[Avodah] [CC] Gripes and Grumbles

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, Mar 21, 2019 at 05:56:40AM -0400, Akiva Miller via Avodah wrote:
: R' Micha Berger wrote:
: > But the only way to get out of this hole is to get away from
: > scolding mispallelim or to impose decorum as a rule, and to
: > give the tzibbur self-motivation.
...
: It seems to me that "to give self-motivation" is a contradiction in
: terms. "Self-motivation" means that it springs from something
: internal. How can that be given from an outsider?

You can teach people what they should be self-motivated about.
Most people have a desire to be able to connect to davening, they
just can't. If more of us not only knew that davening was special, but
could tap into that specialness and "get energy" from the experience,
the self-motivation to come on time, leave only when it is fully over,
and be quiet and pay attention in between, would follow.

: The only idea I can come up with is to do absolutely nothing -
: nothing! - aside from trying to set a good example. In my experience,
: this procedure tends to have a depressingly small success rate. But
: that's still better than the negative results that come from scolding
: and imposing.

People won't learn what it is that works for you and not for them
that way.

Gut Voch!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             A cheerful disposition is an inestimable treasure.
micha at aishdas.org        It preserves health, promotes convalescence,
http://www.aishdas.org   and helps us cope with adversity.
Fax: (270) 514-1507         - R' SR Hirsch, "From the Wisdom of Mishlei"