Pretending He Doesn't Exist

I often write about the phenomenon of ignoring emails [and phone calls]. It is my assertion that just as if someone would approach me on the street and speak to me I wouldn't ignore him, I also shouldn't ignore one who contacts me via modern technological methods. What is the difference? He wants something from me so how can I ignore him - especially a friend [I too ignore emails from random people in India who probably just want my money. I also assume that people in business receive countless irrelevant random emails. I don't refer to those]. This assertion of mine is clearly not shared by the masses because I don't know just about anyone who doesn't ignore [my and others] emails from time to time or all the time. [Sometimes I will email someone a mazel tov for a simcha and wonder if they received it when they don't acknowledge it. I am not asking them for a donation. Just sharing in their simcha.] This gave me insight into Hashem.

???

Let me explain. Many people, when they see me, use honorific titles such as "Rav", "Rabbi" "Rebbi", or worse, they will speak to me in the third person. This is supposed to be a show of respect for me. [It is NOT because I insist that people call me by those names and when I introduce or identify myself I use my first name and skip the insignificant (in shomayim) titles.] Yet, when I contact these very same people, they will either answer me many moons later [often with the common excuses of "Oh, this got lost" or "I was so busy". He didn't have time to write a four word email?] or not answering me at all. A WONDER:). They had me convinced I was so important and now I begin to question my self identity. Heeelloooo therapy:):). I mean, they know [usually] that I know that they received the email [usually that very second because of the various devices that people carry around] and ignored me. Aren't they embarrassed? I would be.

So here we get to Hashem [li-havdil infinite havdalos between me and Him or He and I, depending on correct grammar. No references this time to my high school English teacher, may her soul rest in peace after I disturbed her peace while she still had a body...]. People speak to Him with such RESPECT!   "Ain kelokeinu, ain kadoneinu" - They is nobody like You, Hashem. You are the HIGHEST AND HOLIEST. ONLY YOU REALLY EXIST!! But then when they conduct their daily lives, they don't treat Him with the same deference and on the contrary, they even IGNORE Him as if He is not there. They believe that He is really watching yet SINCE THEY CANNOT SEE HIM AT THIS MOMENT, they can pretend He is not really there.

Sweetest friends! Life is a learning experience. I want to learn from others. Am I wrong? Should I too start ignoring people. "Rav Ehrman, how is one permitted to use a hot plate on Shabbos". Seven weeks later I reply "By making sure not to get burned". "Rabbi Ehrman, you had a student named Shloime Gloimy who has been recommended to my daughter. What can you tell me about him?" I  don't answer. Odds are, that eventually, both Shloimy and his daughter will get married [if not to each other then to other people] so why waste my valuable time? Plus, I don't have students, only teachers. The fact that he is anxiously awaiting my response should be of ZERO significance to me.

Unless I am a menstch:).

Love and blessings.