blogs/rabbi-huberman

Turning off trump and clinton

I have an amazing idea to help you get the most of the next twenty-four hours or so.

Turn off your TV. I'm serious.

I hear from many congregants, friends and acquaintances that for the past few months, they have remained fixated if not addicted to the current political discourse.

What is Trump saying today? How will Clinton respond to the latest criticisms?

It goes on and on and on. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

The reason is easy to understand. The divisions in this country are so pronounced, the battle lines are so distinctly drawn, that every day, every news event, every news conference either reinforces our view of the world or assaults it.

But let us take a step back for a moment and assess the WIRGO (What Is Really Going On).

In my former life, I published a newspaper; my first degree was in journalism. I've also worked for political campaigns and within governments. I observe political campaigns with a critical eye.

It continues to amaze me how election campaigns have become less about constructive sharing and discourse over opinion and policy. Rather, it has become about business. When I worked in journalism, reporting, opinions, and editorials were about shaping public opinion. Now journalism has become about reflecting it.

Media makes money from selling to its audience, and it hasn't escaped most news corporations that people will watch or read those programs or articles which reflect, rather than challenge, their personal opinions.

And who are the additional beneficiaries of this mirroring process? Drug companies, car manufacturers, insurance agencies and financial institutions.

Political campaigns are now being guided not by economists or sociologists, but rather by media gurus. And we buy into this, in some cases, twenty-four hours a day.

But is there a point that interest in the current political discourse becomes too much? And what are the collateral costs?

Is it advisable, or even possible to turn off the world for twenty-four hours? Is it conceivable to sit at the dinner table without the family laptop nearby, or the blaring of neverending expert panels from a television left on in another room?

Does Judaism have an antidote to all of this? Yes, it does.

Judaism tells us that, for one day a week, "I can shelter myself from those who wish to sell me things."

It teaches that, rather than work, or obsessively interact with technology, we can stop for a day, and focus attention on our souls, our families, our friends.

For if we are not shopping, surfing, checking, downloading , or allowing ourselves to be jangled by politics, perhaps we can be walking, playing catch with our children, or sharing a meal with family and friends. Perhaps we can designate a day to restore our soul.

And it starts with twenty-four hours.

In this week's Torah portion, we repeat the reading of the Ten Commandments. Last January, in our recitation of the Book of Exodus, we publicly recited these commandments. And we will do so again this Shabbat.

But there will be one change.

In our January reading, the Torah told us to "Remember the Shabbat." Yet, as we reread this historic code  tomorrow in synagogue, there will be one minor alteration.  We are told to "Observe the Shabbat."

It is one reason why, at minimum, we use two candlesticks on Shabbat. For we are told to both remember and observe the Sabbath.

All the more reason today, as consumerism and politics continue to hijack our lives,  that we go "old school" and observe what God commands in the Torah.

The Torah reminds us to turn off the world for a day. In so doing, we are directed to focus on spirituality, to emotionally invest in our families, and to spend time with our friends. It reminds us within a modern context to stop creating, spending, consuming, surfing, worrying and, yes, politicizing.

Is that such a bad thing?

More directly, will anything change from Friday sundown to Saturdayevening within the political landscape?  

Rather, we will reboot tomorrow evening and find the same political pundits, the same Humira ad, and the same child encouraging us to "zoom zoom."

Shabbat encourages us to stop the world for a day. Perhaps it is not possible for us to totally shut down, but does it make sense to begin somewhere? Think of the stress and anxiety that will alleviate.

And isn't that what Shabbat is all about?

Tomorrow at 10:30 am, while I lead our regular Shabbat service in the sanctuary, Cantor Gustavo will be convening an alternative service at Garvie's Point.

There will be prayer and meditation, and a focus on spirituality. There will be a connection with water, trees, land, and air.

Either in our sanctuary or at Garvie's Point, we will grasp an ancient principle contained in this week's Torah portion: to rest and embrace ourselves as spiritual beings.

Ultimately, Shabbat is not about restrictions and limitations, it is about freedom and, dare I say, democracy. It is about Jews and others who mark the Sabbath collectively saying, "One day per week,I choose not to stress my life with the external. I choose to create and consume less. I choose to rest."

So perhaps the Torah, our Sages, and even today's spiritual leaders are not so far off when they encourage us, for just one day, to turn off life's stresses.

And perhaps in 2016, in the midst of this heated and divisive political campaign, it is time for us to shut off our technology, and incline ourselves towards Shalom Ba'it: peace in our homes.

What would happen if we passed over an episode of Law and Order in favor of a family walk?

For when we allow ourselves to "Observe the Shabbat," sacred light enters our lives. This is not just rabbinical talk; it is advice for good mental health, and for Shalom Ba'it.

God's words remind us as we contour our ancient writings and commandments to modern times, that the Torah and Jewish tradition are not limiting, they are enlightening.

Let us therefore use the next twenty-four hours to turn down the volume on technology, and invest that time in family.

As the Torah teaches, the gift of Shabbat is not a restriction. Rather it empowers us with spirituality, and the keys to satisfying and meaningful life.

Shabbat Shalom, v'kol tuv (with all goodness).

Rabbi Irwin Huberman