Everyone knows that the most stressful moments in life generally occur in or around the kitchen while the exhaust fan is on. There is something about the consistent loud noise that just seems to put you on edge. Every. Single. Time.
You may have noticed, though, that as soon as you turn off the kitchen exhaust fan, your temper eases and your body relaxes. You become more focused and the anxiety drifts away. Pretty amazing, isn’t it?
So, what is going on in our heads? Why is it that the sound of the kitchen exhaust fan keeps us feeling tense and anxious?
According to studies, loud noise can be stressful because it can trigger the brain's "fight or flight" response. When unpleasant noises enter the ears, they are sent to the amygdala, the stress detection center in the brain. The amygdala then releases cortisol, a stress hormone, and triggers a series of reactions in the body. Chronic exposure to noise can wear down the body and lead to mental and physical health problems.
While most of us think of pollution as fossil fuels burning a large size hole through the Ozone, or mega oil spills that cover the sea’s surface, or harmful pesticides that suffocate plant life, there is indeed another type of pollution that exists. It’s called noise pollution. Noise pollution is defined as unwanted or disturbing sounds that can interfere with normal activities, disrupt quality of life, and affect the health and well-being of humans and other organisms. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines noise pollution as noise above 65 decibels (dB), and it becomes harmful when it exceeds 75 dB and painful above 120 dB.
The “High” fan speed in a kitchen exhaust fan can range from 65 dB to 70 dB or higher! No wonder why it makes people feel so edgy. After all, it is literally noise pollution!
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), noise pollution is one of the most dangerous environmental threats to health. The European Environment Agency (EEA) estimates that noise pollution is responsible for 12,000 premature deaths and 48,000 new cases of ischemic heart disease each year.
My friends, the world today suffers from a tremendous amount of noise pollution. The hustle and bustle of life is filled with noise, noise, and more NOISE. But the avodah and job of a Jew is תשמעון, to be a listener. To work on the capacity of turning down the noise and hearing the Word of G-d. In truth, the Master of the World is constantly calling out to us. We tend to be so busy and involved in all the external noise, that we tend to just not hear Him.
Many commentaries explain that והיה עקב – the opening words of our Parshah – are an allusion to the End of Days, what we call עקבתא דמשיחא. The next word in the passuk is תשמעון. Perhaps, then, we can understand the phrase like this: In עקבתא דמשיחא, the world will be filled with a tremendous amount of negative noise pollution, but our job as yidden is תשמעון, to quiet down those external noises and become active listeners to Hashem and His Will. Turn off the figurative kitchen exhaust fan and listen to Your Creator talking to you!
Have a holy Shabbos!
Everyone knows that the most stressful moments in life generally occur in or around the kitchen while the exhaust fan is on. There is something about the consistent loud noise that just seems to put you on edge. Every. Single. Time.
You may have noticed, though, that as soon as you turn off the kitchen exhaust fan, your temper eases and your body relaxes. You become more focused and the anxiety drifts away. Pretty amazing, isn’t it?
So, what is going on in our heads? Why is it that the sound of the kitchen exhaust fan keeps us feeling tense and anxious?
According to studies, loud noise can be stressful because it can trigger the brain's "fight or flight" response. When unpleasant noises enter the ears, they are sent to the amygdala, the stress detection center in the brain. The amygdala then releases cortisol, a stress hormone, and triggers a series of reactions in the body. Chronic exposure to noise can wear down the body and lead to mental and physical health problems.
While most of us think of pollution as fossil fuels burning a large size hole through the Ozone, or mega oil spills that cover the sea’s surface, or harmful pesticides that suffocate plant life, there is indeed another type of pollution that exists. It’s called noise pollution. Noise pollution is defined as unwanted or disturbing sounds that can interfere with normal activities, disrupt quality of life, and affect the health and well-being of humans and other organisms. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines noise pollution as noise above 65 decibels (dB), and it becomes harmful when it exceeds 75 dB and painful above 120 dB.
The “High” fan speed in a kitchen exhaust fan can range from 65 dB to 70 dB or higher! No wonder why it makes people feel so edgy. After all, it is literally noise pollution!
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), noise pollution is one of the most dangerous environmental threats to health. The European Environment Agency (EEA) estimates that noise pollution is responsible for 12,000 premature deaths and 48,000 new cases of ischemic heart disease each year.
My friends, the world today suffers from a tremendous amount of noise pollution. The hustle and bustle of life is filled with noise, noise, and more NOISE. But the avodah and job of a Jew is תשמעון, to be a listener. To work on the capacity of turning down the noise and hearing the Word of G-d. In truth, the Master of the World is constantly calling out to us. We tend to be so busy and involved in all the external noise, that we tend to just not hear Him.
Many commentaries explain that והיה עקב – the opening words of our Parshah – are an allusion to the End of Days, what we call עקבתא דמשיחא. The next word in the passuk is תשמעון. Perhaps, then, we can understand the phrase like this: In עקבתא דמשיחא, the world will be filled with a tremendous amount of negative noise pollution, but our job as yidden is תשמעון, to quiet down those external noises and become active listeners to Hashem and His Will. Turn off the figurative kitchen exhaust fan and listen to Your Creator talking to you!
Have a holy Shabbos!
