How many "Likes" can I get?
As I sat with my 3 boys watching the 4th of July fireworks show, I noticed some people next to me watching the same show - but on their phone screens, as they facebook live'd (video shared) the spectacle to their worldwide audience.
Social Media has led to a whole new way of engagement. It has brought the world closer together, enabled us to keep up with our
high school friends, and allows us to pick up the conversation with people we haven't seen in years.
But what should I share? Should I post that once in a lifetime dream vacation, or should I post the Instagram-worthy recipe that I just couldn't keep to myself? Should I use it to display my life in its entirety, or leave an occasional snapshot?
Similarly, it has allowed us a view into other people's lives good enough to compete with a tabloid magazine.
מה טובו אהליך יעקב - How wonderful are your tents, Jacob!
Bilam - a non-Jewish prophet - was hired by King Balak to curse the Jews. Try as he might, each time he opened his mouth filled with hate the most wonderful blessing issued forth. Among them the above line.
The Midrash explains that the inspiration for this blessing was seeing the setup of the Jewish camp. Each tent was set up in such a way that no two openings faced each other. Care was taken to be modest and respect the privacy of others.
I'm not advocating against Facebook (Mark Zuckerburg is a great guy 😊), Twitter, or any of the other myriads of platforms. It's awesome that we can connect so easily. And isn't this a great video? That being said, let's be like the desert Jews and be mindful of what's in our own tent before sharing it with the rest of the world. Sometimes it's ok to enjoy the family and the experiences without the intermediary of a camera lens. We might find the experience that much more powerful.
Now feel free to Like and Share this! 😉
ב"ה