

ולא ישמיע קולו אלא אם כן היה חולה או שאינו יכול לכוין את לבו עד שישמיע קולו הרי זה מותר ובלבד שלא יהא בציבור כדי שלא תטרף דעתן

And also the Shulchan aruch (או''ח ס' קא ס''ק ב) says that:

ואם אינו יכול לכוין בלחש מותר להגביה קולו והני מילי בינו לבין עצמו אבל בצבור אסור דאתי למטרד צבורא.

So.. There you go!

yechezkel
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    These sources address referring to Shmona Esrei. It's the OP asking about that? Seems like he's asking about parts that are sung with a melody – Shoel U'Meishiv May 20 '15 at 18:39