Next Year, Someplace Without Missiles

Here's the thing: I'm an egg matzah person. Always have been. Doesn't much matter what's on it...Temptee Whipped Cream Cheese, butter, even cottage cheese, but given my druthers, I'll go for the egg matzah everytime. As those who actually know me already know, Passover is not my favorite holiday. Never mind the cleaning, the changing, the exorbitant pricing of anything with a P for pesadik on it, or the endless cooking. That's actually okay. Mind numbingly okay. It's the counting of the Omer that drives me over the edge every year. But you already knew that. 

It also means I'm rattling around my own head, trying to remember how to not think about stuff. I read the various news organs and just shake my head at global stupidity. I wonder how we can possibly have a head-of-state who lies like a rug each time he opens his mouth. And I sleep fitfully as the Tzofar alarm goes off throughout the night. I know I can turn off the sound, but then I keep waking up to look at the screen. President Felon keeps saying he's decimated Iran's military capabilities, but my friends are under almost constant bombardment from all those decimated missiles. It's not that we can't handle the truth, cognitively diminished tangerine doesn't have any clue what the truth actually is. 

Clearly, all his threats and banging about hasn't convinced the regime to open the Straight [sic] of Felon...I mean Hormuz...and to be honest, the only winner in this pissing match seems to be China's clean energy industry which is just raking in the chips. According to the Washington Post:

China is seizing opportunities in renewable energy as the Trump administration pulls the United States back from the emerging sector in favor of fossil fuels. Last week, as the Trump administration was agreeing to pay nearly $1 billion to stop a French company from building wind farms off the East Coast, officials in Beijing said they intended to raise the share of non-fossil fuel consumed by the country from 21.7 percent to 25 percent by 2030.

Makes one wonder whose side is Feckless is on anyway? Well, that's sorta a moot point, isn't it? He's on whatever side will best line his own pockets. Maybe he can sell China clean coal?

But all is not well at the Pentagram...I mean, Pentagon. CNBC has reported extensively on calls for investigation into Department of Defense insider trading. Citing a letter written to the SEC and the DoD Inspector General by Senators Mark Warner (D-Va) and Adam Schiff (D-Ca) advising that they are probing into the allegations:

Recent reports of equity trading that occurred shortly before significant government policy announcements suggest that federal officials are disclosing material nonpublic information for financial gain,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter to SEC Chair Paul Atkins and Pentagon IG Platte Moring. “These actions undermine public interest and market integrity, and demand oversight by each of your respective authorities, as well as by Congress.”

One of the items on that list for investigation includes Pete Hegseth's broker's attempt to invest in an defense EFT in the weeks before the Iran War broke out. Some people might call that profiteering; others might just call it a lucky guess. Unless they were participating in the prediction markets where bets are made on what comes next.

What does it say about a society where bets are made on any and everything? In that wonderful ol' warhorse, GUYS AND DOLLS, that's exactly the premise of the whole show! The men bet on everything...did Mindy sell more strudel or cheesecake? Can a certain guy get a certain girl to go to Havana with him? And we laughed at that. Sucker bets, they call them. But now, instead of those bets happening in bars and booths, they're on internet betting sites. Why not, looking at the prediction markets, begin to take more calculated risks on the stock market? How can that be illegal?

Well, it can when insider trading is involved. But why is insider trading illegal? According to a raft of sources all saying basically the same thing, it's illegal because it's unfair and undermines the idea of a level playing field. It reduces those who invest in publicly traded  companies into uninformed players being played by an uber class of "savvy" investors who profit from information not available to the public. Despite the penalties, there are those in this country who believe they are above the law and cannot be touched by insider trading laws. I have no idea if that is true; in this administration, they may very well be untouchable. 

