Hillel and Shammai disagreed as to how to live the good
life. Shammai would set aside a calf for
the Sabbath meal as early as Monday. If,
on Tuesday, he found a choicer animal he would set that one aside. And so on through the week, he would miss the
beauty of daily living in frustrating preparation for the Sabbath. Hillel, on the other hand, would take each
morsel of food as it came into his hands and enjoy it in its own time. Each day was precious to him; each moment a
joy. He did not postpone living. He would say: “Thank God” each day! Thus our rabbis stated: “He who has food and
says, 'What will I eat tomorrow?' is lacking in faith.” The true person of faith says simply, 'This is
the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad thereon'.” (Psalms
118:24) -Rabbi Gilbert Rosenthal
“Between 1305 and the early 1800’s. the House of Taxis ran a form of pony express service all over Europe…. Its couriers clad in blue and silver uniforms, crisscrossed the continent carrying messages between princes and generals, merchants and money lenders.” –Alvin Toffler, The Third Wave We may think we are the first generation consumed by rapid communication but we are not. Throughout our history it has been a priority. Of course, now in the 21 st century we must ask: are we better or worse for it?
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