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MIZRACHI SHLICHIM

Sivan Rahav-Meir

Smartphones, Elul

and the Real Simanim

his month I received at least will try to do Teshuva (repentance). א ֵ צ ֵּ ת י ִּ כ – “When you go out to battle
10 different emails, all with To fix things slowly and gradually. against your enemies” – there is a
Tsimilar subject lines: Help! We started with an hour a day struggle here. In the framework of
My smartphone is taking over my in which we are not allowed to the soul searching we do in Elul,
life! There seems to be a widespread log onto Facebook. This week we one must recognize one’s enemies
desire to fix something, however brought it up to two hours a day (laziness, selfishness, anger, routine,
small, in our relationship with our without Facebook. etc.) and think how to prevail over
devices. An attempt to regain some them.
control. It’s hard, but it’s worth it. Our goal
is to add another hour without אֹוב ָּ ת י ִּ כ – “And it shall be when
Michal, a teacher from Tel Aviv, Facebook every week. I’m a bit you come into the Land which
wrote: “I’m on maternity leave, and ashamed that this is where I am. I the L-rd your G-d gives you for an
I can really compare the previous wouldn’t have believed a few years inheritance, and do possess it, and
leaves to this one. In the past, I was ago that I would be in this situation, dwell therein” – this portion tells
focused on the baby: putting him to but we must start somewhere, right? us about “a Land flowing with milk
sleep, breastfeeding him, bathing Perhaps this will give strength to and honey.” All of these beautiful
him, just looking at him. I feel others as well, especially now in ideas must be turned into reality
very strongly that something has Elul.” through our eternal connection to
changed, and not for the better. Eretz Yisrael.
z z z
This time I spend many hours z z z
aimlessly surfing through Facebook, All the weekly portions we read
where every piece of information during the month of Elul serve Once, at a Rosh Hashanah meal,
makes my heart jump and makes as reminders of how we can fix when it was time to eat the simanim
me nervous. Obviously, there are and improve our lives before Rosh (symbols or signs), the Chafetz
also parenting groups that help me, Hashanah. Even their opening Chaim told his guests: “As we
and information about sales and verses show us the right way to know, there is validity and purpose
shows, etc., and this is why I believe move forward: in the simanim we show on Rosh
that I won’t be able to be completely Hashanah. We try to eat sweet
weaned off. I feel myself cheat ה ֵ א ְ ר – “Behold, I set before you things, to bless and pray through
again and again: I seemingly log in this day a blessing and a curse” the symbolism of the food for a
just to check, for example, how our – we started Elul with the most good, sweet year. But there is no
brethren in the Gaza periphery are fundamental idea: free choice. better siman than showing a loving
doing, but in truth, I get carried There is both blessing and curse face to others, smiling at them and
away and sink into Facebook more in the world, and every day we can exhibiting patience. There is no
and more… choose anew between good and bad. worse sign than anger and strict

On Tisha B’Av I decided to have an םי ִ ט ְ פֹו ׁש – “Judges and officers shall judgment of others. Our behavior
has consequences, good and bad:
entire day of ‘fasting,’ of abstinence you make for you in all your gates” – ‘One who has mercy on others is
from Facebook. It was harder than one must carefully watch the “gates” shown mercy from the heavens.’
the real fast! I realized that I have of the body (eyes, ears, mouth) Especially on Rosh Hashanah, we
an addiction. I felt ‘turned off’ the and place “judges and officers” must be strict about showing signs
whole day. over them. That is, one must pay
attention to what one hears, sees of affection, love and cordiality.”
So together with a friend of mine, and says. Filter the content one is Sivan Rahav-Meir, a popular Israeli
I decided to take on a special exposed to every day and think journalist, broadcaster and author, is the
operation for the month of Elul. We before one speaks. World Mizrachi Shlicha to North America

Photo of Sivan Rahav Meir: Eyal Ben Yaish/Ma’ale HaYetzira
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