As I write this, it's very possible the wheels are spinning out of control. And not just because President Felon has, once again, promised to bomb the shit out of Iran. Sure, that's part of it. Pete Hegseth has taken it upon himself to make the war a religious event. At a prayer service held at the Pentagon on March 25,2026, Hegseth said:

Give [US soldiers] wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trial ahead, unbreakable unity, and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy. Preserve their lives, sharpen their resolve, and let justice be executed swiftly and without remorse that evil may be driven back and wicked souls delivered to the eternal damnation prepared for them…. We ask these things with bold confidence in the mighty and powerful name of Jesus Christ, King over all kings and amen.

On the same day, he ordered chaplains to cease wearing rank on their uniforms, only religious insignia. Military Times explain the orders:

The directive follows a broader effort by Hegseth to reshape the military’s Chaplain Corps. In a December message, he said he wanted to restore chaplains’ focus on ministry and argued that the role had shifted toward counseling and support functions in recent years.

He terminated the Army’s spiritual fitness guide and said he would simplify how the military categorizes religious affiliation.

In his most recent message, Hegseth said that the number of religious affiliation codes was reduced from over 200 to just 31. Military Times was unable to independently verify these numbers.

I wonder which religions/sects/faith practices will now be excluded...and who makes that decision. Considering Hegseth is a member of CREC - Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, one has to take into account his devoutness to a sect that believes, amongst other things:

1. The Bible is the ultimate authority on all matters of life. They use the New King James translation.
2. Christian Nationalism and implementation of Christian biblical law in government. 
3. Homeschooling children as a way to "conquer" secular society.
4. Strict patriarchy where women submit to their husbands in all things and are not permitted to hold leadership roles in the church. Some believe women should not vote.
5. Opposition to modernism...which rejects LGBTQ+ identities, and secular pluralism, often viewing these as "enemies" of the faith

Hegseth has been open about spreading his version of the faith to his subordinates. This is scary on a whole lotta levels. His meetings are decidedly religiously oriented as evidenced by the prayers he invokes. 

Hegseth has a collection of tats beneath his shirt that are more than simply provocative tattoos, the largest of which is a Jerusalem Cross, also known as the Crusader Cross, which has been adopted by far-right groups to symbolize the fight for Western Civilization. They all basically line up with far-right ideology and are viewed, by some, as a harbinger of a Christian new world order based on white supremacism.

New Lines Magazine describes them as follows:

He also has a “Chi-Rho,” the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ and one of the earliest forms of a so-called Christogram (letters formed into a monogram expressing the essence of the religion). Perhaps the most contentious is the Christian expression on his bicep: “Deus Vult,” meaning “God Wills It,” believed to be a Crusader battle cry. Τhere is another cross with a sword, referencing a verse in the Gospel of Matthew reporting the following words of Jesus: “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” “Yeshua,” Jesus’ name in Hebrew, can be read across his elbow. All these Christian-related symbols, words and letters are accompanied by others that draw on American history and identity: the U.S. Constitution’s famous opening phrase “We the People,” the year “1775” in Roman numerals (the year the American War of Independence started), a “Join, or Die” snake from the American Revolution (from a cartoon attributed to Benjamin Franklin, urging the then-colonies to unite), an American flag with an AR-15 rifle, a pair of crossed muskets, a circle of stars and a patch of his regiment, the 187th Infantry. 

I just thought everyone should know about this. Hegseth is just like the rest of the Cabinet of Dunces we have running the country. Toddler-In-Chief only wants people who will give him cookies on demand. The rest of us are fucked. 

I am worried about tomorrow, although recent history tells us that President Felon will hold off for yet another week. Whatever. 

Meanwhile, back in the Crimea.....

Volodymyr Zelenskyy remains the very model of a modern major general despite being virtually abandoned by this administration. I have no idea how he does it. AND he offered drone technology and support to President Felon which the felon promptly rejected. What a horse's ass we have in the Gold House! 

Someone down line had the smarts to take up Zelenskyy's offer. Good for them.

The Wifely Person's Tip o'the Week

Putting away the Pesadik?

