What might Hashem be teaching us through the evolution of the modern car?
That’s when I discovered that cars today aren’t really cars anymore — they’re computers on wheels. Anything decent costs over $25,000 and comes loaded with features I never knew existed. They warn you if you drift from your lane, sense icy roads (which in Montreal is most of the year), remind you if you’ve left something in the back seat, and much more.
As I explored this world of advanced technology, I began to wonder: What might Hashem be teaching us through the evolution of the modern car?
Rav Matisyahu Salomon ztz”l once remarked on how refined, gentle bnei Torah can turn into entirely different people once they get behind the wheel. The same person who would never cut ahead in line might cut someone off in traffic. The same person who would never raise his voice might blare his horn in anger. What’s changed?
Driving gives us a powerful illusion of control. We press the pedal and two tons of steel surge forward at our command. It’s very empowering. And the moment something interrupts that sense of control — a delay, a slow driver, a missed turn — our calm evaporates. The ego that felt so powerful suddenly feels helpless.
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