Do you like davening in shul?

amother

Papaya

Thu, Sep 14 2023, 10:24 pm

I appreciate the shul davening

but

I feel self conscious because of my size
I find myself looking around instead of concentrating on the tefilah
My feet hurt

also

I was never taught all the ins & outs of shul - when to stand sit answer and I don't always do the proper thing

amother

NeonBlue

Thu, Sep 14 2023, 10:25 pm

amother Papaya wrote:

.......

I was never taught all the ins & outs of shul - when to stand sit answer and I don't always do the proper thing

A artscroll machzor is my best friend!
(With English translation
It tells you everything
Some always stand when ark is open

amother

Denim

Thu, Sep 14 2023, 10:49 pm

No, I don't like it.

I am beyond the stage of staying home with my kids and I'm considering not going. At the best of times I have great difficulty with conventional davening. In shul, I find it stressful to keep up with the davening and this takes away from my kavana. I also find myself very distracted by every sniffle or cough and the constant undercurrent of movement...doors opening and closing, kids coming in and out etc. Sometimes my soul stirs with the nigunnim, but not enough to make it this uplifting experience. I'm also pretty self conscious....I can't let go and cry in shul along with the numerous blessings in my life I have what to cry about......

There is also the fact that the Ezrat Nashim where we daven is really very uncomfortable and gets very crowded for mussaf and is just not set up in a way that helps me relax and get into it. I know I could daven elsewhere, but I like being where my DH is....

I actually posted that last year after going to shul for kol nidrei, I couldn't face it again in the morning. So last Yom Kippur I stayed home and davened at my own pace. Because I was home alone with no kids to the take care of, and I was able to sit comfortably on my couch with no distractions, it was one of the most meaningful and uplifting fasts I ever had and I felt truly connected to Hashem... something that doesn't happen that often for me.

It is very freeing to be able to admit that shul just doesn't do it for me..

amother

Melon

Thu, Sep 14 2023, 11:47 pm

I like going to shul. It's so much easier to concentrate, plus you get to daven more during Chazaras hashatz (Kedusha, certain piyutim, etc) that you don't at home.

Right now I have little kids and can barely daven. Because I had kids later, I had so much time to be single then without children, so I davened in shul til age 32. I still feel quite guilty not going or davening so much, but there's just no way.

honeymoon

Fri, Sep 15 2023, 11:36 am

I love davening in Shul. My husband is the baal tefillah and listening to his melodious voice crack when he sings unesaneh tokef is the most beautiful sound in the world.

Growing up, I loved shul because my father was the baal tefillah in his shul.

Yes, I'm surrounded by chazzanim and know almost the entire nusach inside out at this point so that makes davening in shul that much more enjoyable.

B'Syata D'Shmya

Mon, Sep 18 2023, 12:04 am

amother Cornsilk wrote:

Nope. haven been to shul in about 8 years.
Nothing to do with little kids. Mine are all groen up.
I havent davened in a siddur in that long. And I would feel strange going to shul when I dont feel any connrction to god.

Lucky for you, Hashem feels a connection to you. You are so loved, appreciated and valued. Hashem doesn't need your tefillos to love you and keep providing you with your needs. You are in good hands. Wishing you a Gmar Chasima Tova.

Iymnok

Mon, Sep 18 2023, 2:39 am

I used to. Since I had kids I don’t have the patience for Shul. My daughters go themselves.
I always go for shofar before mussaf. And for Neila.
DH is the Baal Tokea, so I will never miss shofar anyway. I love listening to him blow the chumras. It’s the sounds of every kehilla.