Monday, August 25, 2008

12 minutes late or 18 minutes early?

Although not a Yeki, I am extremely Makpid on time. I am of the school "5 minutes early is on time, on time is late".
Now, every morning, no matter where I daven (usually the same place) there are drips and drabs of people who come into shul a good 10-12 minutes late. Always the same guys. During the week that's 40% of the davening time (usually around a half hour).
Personally, I try to get to shul 10 minutes before "kickoff". That gives me time to put on tallis and tefillin and actually say Korbonos (you know the stuff that take up a lot of pages in the siddur that no one says).
Well, the guy that comes in 12 minutes late, by the time he puts on tallis and tefillin, the zibbur is well past Barchu, sometimes even up to Shemonah Esrei. Doesn't this defeat the whole purpose? Why doesn't the guy just chill a few minutes, put his tallis and tefillin on like a mensch, say some brochos, korbonos and be on time for once in his life? (forget about getting his lazy a$$ out of bed 10 minutes earlier...) I never got this. And when is that proverbial deadline where the "12 minutes late guy" says it's too late and just wait for the next minyan (generally every half hour in most mid-large shuls in the Five Towns, Brooklyn, Queens, and Monsey). Is it the 14 minute mark, the 16 minute mark?
I know your out there "12 minutes late guy". Let's hear the answers!


7 comments:

The Don said...

Its really simple Champ. Many people don't really want to come at all, but force themselves to out of upbringing or guilt or whatever. They don't really care about saying all the tefilos, they are just looking to clear their consciences and get 'credit' for showing up.
Many others are just lazy and don't care about missing karbonos or beginning of tefilos, b/c they know they can make them up in half the time themselves anyway.
I'm not justifying it, but there's your answer.

ThePeoplesChamp said...

I get it the Don. Basically, when praying to G-d, they try to take G-d out of the equation.

Anonymous said...

How about just giving props for the fact that the 12 minute guy showed up at all? Leave the judgement to G-D!!

ThePeoplesChamp said...

Mr. Anonymous,

Not judging. Just trying to understand the mindset. Like I said, I'm a stickler on time related issues (religious or not) and I just want to know the mindset behind it.
Personally, I think it's generally a case of apathy. That doesn't mean G-d doesn't love the person as much as the guy who comes 10 minutes early, or the fact that he has a huge Yezter Harah he is fighting and wins (to a large extent) doesn't count. It just means I dont get it and trying to be Dan L'Chaf Z'chus, I want to know the mindset behind that thinking.

Unknown said...

I don't care for the negative overtones of this post... I would much rather believe the person is an hour early for Kiddush Club than 12 minutes late for davening.

ThePeoplesChamp said...

You have a kiddush club during the week? Nice. Herring and Booze?

Anonymous said...

Well, if you look at any siddur in the world you will notice something important that they all share.

They all have different font sizes. Why? Some stuff is more important. Some less. The 12 minute guy is probably saying the important stuff.

It's like kramers living room, all about levels.