One Plate on a Small Table

by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com

It is a picture that describes it all – one plate at a small table. It depicts the harsh reality in an almost intolerable situation.

They eat alone.  Often it is every Shabbos.  Every Yom Tov.

They are the divorced.  The single.  And, if and when they get our attention, it is often as an afterthought.  But rarely or never a forethought.

Perhaps that is why modern phone technology was invented.  Not so that we can shop the latest gizmo, or look up something that we had just discovered, but rather to be able to reach out to the singles, and to do so in a kavodika way.

They are all a tzelem elokim, with so much to offer in thought and conversation.  We need to seriously re-evaluate things.

A note  I received quite recently indicated that it is not a minor problem.  It stated that for many the “invisibleness” is so unbearable that some of them have given up on our glorious birthright r”l because of this.

The note urged us to scroll through our contact lists and text, “Hi Chaim, I am thinking of you and would love it if you could pop by for a meal or something – we really enjoy your company.”

One of the reasons why we avoid Pas Palter during aseres yemei Teshuvah is to accumulate zchusim.  Why not reach out now for Sukkos?

A shoutout to CF and TH for bringing this issue up.

The author can be reached at [email protected]

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