Don't forget to leave yourself a written inventory of dry good.

There are only so many matzah balls you can eat in a week

In The Throes of Pesach Prep

In the throes...or mebbe throws of Pesach prep, I am already exhausted. Physically, mentally, and probably even spiritually if I could even find my spiritness right now.

With my folks, it was always a two  party adventure: mom did all the cleaning and crying and yelling while dad shlepped boxes and provided the custom cut claycoat cardboard that covered the counters. The joys of working for a folding box company. But sprinkled amongst the groans, complaints, and knuckles-in-the-mouth, there was a fair amount of laughter, teasing, and an overwhelming sense of continuity: this is what their mothers and fathers did. 

And it was what this mother and father did. We had our jobs. Since we had massive counters in the house, Ziggy's job was to get the clear painters' drop-cloths from Home Depot, measure them precisely to fit the counters, then duck-tape those suckers down so they didn't freakin' move during the week of Passover. Yeah, there was yelling, complaining, and groaning, but man, did we laugh. Ziggy also mastered the rotary waxer to deal with our defective linoleum floor. Somehow, we always managed to wax ourselves into the wrong corner and then spent a whole lotta time freezing on the sun porch until we could to the buff coat. As someone who did not grow up with this meshugas, he was a committed partner in doing it right.

These days, my buddy Bill comes over to shlep for me. He is incredibly patient and even stands there while I vacillate about the number of plates I'm gonna use since I no longer cook the BIG seder meals. And then he always says, that's a lotta pots and pans for some who says she's not cooking. Oh, he's right about that but I cannot help myself. Just in case I have to....

Each year, we tell the story of the departure from Egypt in a way that includes everyone at the table. It's a special kind of participatory theater, every year the same basic script, the same props, the same traditions, while at the same time the story reflects the times and the people. No two seders are ever completely alike, even when the script is followed to the letter. 

This year, the war with Iran rages in Israel. Surely seders there will be interrupted by incoming missile alerts. Some seders may end up being held in shelters. But seders will be held and the story of leaving Egypt thousands of year ago to come back to our homeland will be told not just in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Haifa, Tzfat, Eilat, Beersheva, Ofakim, and every other city, town, kibbutz, moshav, or village but all over the world by Jews in China, India, Australia, Nigeria, Uganda, South Africa, Paris, London, Vienna, Berlin, Stockholm, Oslo, Halifax, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Boston, Poughkeepsie, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington D.C, St. Louis, Delray Beach, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Cheyanne, Denver, Taos, Phoenix, Las Vegas. Seattle, San Francisco, Walnut Creek, Berkeley, Fresno, Sacramento, Oxnard, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Guam, Manila, Saigon, Tokyo....anywhere and everywhere that Jews live on this planet. We don't look alike, we don't always sing the same songs with the same tune, or even eat the same foods the same way....except for matzah, the bread of affliction. 

the one we use

Wherever Jews are gathered, we will tell the same story and we will ask Why is this night different from any other night? If you want to know the answer, click this link. It'll give you a whole list of free Haggadot available online. Read it. Learn what Jews teach our children. You might be surprised. Or not. Children just don't sit there....they are expected to participate as best they can in the retelling of the departure. When we say the ten plagues, we take a drop of wine from our glass to symbolize the lessening of our joy at obtaining our freedom. We understand that the Egyptians lost their first born sons, and many died in the closing of the Red Sea. 

The anointing stone at
the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

We have never been immune to the pain of others. Their lives matter, too. As do all the lives in Israel, be they Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Baháʼí, or Pastafarian. Holy sites for all religions have been closed or with limited access not because the Israeli government doesn't want people to celebrate. Far from it. Jerusalem is currently being targeted by Iran and missiles are hitting the Old City. If you've ever been in the Old City, you know how narrow the street and how tightly packed the buildings are. The IDF limited access to protect the population, not prevent celebration. Imagine what would happen if the Church of the Holy Sepulchre took a direct hit during a crowded Easter service. Israel would be blamed for allowing in crowds when the danger was well known. Damned if the do; damned if they don't. There was no right decision to be had, so now limited numbers will be admitted. But think about this, too: the role of the Temple during Passover was central to the original celebration....and not even Jews are being allowed to be at the Western Wall. So understand it's everyone, not just non-Jewish participants. 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch....

