Emoji Etiquette and the š©µ of Communication
- Boruch Meir "Meyer" Greenbaum
- Apr 4
- 2 min read
I use emojis when I communicateā¦ a lot. š³
Itās a habit I picked up only recently.
And I loveĀ it. ā¤ļø
Emojis help encapsulate my feelings and reactions. They give context to a message ā turning plain text into something personal. They add color, nuance, heart.
āWhy do you always respond with a ā¤ļøāš©¹ in the family chat?ā I recently asked my brother-in-law JJ on WhatsApp.
JJ is a one-of-a-kind soul.
A deep feeler.
An emotional healer.
He loves hard ā and is deeply loved.
Iāve admired him ever since I first met him at the adorable age of 4.
He has the kind of smile that lights up a room. Together with my sister-in-law Frumie, they light up anyĀ room ā be it a classroom, their home, or even, this Pesach, a community Seder in Madagascar.
Theyāre teachers, mentors, counselors, motivators.
Their life is a mosaic of purpose, joy, and impact.
I schep nachasĀ from JJās every step in his journey of growth, meaning, and refinement.
āBoruch,ā a close family member said to me once, āyou canāt send another woman a ā¤ļø ā she may get the wrong idea.ā
āWhat should I use then?ā I asked. āWhat emoji conveys that I loveĀ something?ā
āYouāre better off with a š.ā
āI donāt accept that,ā I said.āIf my heart runs red, it runs red for everyone.ā
I saw a meme the other day:
āReal adults donāt use emojis.ā
I had to check with the real authorities ā my wife and daughters ā to make sure I wasnāt embarrassing them.
Thankfully, they gave me the all-clear.
Apparently, Iām not a walking emoji-cringe.
Truth is, I think emojis are a powerfulĀ tool.
They force you to pause.
To scroll through your options.
To chooseĀ the exact tone and reaction you want to convey.
They help us be more thoughtful communicators.
In a world that often feels detached and transactional, emojis are micro-moments of connection.
They validate. They affirm. They signal presence.
And that, in 2025, is š„.
So why was JJ sending the wounded heart, the ā¤ļøāš©¹?
Well, Iāll let the pictures below tell a thousand words.
Shabbat Shalom ā¤ļøā¤ļø
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