March 2, 2016
22 Adar I 5776
Dear Friends,
The other day, I received an email from a colleague and friend, Jon Mattleman, the Director of Needham Youth Services (formerly, the Needham Youth Commission). Jon is a terrific asset in our community, who always makes himself available for a consult.
The email (which you can see below) urges us to "unplug" our phones on Friday, March 4th. It's part of a month-long effort to get all of us to "connect" more with family and friends. (Go
here for details.)
Jon makes a good point. We should all be able to refrain, for at least one day, from communicating on our phones, and to free ourselves up to relate and connect with the folks right around us.
The problem, of course, is that we
depend on our phones. We use them to text, to email and to call one another. It's practically unthinkable for most of us to be able to do what Jon urges.
At least, on Friday the 4th.
But it isn't--or it shouldn't be--unthinkable to do just that on March 5th.
For March 5th is Shabbat (שבת). Shabbat is, in fact the day when we can and should be shutting off our phones, and truly unplugging from the electronic network we are so much a part of during the rest of the week.
When I've recommended to people that they consider unplugging, they have sometimes said something like, "Great idea, Rabbi, ... but I am sorry to say that I can't do it. I'm too immersed in the world. Thanks so much for the recommendation, but I can't unplug, even for one day."
I sympathize, but I
still think it's worth trying. Unlike March 4th, the wonderful thing about Shabbat is that it comes every week. We can try to reduce our dependency on electronic communication one day a week
incrementally. It's easier that way. Perhaps this week we'll refrain from
making calls (unless they concern an emergency). Perhaps next week we'll refrain from
answering calls (unless they concern an emergency). Perhaps we'll start by refraining from sending emails. And perhaps move the next week to refrain even from reading emails.
There are many ways to proceed along this path. What I think we will discover, if we start to walk down it, is that many unanticipated benefits will arise. To me, there is no Jewish practice more precious in this hectic, stressful world in which we live, than Shabbat. That doesn't mean that one always appreciates what Shabbat has to offer, but in the long run, developing the spiritual practice of truly resting on Shabbat is, I believe, essential to our overall well-being.
I hope that you and your family will consider Jon Mattleman's proposal to "unplug" on March 4th. But whether or not you do, I certainly hope you'll considering doing just that on March 5th, and March 12th, and March 19th, and so on and so forth.
Shabbat shalom!
Sincerely,
Rabbi Carl M. Perkins
