The New York streets I remembered were filled with people talking to themselves and wildly gesticulating.

The taxi driver who drove me to the airport at the conclusion of my first visit to Lincoln Square Synagogue pointed out all the people walking around with Walkmans, earphones in their ears and shut off from the rest of the world. “I prefer the people who talk to themselves than to live in a city in which everyone shuts everyone else out,” he said. (This was a time when most taxi drivers were struggling college students.)

Well, I think his wish came true. Wherever I go I see people with flashing blue lights in a weird contraption hanging on an ear, shouting, pleading, laughing, talking and gesticulating wildly. They don’t seem to be talking to anyone in particular. I never know if someone is talking to me or some ethereal spirit called iPhone.

They are all talking again, but they seem even more shut off from the world than they did in the good old days of the Walkman!

I was ruminating on all this on my way to synagogue. I wrapped myself in my Tallit and Tefillin, and services began. You won’t believe what happened!

There were no flashing blue lights in their ears, but everyone began talking, seemingly to themselves, many gesticulating, some were almost dancing, most were swaying back and forth. Everyone was carrying on private conversations with someone not readily visible; Did I feel as if I were back on a busy Manhattan street?

No. Each person was carrying on a private conversation, but no one was shutting out the rest of us. In fact, we had actually gathered together to have these private conversations. In fact, we all felt that our private conversations improved because we had gathered to have these talks.

Weird, right? Imagine a group of people gathering in a room just to each have private blue-tooth powered cell phone conversations. I’ll admit it: I do it as often as possible. It isn’t New York. In fact, it is not an earthly experience at all.

So, I respond to the bluetooth device wearing person who yesterday asked me why we gather in order to have private conversations: “What do you think you are doing? I will not carry on an important conversation with my wife while walking on a crowded street. I move to the closest quiet spot to speak with her. I usually find a few others who are doing the same thing.

“If that is what I do to have a disembodied conversation with my wife, what shall I do to converse with God?”

Author Info:
Learn & discover the Divine prophecies with Rabbi Simcha Weinberg from the holy Torah, Jewish Law, Mysticism, Kabbalah and Jewish Prophecies. The Foundation Stone™ is the ultimate resource for Jews, Judaism, Jewish Education, Jewish Spirituality & the holy Torah.