Missing Kaddish

The last week has been very strange. I go to a 7:00/7:10 a.m. minyan every weekday morning. As with most shuls, the first kaddish is said between 5 and 7 minutes after the posted starting time. In nusach Sefard there is only one kaddish said at this time, following "Rabbi Yishmael". (In nusach Ashkenaz there are two said at the beginning of davening).

In my minyan, there are usually at least three people saying kaddish. Virtually every day for the last week, I have said the first kaddish alone but the other kaddish-sayers have been there for the three that we say at the end of davening.

I'm trying not to be self-righteous, but I have to admit that I am appalled. I just don't get it. It's one thing to miss a kaddish in the middle of the day if you are jammed at work and you just can't get to a minyan (something that, so far, BH, I have been able to avoid). I can even see coming late for a Shabbos morning minyan when you can't use an alarm clock (this, too, is not something I anticipate happening to me; I am a natural early riser).

I am especially surprised because I would never have expected this from those who are coming late. And, I know that the Rav of our shul has spoken to at least one of the guys on more than one occasion about the importance of coming on time for kaddish.

I don't really know why I'm blogging about this but I guess I just had to get it off my chest.