Ripple in Still Water

           I heard the most re-assuring sound this morning. We sleep with our bedroom window slightly opened. Well, around the time when I normally wake up along with the sunrise, I heard the sounds of birds chirping. It took me a second to realize that birds were chirping, but as I opened my eyes and saw the clear blue sky and the first rays of sunlight, the sweet sounds of birds chirping re-assured me. It sounded like spring outside, it looked like spring outside and when I went downstairs and stepped outside for a moment to breathe; it started to smell like spring. It used to be, that after the smell, sounds, sights and inhaling the fresh spring air occurred, I would check the baseball scores and see how my team did the night before. Well, with no baseball due to COVID-19, there was no baseball.  Still, I felt a sense of reassurance, a sense of normalcy, a sense that something out there was working correctly. Yes, spring technically began two weeks ...

          I woke up this morning, Oy, am I sore!  For some reason, I am acutely aware of how sore I am while I say the morning blessing: Baruch Atah Adoshem Elokeinu Melech Ha'Olam Zokeif Kefufim. Blessed Are You Lord Our God, King of the Universe Who straightens the bent . While I am sure there is a spiritual component to this praise of God; right now my legs and my back are sore and straighten out is currently an adventure. No, I haven't started bringing up the Pesach dishes, pots and pans. Yesterday, the weather was far too nice. It seems that everyone was out walking, staying away from each other but walking. Our son, who hasn't really been outside at all, even asked to go outside. He asked me to move the cars off the driveway so that we could shoot baskets.  I happily agreed. Well, shooting baskets quickly became a game of 1 on 1 game up to 7. Well, I made him work for every basket, there was nothing easy. but 15-year-old legs jump a little highe...

          Well, today isn't just Thursday.  Today isn't only that we are heading towards our second Shabbat in this "new normal". Today (and tomorrow) is also Rosh Chodesh, it's the end of one month and the beginning of the new month, the month of Nissan. In case anyone had looked outside into the night sky, the moon and its light have been noticeably absent. Tonight and over the next several days we should begin to notice the moonlight. Normally I don't get too excited about Rosh Chodesh, but everything seems to have taken on the heightened meaning given the circumstances of our lives. Maybe a bit of boredom has set in. Maybe we are just looking for anything to reassure us that no matter how bad things are, Rosh Chodesh reminds us that the moon waxes and wanes. seasons change, and Pesach is in two weeks. Of course, when I finished davening and I joyfully wished her a Chodesh Tov. It's Nisan, It's two weeks until Pesach. It is the Zman Cheiruteinu, the...

          As we continue to hunker down in our home. I have noticed something very troubling; it is something that has now happened several mornings.  Our son wakes up in time for his online class. He sits at his desk in his pajamas. He comes downstairs, he davens he eats and he returns to his classroom. Several hours later, he returns to the kitchen to eat lunch. He is still in his pajamas. Later in the afternoon, he may come down to get a snack or he may remain in his room until late afternoon. More importantly, he hasn't changed out of his pajamas. He eats dinner and this routine has gone on for several days in a row.           At the very end of Shacharit, we recite several verses from Psalms that have been designated as Shir Shel Yom, a Psalm of the day, sort of thing. Each psalm of the day begins with a formulaic statement: HaYom Yom Revi'i B'Shabat Sh'Bo HaYu Levi'im Omrim B'Veit HaMikdash - Today is the fourth day of the ...