One of my politically savvy friends maintains, if someone tells you who they are repeatedly, you might want to believe them. 

Well, President Felon is really, really good at telling us who he is even when he claims to be making a joke. There was laughter when he said this in a Cabinet meeting on March 26, 2026, but was it really all a joke? From the Roll Call transcript

Our relationship with Venezuela has been amazing. The people -- actually, I'm the highest polling person. In other words, after the presidency, I think I may go to Venezuela and run for president against Delcy. I may run against Delcy. Uh, it's an option. No, I -- they like me in Venezuela. But, uh, it's an option for me. It's a wonderful option. Yes.

Maybe when he's done taking over Cuba.

The Wifely Person's Tip o'the Week

Grandpa Moishe always gave us really old silver dollars 

for finding the afikomen. 

I saved all mine and they will go to the kids.

But if you don't have a roll of really old silver dollars,

I bet a 5-spot would work just fine. 

Even If We Were All Learned In The Torah

Today,  we have a guest contributor. I rarely share the byline, but my guest has a lot to say about Passover. Young Sir, who happens to have recently turned 5, was great at answering questions during the seder, so we're gonna talk about the seders and what they mean. 

Me: How many seders did you go to this year?

YS: I went to one seder at Tom and Laurie's. I saw my cousins T and O. It was fun. We telled stories and sang songs. We finded the afikomen and we got money for giving it to Tom. 

Me: Did you go to another seder?

YS: I went to another seder at Savta's [that's me!] house. It was my favorite seder.

YS: Well, it was fun. It was relaxing. There were lots of kids there. I was the only boy. [the other 6 were girls.] 

Me: Did you get to answer questions at this seder? Which ones?

YS: I answered why this was different from all other nights. I talked about Egypt and other stuff. I telled them the salt water reminded us of the tears of the slaves in Egypt. I telled them about maror [bitter herbs] that reminds us of the bitterness of the slaves in Egypt. Then I ate a hard boiled egg, matzah, and gefilte fish with cucumber. I didn't want soup, so that was all I ate. I had chocolate-chocolate cake for dessert.  The food was good. 

Me: What else did you do?

YS: We opened the door for Eliahu ha'navi [Elijah the Prophet] and then we went outside to play in the dark.

Me: Was this a good seder?

YS: Yes. We had fun.

I will tell you, however, that 15 people with 7 of them kids, was total wonderful, delightful bedlam, much like the seders of my childhood. I was floored at the amount of knowledge amongst the little guys, and when Little Miss read aloud from the Haggadah, her reading was fluent, flawless, and expressive...a pretty nifty thing for an 8-year old. 

The first seder was the first cousins' seder since the lockdown. There was lots to catch up on. Since I grew up with great cousin seders, this was particularly awesome for me, because the last three years were one giant anomaly. Lots of hugs, lots of laughs, and a great afikomen hunt. I found myself a touch emotional at times, missing Ziggy who loved telling the story of the departure from Egypt, and wishing he could see his grandkids with their plague masks on.

My cousin Laurie found a picture of a seder long ago....my parents, her dad, and her in-laws at her parents' seder table. Her mom, the fabulous Pesh, had to have been in the kitchen...as usual. But seeing the three sets of parents together made me wistful, wishing that they could see their great-grandchildren doing what their grandkids had once done: run amok. Would that they could've been there to see the tradition continue into one more generation. 

