lonely and ferocious. When Shabbos comes, Rivkah cannot sit at her grandmother's table. It makes such a difference who you eat with on Shabbos. She runs down the block to her Uncle Reb Bershky. Food on Shabbos is an offering to God. Each bite you eat can make you strong, or it can act on you like a poison.
"With every bite of food you eat on Sabbath," Uncle Reb Bershky says, "God draws you closer into his arms. And you draw God closer too. The food we eat on Sabbath gives us strength and pleasure for the whole week long."
So, when the guests start to arrive for Sabbath, Rivkah runs down the block right away to her place at her Uncle Reb Bershky's table. By the time she gets there the table is filled up with his wife, children, and assorted guests, young and old, rich and poor, who've been invited to eat with him this week.
They all come in, wash their hands, wash off every impurity, and thank God they are all together. Uncle Reb Bershky will not begin until Rivkah comes and sits down. Why he waits for her, no one really understands.
As soon as Rivkah sits down he picks up his glass of wine, stands up at the head of the table, and begins the prayers for the Kiddush, the Sanctification.
Uncle Reb Bershky goes on a little longer, then all lift their wine glasses together and drink.
"We bless God, and each other!"
"Amen, amen, amen."
One by one they go to the kitchen in silence, wash their hands, pray, return and wait for Uncle Reb Bershky to make blessings over the Challah.
Each receives a small piece, his or her share of the blessings. Then they all sit down at the table and while the food is being passed around begin to sing timeless, beautiful Sabbath songs. Love songs to God, thanking him for everything.
From out of the mouths of everyone, including the tiny children, the ancient, sweet, songs and blessings arise. It is said the angels come too at this special moment to join them, and take
pleasure in the Sabbath. It is really easy to feel them too, especially if Uncle Reb Bershky is singing along.
Rivkah sings along loudly with great joy. She feels sure at this moment that God can hear her, and that her songs and prayers are helping to make not only her, but the whole world fresh and strong. These old melodies and beautiful Sabbaths make Rivkah strong. They give her direction and hold her firmly in their arms.
Uncle Reb Bershky's wife Miriam passes the Chullente, a thick stew with meat, beans, potatoes and eggs down the table on a huge, silver platter, and everyone dips in and takes some. The whole heart of the Shabbos, Rivkah can taste in the Chullente. Then Miriam passes around the potato kugel, a large potato pudding.
At the very same moment, in each house on the block, all the families are eating exactly the same food. The Chullente at Uncle Bershky's house is sweet and delicious. Rivkah's grandmother's Chullente is too bitter for her to take in. For about three hours the meal goes on - singing, praying and learning teachings of Torah for that week. Then, after the last piece of cake has been eaten, it is time for Rivkah to go home.
She walks home by herself, slowly. When she gets there the house is quiet and empty. The guests are gone. But Devorah is up, waiting for Rivkah in the living room.
Rivkah slips in the side door and hears Devorah breathing in the living room. "You shamed me again, Rivkah," Devorah murmurs, loud enough for her to hear it. She does it the minute Rivkah walks in.
Rivkah starts to climb up the stairs.
"How does it look to the whole neighborhood that my own granddaughter goes somewhere else to eat for Sabbath? Week after week?"
Like poison it looks, Rivkah thinks.
"Don't go upstairs yet."
Rivkah stops climbing.
"You pretend you don't hear me, but I know you do."
Rivkah starts climbing again.
"Where are you going? You forgot something important."
Then Devorah's voice turns into a little girl's voice, complaining, lonesome.
"With every bite of food you eat on Sabbath," Uncle Reb Bershky says, "God draws you closer into his arms. And you draw God closer too. The food we eat on Sabbath gives us strength and pleasure for the whole week long."
So, when the guests start to arrive for Sabbath, Rivkah runs down the block right away to her place at her Uncle Reb Bershky's table. By the time she gets there the table is filled up with his wife, children, and assorted guests, young and old, rich and poor, who've been invited to eat with him this week.
They all come in, wash their hands, wash off every impurity, and thank God they are all together. Uncle Reb Bershky will not begin until Rivkah comes and sits down. Why he waits for her, no one really understands.
As soon as Rivkah sits down he picks up his glass of wine, stands up at the head of the table, and begins the prayers for the Kiddush, the Sanctification.
Uncle Reb Bershky goes on a little longer, then all lift their wine glasses together and drink.
"We bless God, and each other!"
"Amen, amen, amen."
One by one they go to the kitchen in silence, wash their hands, pray, return and wait for Uncle Reb Bershky to make blessings over the Challah.
Each receives a small piece, his or her share of the blessings. Then they all sit down at the table and while the food is being passed around begin to sing timeless, beautiful Sabbath songs. Love songs to God, thanking him for everything.
From out of the mouths of everyone, including the tiny children, the ancient, sweet, songs and blessings arise. It is said the angels come too at this special moment to join them, and take
pleasure in the Sabbath. It is really easy to feel them too, especially if Uncle Reb Bershky is singing along.
Rivkah sings along loudly with great joy. She feels sure at this moment that God can hear her, and that her songs and prayers are helping to make not only her, but the whole world fresh and strong. These old melodies and beautiful Sabbaths make Rivkah strong. They give her direction and hold her firmly in their arms.
Uncle Reb Bershky's wife Miriam passes the Chullente, a thick stew with meat, beans, potatoes and eggs down the table on a huge, silver platter, and everyone dips in and takes some. The whole heart of the Shabbos, Rivkah can taste in the Chullente. Then Miriam passes around the potato kugel, a large potato pudding.
At the very same moment, in each house on the block, all the families are eating exactly the same food. The Chullente at Uncle Bershky's house is sweet and delicious. Rivkah's grandmother's Chullente is too bitter for her to take in. For about three hours the meal goes on - singing, praying and learning teachings of Torah for that week. Then, after the last piece of cake has been eaten, it is time for Rivkah to go home.
She walks home by herself, slowly. When she gets there the house is quiet and empty. The guests are gone. But Devorah is up, waiting for Rivkah in the living room.
Rivkah slips in the side door and hears Devorah breathing in the living room. "You shamed me again, Rivkah," Devorah murmurs, loud enough for her to hear it. She does it the minute Rivkah walks in.
Rivkah starts to climb up the stairs.
"How does it look to the whole neighborhood that my own granddaughter goes somewhere else to eat for Sabbath? Week after week?"
Like poison it looks, Rivkah thinks.
"Don't go upstairs yet."
Rivkah stops climbing.
"You pretend you don't hear me, but I know you do."
Rivkah starts climbing again.
"Where are you going? You forgot something important."
Then Devorah's voice turns into a little girl's voice, complaining, lonesome.
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