See It and Remember

It turns out that behind every innocent supermarket is a marketing consultant who meticulously plans your shopping experience. For example, the produce section is usually at the entrance to give a fresh market feel. The temperature is kept at a comfortable 22-25 degrees Celsius, encouraging long stays. Well-known, higher-priced brands are placed at eye level, and essentials like bread and milk are located farthest from the entrance to ensure you pass by as many shelves as possible. Classical music in the background and snacks near the checkout—voilà, the trap is set. Anyone mentioned a loyalty card? As simple as it is ingenious. Those trained in behavioral sciences know how easy it is to manipulate human desires, consciousness, and emotions. The psychology of advertising is no less fascinating. Did you know that a 30-second commercial during Channel 2's news costs the advertiser over $8,000? Every year, food companies, clothing industries, and various business corporations spend fortunes on advertising, branding, and public relations. The globally recognized brand, Coca-Cola, spends billions annually to expose us repeatedly to its curling symbol over a red background. Just for context, Coca-Cola bought the main sponsorship for the U.S. Super Bowl finale for a million dollars (!). The ad aired as a strip in the last minute of the game for only 5 seconds... Sounds crazy, right? The truth is, it’s not. The world of modern advertising has understood what the Torah taught us thousands of years ago: every sight, every sound, every word affects a person. The Torah describes Leah, our matriarch, with "Leah's eyes were tender," teaching us, according to our sages, that her eyes were tender from crying. She heard people saying that there were two sons of Isaac—Esau and Jacob, and two daughters of Laban—Leah and Rachel. Thus, the obvious match was the elder to the elder, and the younger to the younger… Essentially, Leah was to marry Esau. Leah hated these talks so much that she couldn't stop crying. At first glance, Leah's tears might seem strange: why cry over trivial street gossip? Why didn’t Leah just say: "I don't care! There’s no way I’m marrying Esau"? Leah understood the great secret of the advertising world: there’s no smoke without fire. If people talk about it, it will eventually come true.When a person absorbs a message repeatedly, it becomes part of their consciousness. They hum the jingle, mimic the announcer, and at the crucial moment—they purchase the product. That's human nature. You can fight it, or you can use this trait for good. Many commandments have ethical significance, and their observance strengthens our awareness of those values. The commandment of the tzitzit teaches us the power of sight: "You will see it and remember all My commandments." Reciting the Shema multiple times a day reinforces our Jewish identity, the memory of the Exodus from Egypt, and accepting the burden of the commandments. On Chanukah, we publicize the miracle of victory by placing the menorah facing the public domain, as we do in many other commandments. People are influenced by what they see, hear, read, and say. Let's strive to use this trait for the right purposes.