I heard a vort in the name of Rav Nissan Alpert from my beloved friend HaRav Dovid Kram Shlita. Hillel said אם אני כאן הכל כאן. There are various interpretations as to what this means. Rav Nissan explained אם אני כאן - If I am here, then הכל כאן - I am COMPLETELY here.
I feel as if it is very hard to find anyone who is FULLY PRESENT. There is always some toy that is occupying their attention. Only frum jews who turn it off for a day have a respite [in addition to those lucky frum Jews who shun it completely].
I for one have never and hopefully will never own a smartphone or iphone or anything similar. I don't even know how to text. I only got a cellphone a few years ago because my parents bought it for me and insisted that I carry it around. They are so keen on me having one [for safety purposes] that they even pay for it. If they wouldn't - I would happily donate it to the dead sea. I share it with my wife and I am much happier when she takes it with her. So is she:-).
Recently I was observing a man in his ninth decade who was constantly referring back to it instead of just enjoying the simple pleasure of being. Nebuch.
Long live real relationships. Long live listening to another human being. Long live thinking. Long live learning in one's spare time. Long live not being addicted to tiny contraptions.
Long live being focused on the reality of Hashem's presence with you at every second, absent of any machines that necessarily make you forget that.
