[Avodah] [Areivim] What do daven at shachris for a new, slow beginner.

[Daniel Israel]

Moved from Areivim:

On Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:46:55 -0600 Avroham Yakov 
<avyakov at hotmail.com> wrote:
>I am teaching a new BT about davening.  
>
>His Hebrew is poor, so he davens slow.
>
>But since he can’t spend the entire morning in prayer, he
>needs to know what the most important things to say are.
>
>Is there any sort of list (hopefully mapped to an ArtScroll
>siddur) that details what is the bare minimum amount to be said 
>from brachos and devening?
>
>After that, the list would detail what is to be said for
>someone who has more time.

There is a list in the "Laws" section in the back of the ArtScroll. 
 It is titled "Instructions for Latecomers" (sec. 30-32), but I 
think it is equally appropriate for someone such as you describe.

It is also important to emphasize to such a person that it is 
completely acceptable to daven in English (or whatever his native 
language is).  I think it is very important to encourage the 
Hebrew, but not to the extent that the person doesn't ever have a 
positive davening experience.  OTOH, one shouldn't discourage him 
from developing the ability to daven in Hebrew.

I have yet to see clear guidance on davening mixed Hebrew/English.  
One idea I had was to read the shemoneh esreh in English, and just 
do the chasimos in Hebrew.  But when I mentioned that to someone, 
they suggested that it is not appropriate.  Has anyone else seen 
anything on that sort of thing?

Two other comments:

First, if the minimum listed in the ArtScroll is still too long, 
then there is no real clear answer, AFAIK.  It is possible for a 
person to be incapable of doing even the halachic minimum, in which 
case one has to weigh other factors, and the person should probably 
speak to a Rav about his particular case.  (When faced with such 
questions I've given general eitzos, but referred the person to a 
Rav.)

Second, I'm assuming you are talking about a man.  The priorities 
are somewhat different for women, and there is a good chart in the 
back of the sefer Rigshei Lev by R' Nissel.

--
Daniel M. Israel
dmi1 at cornell.edu