The End of an Era, A New Time

The portion Vayera means "to be chosen". In this portion Moses begins to fulfill his lifelong destiny as liberator of the Israelites. God sends Moses back to Egypt to speak before Pharaoh for freedom. Pharaoh declines seven times in the portion. Each rejection to free Moses and his people results in a place. God strikes Pharaoh and Egypt down with blood on the Nile, frogs, vermin, beasts, cattle disease, boils, and hail. Pharaoh concludes the portion by seemingly releasing the Israelites.

Throughout the week, two things floated in my thoughts: plagues and the New Year. Are they connected? God plagued Egypt because Pharaoh denied God's existence. He believed each of God's "wonders" could be equally created by his magician. 2011 brings uncertainty to us all. We see God's wonders everyday. Why is it that God lets us watch oil burn, crimes unfold, and sickness dwell? Is God against us in this day and age?

I am afraid that we have brought our own plague upon us. Technology now controls our lives. The Internet, Blackberries, I-Phones, everything has imprisoned us to a world of devices that beep. Theaters have lost great deals of respect. Almost every Shabbat service is accompanied by a ring. In 2010, I feel we have entered a new era. In this year, the Internet became bigger than the phones, newspapers, and even television. Eventually, somebody will write a parallel piece to mine. They say how they internet is out of style. There may be no blood in our water or hail in our skies, but technology is a menace.

In my opinion, the plague is a result of instant knowledge. If we have a question, we Google it. If we need to contact someone, we Facebook them. Got a rumor to spread? Go and twitter it. News is always happening and somebody is always telling it. The plague is the end of privacy. As previously stated, God did not bring this plague upon us. Technology is a man made plague.

In this new time we call 2011, we should redeem ourselves. We have the ability to buy a newspaper. Maybe when we have a question, we look it up at the library. We can even shut off our precious cell phones at synagogue. Technology can be stopped, but we have to part the Red Sea to halt it.