devarim

The chaggim are over. Even though I love holidays, three sets of three-day yom tovim in the space of four weeks is enough to drive anyone nuts. A few interesting things happened in this latest set. Our friend Josh decided at the last minute (that is, Tuesday evening) to come and spend the holiday and weekend with us. Yay! Well, had to call our various meal hosts and get him squeezed in, and I think he and Julian were rather time-pressed getting to Cambridge Wednesday night, but yay!

On Simchat Torah night (Thursday), we davened (and danced) at a minyan at a private home. It was beautiful--a small crowd and only one sefer Torah (we traded back and forth between the men and the women for each hakafa), but probably more ruach per person than anywhere else I've been. Well, more ruach per person who was actually participating, since a few people were snacking more than dancing. Generally beautiful, though. And loud, apparently, since as we were leaving (before 11 PM) we saw...police officers. With a paddywagon. Oops. We brought about half a dozen people back to our apartment for a late but very enjoyable dinner.

And this past Shabbat...the highlight of this holiday season for me. When the Torah is returned to the aron after laining at our shul, it is usually carried on a very short route through just a small portion of the men's section. Aside from the fact that it comes nowhere near the women that way (there is a large women's balcony and a smaller section in the back on the grouund floor, where I sit), this also creates a considerable mob of people (er, men and young children) all trying to get to the same tiny path so they can kiss the Torah as it is carried. Even my father complained about the traffic jam, as it were, when he was here last. I had a discussion with the rabbi about it a while ago, suggesting that the Torah be carried on a longer route around the back so it would pass near more people. I assume other people have mentioned this as well, since yesterday, that's exactly what happened. Unless there is a considerable outcry against it, this will be the permanent arrangement (or so I've been told).