A Horrible Master

"Technology is a wonderful servant but a horrible master."


One Sunday afternoon a kallah was standing under her chuppah waiting for the chassan to place the ring on her finger. Suddenly, her phone rings! She answers "Hi Shaina! How are you? ... Great! Uh, this is SOOO awkward but SOOOO exciting, Duvie is about to put the ring on my finger and that means we are MARRIED. So I really can't talk now, can I call you back from the yichud room in about 15 minutes? I'm reeeeeally sorry..... Thanks - soon by you!"

That story never happened. WHY? Because at a girl's wedding she wants to be COMPLETELY focused on what is going on at that very moment at that very place and nowhere else. [And because I don't think a wedding dress has a pocket to hold a phone. Maybe it does. I never wore one. You know, there is SO much material there and so much going on with that dress you would think they would remember to put in pockets. I mean take some of the material that drags 15 feet behind her on the floor and make a pocket. Or maybe there is a reason. I have gone on an unnecessary tangent. Mechilah!] May I suggest that WHATEVER you are doing, if you want to get the most of the experience your cellphone [and other mobile devices] should be OFF.

Davening - the phone vibrates and he is concentrating, but not on what he is saying or G-d but on who called. After shul I often notice people looking intently at their phones seeing who called during davening. This means that they were not focused during the davening. [In general I notice that a large number of people find davening to be boring and are happy at any type of diversion that can take them away from what they consider a repetitous and tedious exercise. That is for another time. But in a word - people don't really believe Hashem is listening because people don't really believe in Hashem. "Belief" is defined as how our the holy books define belief which is FAR beyond the scope of this post. But suffice it to say that a kippah on one's head is no guarantee of a true belief in Hashem but only a guarantee that one's baldness will be less accentuated. Nor is the title "Rabbi" meaningful in this regard. Some simple unlearned Jews believe in Hashem a great deal more than some Rabbis. Other Rabbis believe in Hashem a great deal more than most others. But the title itself is meaningless.]

Learning - Who could call that is more important than G-d. Learning is G-d speaking to us through His Torah. No phone call can trump hearing the voice of G-d. So why are people always learning with their mobile devices on?! I can no longer properly teach Torah because as hard as it was to keep peoples attention in the olden days [10-15 years ago], today it is virtually impossible. Nothing I say can be as interesting as a text message the student received ["Hey, what's for dinner?"].

Interpersonal relationships - Almost the only time I manage to have an uninterrupted conversation with someone is on Shabbos. All week long the phone will invariably ring or vibrate. Sometimes he answers.

This I find both rude and offensive.

Sometimes he looks at the screen and continues the conversation with me.

This I find rude and offensive [albeit less than when he answers].

Aren't you talking to ME?! [Well, not anymore..] Am I sensitive? Yes and I am not embarrassed to admit it. [Although I am embarrassed to admit some other things. So I won't. OK, one thing. When I was a kid and the Miami Dolphins lost I would cry. One more thing. I enjoy hugging Teddy Bears. But I prefer people.] But I believe that every person I have ever met is sensitive [just some more than others] and quite a few people are offended by such behavior. It is CERTAINLY NOT a show of respect. We all intuitively know that when we are with a VERY "important" person [such as a potential employer during an interview] our phone is off. Just the phone being ON means that the person is not truly here as part of his consciousness is elsewhere [or nowhere].

Sweetest beloved friends. The world stands on three pillars -Torah, Avodah [prayer] and Gemillus Chasodim. So please! Keep your phones off during all three activities that we delineated above.

OF COURSE mobile devices can be used for much good but we MUST use them with CHOCHMA!!! The masses use them indiscriminately.

This makes me sad. [Although using the word "indiscriminately" makes me happy. Hope I spelled it rite.]

Thanks for letting me share.

Love and blessings:)