By Rabbi Rafi Andrusier
LA MESA, California — It has been an incredibly busy week. Passover is finally here! So besides surface reading the words of the haggada tonight, what can we take away from the message of Passover? What is the message the haggada is trying to impart?
This past Tuesday, I was at a Chasidic gathering, known as fabrengen, marking the birthday of the Lubavticher Rebbe. At the fabrengen we share words of inspiration, sing Chasidic melodies and say L’Chaim (have to finish the alcohol before Passover J).
There was one attendant there who using his phone excessively. It got me thinking…you know about phone usage…texts…emails…Passover…and then it hit me! I went over to this gentleman thanking him for the Passover inspiration.
I was pondering about emails. What is an email? There is no ink and no paper. Its all virtual. Almost doesn’t really exist. Think of it this way: if the recipient rarely checks their emails, then the email is worthless. The value is born only because we, as a collective society, check emails, texts and status updates. The different gadgets are always nearby to alert us of something new. Our phones are almost part of our bodies. We can’t leave home without it. We can’t ignore the rings and dings emitting from our phones. We all know the feeling when our phones vibrate in our pocket in a meeting; deep down we have an urge to check what it’s all about.
So in other words: we are enslaved to our phones and emails.
But whom can we blame for placing us in bondage? No one except ourselves.
You want to break free? Simply turn it off. We are in control of our freedom. We just need to take action. That is the message of Passover: the power is in our own hands to break free from all forms of enslavement and bondage. Shabbat, Passover and all the holidays are perfect times to break free when we turn everything off and cherish the moments with people we love most.
So let’s rock our way towards freedom tonight and share it with our family and friends.
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Rabbi Andrusier is spiritual leader of Chabad of East County. You may comment to rafi.andrusier@sdjewishworld.com, or post your comment on this website, per the instructions below.
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