[Avodah] interruptions to prayer

[Eli Turkel]

There has been a discussion on areivim about a passenger on a plane
who was davening during boarding and refused to stop when asked by the
stewardess
and was evicted. In a very short summary most of the responders felt
the passenger should
have moved or sat down and continued the amidah based on either
chillul hashem or
else "management wins" arguments. Zev Sero disagreed on the grounds that the
stewardess's request was not legitimate.

On Avodah I would like to turn this into a more general halachic question.
Many people on the go end up davening in many public places. The
general question
is what to do when in the middle of amidah this becomes a problem. It contrast
to the airplane question in most cases the question is more of chillul
hashem rather
than management rights.
Some examples:
1. One is davening minchah at the proverbial telephone booth (do they
still exist?)
In the middle someone starts complaing loudly that you are hogging the
phone and he needs the
phone shortly for an important call.
2. One goes to a secluded spot and in the middle of shemonei esrei
people come over and
say they need the spot for either work or recreation. Remember that
stopping to explain to them
that it is only a few minutes and important is a bigger problem then
simply moving to a new
location.

The gemara discusses the case of a tanna who when into a churva to
daven and disgusses the
propiety of entering a churba. Ignoring the gemara's difficulties what
happens if the middle
workers show up to fix part of the churva that is beginning to fall

In all these cases I assume the outsiders are either nonJews or else
Jews who have no
clue as to what is happening. In an orthodox setting what could just
hint at the situation.
However RYBS felt that any gestures in the middle of shemonei esrei
are forbidden even
without talking. Hence, on yomim norain he would not allow the chazzan
to jump with
his legs together for kneeling or to make any hand gestures.

kol tuv


-- 
Eli Turkel