In what may (or may not) have been the most important development of the week, Facebook rolled out a new way for people to express themselves. The world’s largest social network (if Facebook were a country, it would have the largest population) released a few spin-offs of the “Like” button. Now, you can choose how to react to your friends’ updates, vacation pictures, hires and fires and other life experiences. You can love, be sad, or even "HaHa".
While it may seem like a step in the right direction, allowing for a larger range of emotions, it may also have the opposite effect. Emotions are a complicated thing. (In fact, we dedicated this week’s Lunch n’ Learn @ WORK, to merely touch on a few ideas on happiness). They cannot necessarily be properly captured in a single word or an “emoji”. Whereas previously one may have felt the need to write a comment or message to share their feelings, now one might suffice with a button. The excitement, empathy, love and care won’t necessarily transfer over the interwebs.
This week’s Torah portion begins with the mitzvah of the half Shekel - where each Jew, contributed an equal amount towards the building of the Mishkan (the temporary temple in the desert). Wealthy or poor, everyone had an equal share in creating a place to connect. The question is, why a half Shekel? In fact the Torah has to explain that a Shekel is worth 20 “gerah” coins, and we then figure out that a half Shekel is worth 10. Why not simply say that we should give 10 “gerah” coins?
The lesson we are meant to take away is that, each of us is but a half. We only become whole when we care for and share with another. Perhaps wealthier individuals could have sponsored something all on their own yet he only gave one half-shekel. The less fortunate, though not able to sponsor any one thing, were nonetheless partners in everything. This is community. This is “love your fellow as yourself”.
Whether the new Facebook buttons will allow for more or less expression of feelings is up for debate. In the meantime, let’s remember the half-shekel, and in real life (as well as on social media), be more conscious of each other.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Dovid Bush
Bangkok to Siberia, Miami to Petaluma. These amazing women get together annually to re-Jew-venate, to share, schmooze and laugh. To inspire and to be inspired to do what they can back home, creating an environment where every man, woman or child feels comfortable to connect Jewishly in whatever capacity he or she chooses.
To grow, (and I mean personal growth; city development plans, I will leave to the professionals) we need to challenge, we need to explore. And the challenges bring out what previously would have been unattainable, allowing us to rise to superhuman heights.