Friday, April 15, 2011

Has the Internet dehumanized the Passover experience?

One of my oldest memories of Pesach is the family going to the Rabbi to sell the Chometz.

We would get there and the adults would shmooze.

The Chometz would then be sold, a handkerchief raised (for the Kinyan) and a donation would pass hands.

Then came the test.

The Rabbi would test us kids to see what we learned about Pesach and what we knew in general.

At the end, he always gave us a small present.

It was fun.


But my kids aren't getting that experience.


How exciting is it to log into a Jewish website, fill out a form, and sell your Chometz as if you were on eBay (with a definite buyer)?

Not exciting at all. I admit it's my fault, but in the modern world, transactions are simply moving to the online venue.

My kids are getting plenty of Pesach memories, but this is one that they will miss out on because of the convenience of the Internet (and because I have no clue as to who to physically go to in Israel to sell my Chometz).

Has the Internet dehumanized Passover?

I don't know, but I do know this experience won't be a common one much longer.

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8 comments:

Michael Sedley said...

Here in Modi'in, Rav Segel (who runs Ezer Modi'in) encourages parents to bring their kids to him to sell Chametz.

I make a point of bringing allmy kids, he spends a good 15 minutes talking to them, explaining the process and asking questions, and then gets each of them to lift a handkerchief and sign the form.

Finally he gives them all a candy, answers amen to their bracha, and I get to leave a donation for Ezer Modiin.

annie said...

Doesn't your shul organize the sale of chametz? One of the gabbaim does it for our shul. every household fills in a form and takes it to the gabbai, who then takes them all to ... whoever. I guess the Rabbi or the moetza datit.

JoeSettler said...

It might, but that would mean having to read all the emails to find out.

Experimental Knitter said...

I'm with Annie. And the forms are there when you go to shul (what a concept). No e-mails needed.

yoni r. said...

With all of you people doing mechirat chametz on the internet, it frees the Rabbi up a bit, so he can spend more time talking to the rest of us.

Erachet said...

Where I live, my dad fills out a form and brings it to the Rabbi. No internet needed.

Carina Rubaja said...

'Passover'
www.zoharme.com
Graphic Commentaries on Judaism

Anonymous said...

Do you lift your laptop to make the kinyan?

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