What did I do today?

 

Even for a Shabbat, today was very quiet. I missed my usual live synagogue service via Zoom and only watched services on YouTube, as well as some additional teachings.

    So now, at the end of the day, having just prayed the bedtime Sh'ma, I am left feeling I've done nothing at all today.

    For starters, I haven't been able to have my usual video call with my beloved grandson because his phone's flat and he doesn't have a charger. Will have to remedy that soon. But back to Shabbat.

    As I usually do on a Friday night, I kindled the Shabbat lights and said the blessings, did some Torah at the table, and by 6pm, was headed to the bedroom to fall asleep to the sounds of Kabbalat Shabbat.

    This morning I did Shabbat morning Kiddush. I love reading out loud all those medieval poems about how God will watch over us if we watch over Shabbat. I then watched various teachings on the Torah portion as I couldn't find the live broadcasts that were happening out of Amsterdam.

     Only this afternoon did someone send me a link to the service, so I watched that until Motzei Shabbat and Havdalah.

    I always feel so sad when Shabbat leaves. I only began to understand this feeling when I learned that Adam and Havah were sent from Gan Eden after that first fateful Shabbat. How terrifying that must have been. Even in that mournful moment, God had compassion on them and gave them the gift of fire. Still, it had to be scary. In more ways than we can know.

    So, not that we have to DO anything on Shabbat, of course, except for rest in Him and occupy ourselves with Torah. And I did do that.

I'm wondering then why it feels like something is missing...

My sleeping patterns haven't been great these last few days. Perhaps setting myself a bedtime would be beneficial...

    Just as I'm thinking I shall tootle off to the kitchen and make myself a warm cup of cocoa, I suddenly hear loud banging and crashing sounds coming from outside. It sounds like the next-door-neighbour is either chopping big pieces of wood with a big axe or throwing huge pieces of metal against something. Looking out the window proved it wasn't in our yard as the motion-sensitive light hasn't come on, and I heard calm voices from the yard next door when I peeped out my front door into the dark - so at least it doesn't seem to be domestic violence.

    Back to that big, warm cup of cocoa....

Layla tov & Shavu'a tov