Communication Is A Two Way Street

Our patterns of communication have changed radically since God spoke directly to Moses. They had FACETIME before it was a computer application.  Panim al Panim, face-to-face. It was just a hop-skip and a jump from there to Guttenberg’s press, to Morse Code, on to satellite communication... and if you are lucky... digital cable, and the penultimate means of communication, the “selfie.”  So many ways to communicate....

We have a home phone number, two cell phone numbers that FORWARD to our home phone, (for when we are out of cell phone range). We also have the RABBINICAL HOTLINE, a phone number that rings me at any of four different locations in the event of Rabbinical Emergencies! It is kind of like the original “BAT PHONE.”

With all the new and improved modes of communication it should be easy to get busy adult children to “dash off an email” or text, or Skype, or call, somewhere in between commuting to the office, earning a living, exercise, pre-school enrichment and diaper changes. But, as it has been since the beginning of time, our children are busy with their own lives... and communication is cut down to a tweet full of content. 

When conventional email, voice mail and phone calls don't work... sometimes you need another approach!   This one worked for me after numerous modes of communication failed to elicit a response to the question, “What does Claire, my granddaughter, want for her third birthday?”  With the date rapidly approaching, I sat down at 2:00 AM to give it one more try and sent the following e-mail.

“Hello.  Just checking in as time is growing short until Claire's birthday.  I was thinking of getting her an EXTREMELY LARGE DOG THAT DROOLS... and a lovely saddle so she can ride him around the house... alternatively, you can hitch him to a three wheel stroller and he can take baby Charles out for a trot.

I guess if I don't hear from either of you... I will just have to go ahead and have him delivered.  Just wanted to give you time to pick out a name for him.  I am partial to the name "GARTH."  I spoke with the breeder and he assures me that GLUTEN FREE dog chow is available... so you won't need to worry about the Gluten dust.

If, however, you have OTHER ideas about what to get Claire for her birthday, just let me know in a timely manner.

Love, Mom

PS, did I mention that "GARTH" sheds a lot?”

It worked.  Even with a time zone difference, at dawn, there was a response with a list of birthday wants and/or needs... in two e-mails. 

I’m not sure that Moses would have ever gotten the Children of Israel to the Promised Land if he had to wait a really LONG time to get a response from God.  But they worked it out.  They kept the lines of communication open.  Judaism is founded on a personal relationship with God.  We are held accountable for our actions, but we are encouraged at every opportunity to engage with God, and to be God’s partner in healing the world.  Moses and God didn’t have FACEBOOK and other asynchronous forms of communication. They kept actively in touch with each other. Moses didn’t need to “friend” God to know what was going on.  He was always “tuned in.”

So remember to keep those lines of communications open. Don’t just send out a signal... leave yourself open to reception.

Shabbat Shalom,