During our interview, Young Sir made it very clear he had fun at both seders. He and his big sister were with their cousins the first night and close family friends the second... meant there was lots to yammer on about. I know Little Miss will remember the second seder because of all the noise and laughter; I hope Young Sir remembers, too. And I want them to tell their kids that seders were fun, that they exist because of what The Holy One did for all of us when we went out of Egypt.

This is something we do right: we tell the story at the table, stressing that WE were slaves in Egypt and that freedom from slavery is a communal event. We use rituals like salt water, bitter herbs, and matzah to transmit the importance of the story that is about US, not those people long ago. There is an intrinsic importance in gathering together with family, friends, strangers without a place to go on Pesach, or those who want to learn our holiday. 

The props

The seder isn't just a meal...the word means order and there is a specific way to tell the story, complete with visual aids: a special Seder plate with sections, the Haggadah, a matzah cover...this one embroidered by the same Grandma Sarah that edged all those hankies and a special cup for Elijah himself. These are all visual aids that enhance consistency to the retelling. 

You retell the story. You use the props. You add a bit, adjust for kids' ages, for adults' depth of understanding, but you stick to the outline. You hit all the points high points...and then some.  As it is written in the Haggadah:

Now, even if all of us were scholars, even if all of us were sages, even if all of us were elders, even if all of us were learned in the Torah, it would still be our duty to tell the story of the Exodus from Mitzrayim [Egypt.] Moreover, whoever elaborates upon the story of the Exodus deserves praise.

The Wifely Person's Tip o'the Week

New to making Pesach?

Save a couple of empty gefilte fish jars.

Trust me on that....they're handy for un-making Pesach.

Now we are enslaved. Next year we will be free.

I am in the throes of getting ready for Pesach. This is the ultimate punishment for that little incident in Gan Eden involving a tree and a piece fruit. I don't want to talk about why 5 chickens are defrosting in various plastic bags in my still chametz fridge which will be completely pulled apart and scrubbed into insensibility tomorrow morning when the cleaning service comes in for the assist.

The cabinets to be used are already empty. The counters are almost clear....the toaster will go away tomorrow morning after I have my requisite crumpet  for breakfast. Knife, dish, and  coffee mug will also do a disappearing act before we start the BIG SCRUB. Yes, there is boiling water involved. See, I have this plan. 

I work on the action/reward system of motivation. IF I get the whole change thing done by Wednesday morning, I get to play canasta in the afternoon. IF I get the soup started and the matzah balls prepped Wednesday night, I get to have a long overdue manicure (my hands look like chicken feet) on Thursday. That means on Friday, I can stroll through Byerly's for fresh produce and the last of the dairy stuff that has to be bought ahead before I start final preparation for the first seder. 

The TempTee Cream Cheese debacle reached epic proportions last week, but then a fresh supply was spotted at Cub in Knollwood. I alerted my most dear Mrs. Junior  Son who immediately ran over and scored cream cheese for all. Now,  if only I could find  egg matzah which appears to be a casualty of the supply chain. And  I explored large swaths of St. Louis Park this morning armed with a list. I successfully completed the mission...except I forgot to buy new rubber gloves. Thank goodness there's still time for that if there isn't a spare pair in the Pesadik boxes. 

And if that is not enough, second seder has moved from my house to the kids. I am ecstatic! Joyful! And, she's making brisket. This means I shall not be forcing people to eat my terrible brisket. Seriously. I make terrible brisket. There. I've admitted it. Even my mother, who could not cook, made better brisket than I do. 

Read all of the above with the grain of salt I am tossing on it. 

There is plenty of food on the shelves at the grocery store, even if I can't get egg matzah this year. There are still lots of fruits and vegetables to be had, kosher for Passover Coke if you want, and Temp Tee whipped cream cheese. 

The Passover seder begins with Maggid, the telling of the exodus from Egypt, and it begins with this introduction:

This is the bread of our affliction, which our ancestors ate in the land of Mitzrayim [Egypt.]

All who are hungry, let them come in and eat

All who are in need, let them come celebrate Pesach

Now we are here. Next year in the land of Israel.

