web analytics
May 21, 2013 /12 Sivan, 5773
At a Glance ▼
Judaism
Sponsored Post
The Tosfos Yomtov was convinced that the death of 300,000 –600,000 Jews during the Chmielnicki massacres of 1648-49 were because of improper Tefila. Communicated: Tefilla

Chillul Tefila Bifarhesia, as well as halachicly challenged verbiage and dress, are external manifestations of a critical lack of personal yiras shomayim which has lethal consequences.



Lost In The Snow

tell a friend
Lessons-logo

As night fell and Shabbat drew to a close, a minyan gathered in my sister’s home in Manchester, England.

My three sisters and I were sitting shiva for our mother, who we buried the previous day. As we have no brothers, my brother-in-law said Kaddish and the four sisters quietly responded.

We removed our shoes, changed out of our Shabbat clothes and returned to the low stools we had been sitting on for a few hours on Friday after the funeral – until Shabbat started.

It was all still a blur, a shock. We could barely believe that our dear mom, who had been about to leave the convalescent hospital for home, was now dead after a sudden heart attack.

We had rushed to England from Israel and the U.S. so that we could bury her before Shabbat. As snow started to fall, she had been lowered into the ground and we were forced to rush to get back to my sister’s home before Shabbat.

Before I sat back down on the low stool, I looked out of the tall bay window. The snowflakes were falling thick and fast. I knew we would have to leave very soon or we might never get to London.

After asking a rav, we decided that as three of the four of us had no friends or other family in Manchester, we would return to our respective homes in Teaneck and Jerusalem for the remainder of shiva. Our return flights were scheduled for the next morning from Heathrow Airport in London. But first we had to get to London.

Some of our out-of-town friends had said they would come to Manchester after Shabbat, knowing that it would be the only chance to pay a condolence visit, but we decided to call them and tell them to cancel their plans. The snow was making driving dangerous and we would have to leave Manchester immediately. We daren’t wait any longer.

We packed hurriedly and started off. We drove very slowly and carefully down the motorway, the white blanket gradually covering the almost deserted, multilane highway. Our progress was painfully slow and with the car sliding from one side of the road to the other, we were grateful for the lack of vehicles around us.

The journey took more than three times the usual time and we breathed a sigh of relief as, hours later, we neared the motorway’s end and the lights and streets of the London suburb came into sight.

Our plan had been to stay overnight with friends in London and go to the airport early in the morning, but the steadily falling snow made us think again.

Our friends lived some distance up a small side street, one of the streets that got snowed in very quickly due to the lack of traffic. They are also the last to be cleared by the few snowplows available in London. Once the snow would have frozen overnight, it would be almost impossible to get out safely in the morning.

We stopped for a few minutes at our friends’ house to explain our change of plans and to call a small motel close to the airport where we could spend the night. We booked a room and set off again. The footprints we had made as we entered the house were already covered by the steady snowfall, and the car slid helplessly away onto the highway.

We drove to the area where the motel was, near the periphery of Heathrow Airport. The address had been vague so we called and spoke to the clerk on the night desk.

“Can you see the Sheraton Hotel from where you are?” he asked. “We’re just by that hotel.”

We drove slowly toward the Sheraton, all the time looking out for our little motel. We drove all the way around the large, imposing five-star hotel – but saw no sign of our lodging. We called the clerk again.

“Can you see the McDonald’s near the Sheraton? We’re just there.”

We looked all around and eventually spotted the McDonald’s, but it was on the other side of the main highway. We thought it odd that one minute our motel was situated by the Sheraton on the left side of the highway and the next minute it was on the right side. We continued along the main road until we got to a traffic island where we could turn and go back down the other side again.

tell a friend

About the Author:


You might also be interested in:


no comments

You must log in to post a comment.

SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend

Current Top Story
Entire neighborhoods were flattened by the tornado that struck outside Oklahoma City, OK on May 20, 2013
Chabad to the Rescue for Oklahoma Residents
Latest Judaism Stories
Torah-Anytime-logo
Judaism → Torah

I watch my children use blocks to build a large structure, observing the trepidation with which they add each block. As the structure becomes larger there is a greater risk of it collapsing, thus bringing an end to an hour of playful labor. I anticipate what will happen when one child adds a block to the top floor, compromising the integrity of the building and resulting in the collapse of the entire structure. The argument that ensues is predictable, as each child blames the other for “ruining” the fun. As an adult, I wonder about the need to attribute blame. Will assigning blame be instrumental in rebuilding the structure?

Taste-of-Lomdus-logo
Judaism → Parsha

In this week’s parshah the Torah discusses the halachos of when one steals from another and when confronted in beis din, the thief swears falsely with his denial that he stole. This parshah was already taught in parshas Vayikra; however, there are two halachos that the Torah adds in this parshah to this topic.

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

In order to carry from one’s home into the street (even when the area is enclosed by a properly constructed eruv), the eruvin ceremony must be performed. This ceremony involves the placing of food in one designated home on behalf of all Sabbath observers in the enclosed area. In order for the eruvin ceremony to be valid, however, it must be performed on behalf of all owners of streets and homes in the enclosed area.

