Sunday Dec 09, 2007
Posted by Dr. Hannah Joy
Baruch Hashem, it's Hanukka! Whereas my family has been Blessed with friends and festivities, from a party for giggly teen girls (yes, Boy-Getting-Taller took refuge at one of his friend's homes) to sleepovers for the little ones, and a football game ("Mom, everyone has yeshiva break") for the big boys, we've been rocking. We've been Blessed, too, with Shabbot guests, with lots of calls back and forth to local and foreign friends, with out-of-country visitors, and with many other sweet forms of ruach.
The greatest radiance I've experienced, however, so far, this holiday, happened at shul, during Shabbot Shacharit services. A friend, whom I had not seen face-to-face in a very long time showed up for services. This friend has trouble walking.
As she moved down the narrow aisle of our Beit Knesset's women's section, shuffling quietly so as to not disturb the other women, I looked up. Shyly, I regarded her and shyly, she regarded me; we were there for prayer, not for socializing. It was hard, though, not to be excited to see each other.