Hi –
Hope you’re having a great day.
I heard a very interesting news report yesterday.
Unfortunately, there are still many people without power since the most recent storm.
People were asked how they’re managing.
And in one suburb that was very hard hit?
This fellow said that he was fortunate. He actually had power.
But he did lose his cable connection.
And the reporter asked him, “So what did you do?
His answer…
… “I spoke to my wife!”
It got a good laugh.
But it should also get us thinking.
About how blessed this fellow was!
Not only because of the power that he had.
But because of what he did not have!
… They say a picture is worth a thousand words.
And I saw a very powerful one recently.
It was directed at people who have become controlled by their cell phones.
Always talking. Always checking. Always texting.
It was a very graphic image.
It showed a row of cell phones standing vertically in a fenced in area.
And do you know what they looked like?
… Tombstones!
And what was the inscription on them?
“Here is buried my precious relationship with…”
… Jewish tradition doesn’t teach that we should be Amish.
That we should not take advantage of technology to enhance our lives.
But it is very concerned about the danger of “burying our relationships”.
Our relationship with family. With friends. With G-d.
And even with ourselves.
So the Torah gave us a precious gift.
Shabbos!
A time to turn off the cell phone. To turn off the computer. To turn off the television.
In a way, a day to live as if we lost our power.
And what does that do?
It gives us power…
To build our relationships!
All the best,
Rabbi Moshe Katz
Director
ChicagoTorah Network
2832W. Touhy Avenue
Chicago,IL60645
P 773. 761. 0400 ext. 201
F 773. 761. 9262