Business-Halacha-logo
Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

Hymie was visiting Israel and enjoying an afternoon with his grandchildren in the park. After pushing them on the swings and watching them slither down the slides, he went to sit down on a bench in the corner of the park.

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

Question: On Friday night the chazzan in many shuls ascends the bimah for Kabbalat Shabbos but goes to the amud starting for Barchu. Why?

Judaism → Ask the Rabbi

Question: As Shavuot is fast approaching – a holiday on which we dwell on the story of Ruth and the origins of the royal house of David – I was wondering if you could help me resolve something. Some people say that Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi, the redactor of the six orders of the Mishnah and a scion of King David, purposely kept any mention of Chanukah and the Hasmonean kings out of the Mishnah because the Hasmoneans improperly crowned themselves and ignored the rule that all Jewish kings are supposed to come from the tribe of Yehudah. Is this true?

Menachem
(Via E-Mail)

Judaism → Parsha

The Rema writes (Ohr Hachaim, 494:4), “It is customary to spread branches of trees in our synagogues and homes [on Shavuos] in order to commemorate that which the sages say [Rosh Hashanah 16a] that on Shavuos the world is judged concerning [how many] fruits the trees will produce [that year].”

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

Summer Eruvin
‘A Separate Contribution From Each’
(Eruvin 72b)

Judaism → Parsha

If a man suspects his wife of infidelity, he is to bring witnesses and warn her not to go into private quarters with the man in question. If she violates that warning, he is to bring her to the kohen, who will give her the “bitter waters” to drink. If she was falsely accused and was innocent, she will be blessed with children. If she was guilty, she will die a gruesome death.

Judaism → Columns → Lessons In Emunah

A flash of red caught my eye, and I looked up and saw a cardinal perched on the picnic table on my deck. What a miracle, I marveled. You’re beautiful. Thanks, Hashem. And then my mind’s wheels began to roll, and it struck me that several miracle stories had come my way this week. The stories prodded me to think of and feel Hashem’s presence as a more tangible and vivid reality.

Judaism → Rebbetzin's Viewpoint

Over the years I’ve received letters from all over the world in which people share feelings and thoughts they’ve experienced upon becoming became Torah observant. Usually these letters arrive not long after the writers had heard one of my speeches. No matter where a particular speech took place, and no matter whether I spoke the language or had to use a translator, the magic always works. In reality, it’s not magic at all but a little voice in the soul – the “Pintele Yid,” that spark of G-d’s Word engraved on all our neshamahs. Here is one recent letter.

Judaism → Parsha

By the time these words are printed, there will be only a few more days left before Shavuos. We hope that up until that point, we will still have been counting the days of Sefiras Ha’Omer with a bracha, but we also know that too often, despite our best efforts, we drop out of counting with a bracha some time before the count is complete.

Judaism → Parsha

In this week’s parshah the Torah tells us that the bechorim were replaced by the levi’im to serve in the Mikdash. The Torah says that there were 273 more bechorim than levi’im. Those bechorim could not simply be replaced, and had to be redeemed. Hashem told Moshe that each bechor should give five shekalim to Moshe, who, in turn, should give them to Aharon and his sons. With that, they would be redeemed.

Judaism → Halacha & Hashkafa

Question: Is there anything special that one should do on Yom Yerushalayim?

Judaism → Ask the Rabbi

Question: As the shamash in a small community shul with an aging population, I am faced with numerous challenges. The following is only one of them. During sefirah, different people daven for the amud for Ma’ariv. Once, a bar mitzvah was one of them. On another occasion, a very recent ger lead the service. Were these individuals allowed to lead the congregation in counting sefirah? I also wonder, in general, if everyone should be trusted to lead the counting. What if someone forgot to count on one of the previous nights but does not inform anyone of this?

No Name
(Via E-Mail)

More Articles from Ann Goldberg
Lessons-logo
Judaism → Columns → Lessons In Emunah

A pale young man shuffled into the small Jerusalem yeshiva during kriyat haTorah one Shabbat morning.

Lessons-logo
Uncategorized

“If you have children, you are a millionaire. And if all of your children have children, you are a billionaire.”

Judaism → Columns → Lessons In Emunah

As night fell and Shabbat drew to a close, a minyan gathered in my sister’s home in Manchester, England.

Judaism → Columns → Lessons In Emunah

Yael was tired of sticking the highchair together with glue or Sellotape. It had lasted through five children, a miracle in itself, but now it seemed to have given up all hope – and decided to self-destruct.

Judaism → Columns → Lessons In Emunah

“Mum, you’ll never guess what happened.” My daughter Tammy’s tone of voice at the other end of the phone indicated that it wasn’t something pleasant.

“Someone took my baby stroller from the bus. When I went to pick it up and get off the bus, it wasn’t there any more. I couldn’t believe it. Who would do such a thing?”

    Latest Poll

    Which is the most beautiful location in Jerusalem?









    View Results

    Loading ... Loading ...

Printed from: http://www.jewishpress.com/judaism/jewish-columns/lessons-in-emunah/lost-in-the-snow/2013/01/16/

Scan this QR code to visit this page online:

Related posts:

  1. Northeast Under Blanket of Snow, NY City Spared Worst
Close