01/02/2019

A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Rabbi Alex Chapper, Community Rabbi
Borehamwood & Elstree Synagogue
Good morning

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy is the old proverb

Perhaps we could modernise it slightly by exchanging “dull” for “depressed”

As technology was advancing it promised to free us up to enjoy more leisure time - they said that computers and robots would do the menial work and make our lives easier

The reality has been somewhat different - we’re working longer hours, we’re expected to be constantly connected - did you know that the average person checks their phone 200 times a day and rates of depression and anxiety, especially amongst young people, has risen dramatically in the last 25 years

As an antidote to this, many are now choosing one day a week for a Digital Detox and disconnecting from electronic devices such as smartphones and computers as a way of reducing stress and focusing more on social interaction.

This idea has been part of Jewish tradition for centuries - we call it Shabbat - the Sabbath - a day of rest when we disconnect from the virtual world and reconnect with the real world, with family and friends, with our community and ultimately with G-d.

We can easily forget that we work for a living rather than live to work so taking some time to appreciate what’s truly important in life is needed more than ever

So let’s pray that we remember that no-one ever says “I wish I spent more time in the office”

Let’s remember that there’s more to life than YouTube and Facebook

Let’s remember it won’t be our smartphones or our computers that miss us when we’re gone.