<HTML>I was wondering whether anyone can direct me to either a written p'sak
or share a personal p'sak on the following issue: To what extent may we
as teachers interrupt our own tefillot to announce page numbers or to
help a student in some way, or to, if need be, discipline a student? (A
bit of background - I daven with the main minyan in our school. It is a
beautiful tefilah, and since it requires minimal leadership effort on my
part (after years of blood, sweat and tears) I do not daven at an
earlier minyan before school, so I am fulfilling my obligation there.)
We have been working under the following rules, based more on gut
instinct than anything else:
Page numbers are announced during pesuke d'zimra, as students are
drifting in during the first ten minutes or so, and need to know where
we are. We refrain from announcements from Bor'chu until after the
Amidah. Discipline issues, although rare, are taken on a case by case
basis. There are times when a "Shh!" just doesn't cut it.
I know R' Moshe Feinstein, z"l, was not a big fan of announcing page
numbers, but that was in regard to shuls. Is there a bit more leeway
when we are dealing with chinuch?
Thanks
Jeff Kuperman
Chairman, Judaic Studies
Beth Tfiloh Dahan High School
Baltimore, MD (The place with the woman boss!)</HTML>
