It was a hot summer morning, and the air conditioning once again struggled to keep the shul comfortable. A few fans had been placed around the room, including a small one near me that made the heat much easier to bear.

Then a new problem arose. At its higher settings, the fan’s white noise disturbed another member of the minyan during the quieter parts of davening. I appreciated the fan because it made the heat bearable. He appreciated the quiet because it helped him concentrate. Both preferences were reasonable. The question became how we should........

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