A recent tv report from the Lebanon-Isreali border showed, what is took to be a Rabbi rocking back and forth. Shots of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem also showed Rabbis and other rocking back and forth.
Is this something that is done in connection with prayer or what?
A recent tv report from the Lebanon-Isreali border showed, what I took to be a Rabbi rocking back and forth. Shots of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem also showed Rabbis and other rocking back and forth.
Is this something that is done in connection with prayer or what?
It’s not a rabbi thing, it’s a traditional method of Jewish prayer. I’m sure someone more observant than I will come along with a more detailed response.
When I asked this question some time ago, I learned a new word: shuckeling:
Jews often rock rhythmically when praying. It’s easier to concentrate on prayer when you’re letting your body move (in a natural manner, not like dancing or anything) than if you’re expending mental energy to remain stock-still. And even at points in prayer when we’re supposed to be standing still, there’s no prohibition against swaying in place.
Merged duplicate, low post count threads.
[ /Moderating ]
Thanks for the enlightment all the way around.
spingears
I’m a fan of Judaica, dunno why, but I’ve never heard the word schuckling, only davening. But then, I mostly study Hasids and Chaim Potok, so maybe there’s a difference?
Minor nitpick - just because someone’s wearing the jacket and hat, that doesn’t automatically make him a Rabbi. The black-and-white is common dress throughout the various ultra-orthodox communities, of which the majority of members are not ordained rabbis.
It’s a common goyische mistake.
“Davening” just means praying. “Shuckling” specifically refers to the way people sway or rock back and forth while davening. But it’s not just a Hasidic thing. You’ll see many types of Jews shuckling while davening.
I had to daven while on a train yesterday, and the guy in the seat across the aisle from me obviously thought I was deranged. He kept looking at me nervously, like I was putting a curse on him and then got up and found another spot.
Now, if you want to see something really interesting, watch a group of Breslover Hasidim praying. It’s common practice for them to clap while davening in order to get really into it.
Man, just when I got “Rockin’ Robin” out of my head, here comes this thread title. 
umm…did it perhaps occur to you that it would have been polite to explain to the guy on the train what you were doing? He’s in a confined space with you, and you’re acting pretty weird (from his point of view).
Does praying make you feel more spiritually uplifted if you scare other people? Wouldn’t a smile and a simple 2-sentence explanation be a good way to set the mood for your praying?
Should people saying grace aloud in a restaurant apologize or warn other diners who might be taken off guard as well? Or only if you’re not praying in English or the local language? It’s pretty unkind to imply that the poster felt “more spiritually uplifted if (they) scare other people”; the person who left was ignorant and could have eased his mind by simply asking a question. The person praying feels they will ultimately have to answer to a higher power than the people in their physical proximity.
My pointy question to **Zahava ** is this-isn’t their an OT proscription against praying in public, so as to avoid any appearance of ‘showing off’, as it were? Something about it being better that you should pray in a closet than on a street corner?
He didn’t say to apologize or to refrain, merely explain. It’s part of common courtesy.
I can’t help it.
No disrespect, or anything, but when I see the thread title I hear the voice of MST3K’s Crow T. Robot, going:
*Rockin’ rabbis!
Caw – caw – caw
Rockin’ rabbis
Caw – caw – caw
*
There’s a proscription in the NT about showing off while praying in public, e.g., the rich Pharisees who would have trumpets blown to call attention to their prayers and donations. Praying silently in public isn’t quite the same thing. And praying in the company of other faithful isn’t the same thing.
yes, but praying in a crowded train isn’t just “praying silently”. You said in your own words that you appeared “deranged”. So, even without any blowing of horns , you were calling attention to yourself in a fairly blatent way–so flamboyently that the poor guy moved away from you in fear.
A simple smile and a word of explanation would have been appropriate.
Ritual is important–but not more important than basic courtesy.