Now we are enslaved. Next year we will be free. 

The purpose of Maggid is to tell the story in a language everyone can understand. The exodus is meant to be dissected and discussed by all at the table. Questions are to be asked. Children are encouraged to answer as well as ask. Maggid is the transmission of the root story of our very existence. Although we often joke that a distillation of Jewish holidays is "they tried to kills us; we won; let's eat," the  seder provides a prescribed methodology to the tale, asking that as we retell the story in ways everyone can understand, we still manage to transmit the values of Jewish life as we do it.  

"Let them come in and eat," may be the first pointer, but it isn't the last. There are the famous Four questions asked by the youngest at the seder. This teaches us everyone is involved with the telling of the departure from Mitzrayim. Ever wonder about the 10 drops of wine removed from the glass to represent the 10 plagues? That's because our joy at being free comes at a cost to others, therefore our joy is diminished. I can go on forever. 

But I won't. 

Across the globe people are suffering at the hands of others. Right now, much attention is focused on Ukraine...but they kinda look like us. It's easy to sympathize with their plight. Not much attention is focused on Yemen and over 100,000 people who have died in that civil war. Or the Uyghurs in China who are being systematically imprisoned for being Uyghurs. Or the Yanomami of the Amazon who are being beaten off their lands. And, just for good measure, I'll add the Palestinians who are being systematically denied a nation NOT because of Israel, but because their own government will not invest in building an economy and a functional state. Simplifications all, I am certain, but you get the point. 

Every one of those groups wages a war for freedom to be who they are in peace and security, unafraid of what the night will bring. 

Jews make up less than 0.19% of the 7.89 billion worldwide population. Translated, that means out of 7.89 billion people on the planet, approximately 15.2 million people. That's less than the population of Metropolitan New York City (18.9 million people.) We are less than one percent of the total population of the world, yet there is a significant number of people who would like to see that number shrink even more.

That's why, as we come together for Passover this year, we cannot be a silent minority. President Zelensky, a Jew, is standing up to a heinous taskmaster. Jews have not had it easy in Ukraine, yet he is their president and he is doing what nobody believed Ukrainians could do. Would that we could open our doors to all Ukraine to say, "Come in and eat." The total population of Ukraine is around 41.2 million people, and I am certain that number is not adjusted to reflect the refugee departure. The estimated realistic population of Jews in Ukraine is thought to be about 90,000 yet they managed to elect the right guy for this job and he just happens to be Jewish. When we tell the story of our quest for freedom, take a moment to think of those who are not where the grocery stores have food on the shelves because bombs are falling all around them. 

This Passover, the world is looking to him to continue to be the leader Ukraine needs. That he's a Jew shouldn't matter. But to us, it does. 

Next year, may we all be free. 

**Note: population numbers and percentages are from various governmental sources and Wikipedia**

The Wifely Person's Tip o'the Week

If you know someone who is without a seder.

invite him or her to yours.

It's what a community does. 

All the days of your life includes the nights also

 Twelve years ago, Ziggy and I sat at the first seder night at my Cousins L&T. I don't remember much about the seder. All the usual suspects were there...except for the Senior Son who was sedering with cousins in Milwaukee. But Ziggy and I had a secret we were not about to share with anyone there...except Cousins L&T....and that was mostly because T was more than just a relative, he was our doctor. Twelve years later, I still get the pit in my stomach on the first night of Passover. Jews all over the globe may be remembering the exodus from Egypt, but I mostly remember the exodus from the Land of the Living. 

The next morning we went to see an asshole of an oncologist who, without ever meeting our eyes or telling us there were paths to explore, told Ziggy to go home and get his stuff in order because he was going to die. Soon. 

