One thing I learned from Shabbos is that I don't have to answer the phone. I remember when I first started keeping Shabbos, one of the hardest things was not answering the phone when it rang. Over time it not only became easy on Shabbos, I found that during the week I was also able to ignore a ringing phone. Many of my friends think I am like Superman because I have this "super power."
"Longbeach,your phone is ringing!"
"I know."
"Aren't you going to ANSWER it!?"
"Not right now, it's not a good time..."
"How do you DO that?"
The Rambam says that thepurpose of Torah and mitzvos is character refinement. I often feel that one of the most important messages/lessons of Shabbos is that we learn that we have the power NOT to do something. We learn restraint.
It is up to us, not outside "forces." I don't need to answer the phone, open the mail, hear the news, go anywhere, etc., and I have the autonomous power and self control to do what is important to me and refrain from things when I CHOOSE to.
How many of us refrain from our internet problems all Shabbos long, and wouldn't even THINK of going online? With the help of the Robbono Shel 'Olam, perhaps, just as I have learned not to answer my phone just because it rings, even during the week, I can learn not to answer that internal "Pavlovian bell" that tells me to "log on and lose yourself" just because it "rings."
I hope we can all apply that lesson as it applies to our GYE issues...