Twelve years later, we are in our second pandemic Pesach. We are lucky because this year our pod of 5 can be together and Senior Son can zoom in again. Little Miss is 6, Young Sir is 3, and both like stories. So while the Haggadah is open before us, we spend much time telling stories. Stories of seders that were, Passovers that were family milestones, and stories about the special Pesach pieces that were on the table. 

empty space for iPad

I told the story of how Saba asked the Four Questions at the first family seder he came to, and how Grandma cried and hugged him. We talked about the matzah cover that same Grandma embroidered for my trousseau, why the silver kiddush cup has a blue enamel interior (to match Bubbe's turquoise ceiling in the kitchen....don't ask.) And the kiddos loved knowing Bumple Senior Son had made the afikomen holder when he was in kindergarten. And how the china was from Bubbe's house, special for Pesach only. 

The seder had most of the usual parts, although somewhat abbreviated for the target audience. I was amazed how my boys not just knew the haggadah really well, but could recite favorite parts at will. I never knew the Junior Son really likes the part about My father was a wandering Aramean...... Or that the senior son (who was sans haggadah) had big chunks memorized. As they reminded their feeble, old mother, they'd been doing this for almost 40 years now, and gee, wouldn't I think they would have a decent command of the seder? I could just hear Ziggy chiding me for the same thing. 

And he would have gone completely gaga for Little Miss who, like her dad, is not a public singing person, as she belted out the Four Questions when we all did it together. She has learned so much this past year! Dayenu was robust and full of gratitude. Of course, Young Sir's rendition of Eliahu Ha'Navi when Elijah the Prophet comes to call at the end of the seder is da bomb. Sitting back and grinning, I could hear the boys and their cousins all singing the same songs at seders long past, and from the depths of my memory came the sounds of brother and cousins singing all the end-of-seder songs with Grandpa Moishe. Oh, how I miss those sounds. The afikomen was hidden and found both nights, prizes distributed, but Young Sir did not quite grasp the art of negotiation. His sister drives a much harder bargain. He'll figure it out. 

But then the morning comes and I remember how much I hate Pesach and the weeks that follow. 

In the Haggadah, there is a section about how to tell the story, and one paragraph hits me between the eyes every time:

Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah said: "I am like a man of seventy years old, yet I did not succeed in proving that the exodus from Egypt must be mentioned at night-until Ben Zoma explained it: "It is said, `That you may remember the day you left Egypt all the days of your life;' now `the days of your life' refers to the days, `all' indicates the inclusion of the nights!"

I always liked that Ben Zoma guy and his explanation about how ALL meant the whole thing, the nights, too. Ziggy and I used to talk about that passage just about every year as we did dishes. We always talked about what it means to remember. Is it active? Is it passive? Is it just a conversation? But it wasn't until he left me alone doing dishes that I fully understood what it meant...and what counting days meant. 

The first day begins the Sefirat ha'Omer, the counting of the Omer. That lasts for seven weeks until Shavuot. 49 days. I was always aware of the omer days; it was on my calendar. Since my consciousness-clock is set to the Hebrew lunar calendar, I automatically counted those days. While I was counting that year, I did not realize what I was counting. I didn't know I wasn't just leaving Egypt that night; I was leaving life as I knew it for over 30 years.

In 2009, Shavuot began on Thursday evening, May 28th. My parents flew in, the Senior Son came home, and shabbat dinner wasn't just shabbat dinner, it was Ziggy's 56th birthday. That Sunday, we had t'nai'im for the Junior Son and the future Mrs. Junior Son because we knew Ziggy was not going to make it to the wedding and this would put his signature on one of their wedding documents. We celebrated as much as we could with a tear in our eyes and a hitch in our breathing. Ziggy held court; close friends and relatives came. And we held our breath, hoping and praying for a miracle that never came. 

7 days later, on the following Sunday, Ziggy left the building. 

Ben Zoma was right. all the days include the nights also.

The Wifely Person's Tip o'the Week

If you are a Pesach observer, do yourself a favor:

now that the big cooking is done, put away what you don't use.

It makes the end run that much easier.