HOME & FAMILY

Learning should be an ongoing activity of pleasure. Bein Hazemanim is not the time to go altogether lax, only to relax. Vacation has its place for us all. This article may not apply to us women directly, but certainly indirectly, expanded to other areas, and certainly, as mothers of budding Torah scholars!

Ounces of Safety
adapted from an article by Rachel Gil

The Nine Days are accident prone. Children are accident prone. Homes are accident prone, that is, the scene for many accidents that could have been avoided. All parents have experienced the situation of a `near accident' of varying degree. They heave a sigh of relief when it is behind them and intone, "Shomer pesoim Hashem -- Hashem keeps a vigil over the innocent."

The Lasting Spark
by Shira Shatzberg

The story that you are about to read took place along the banks of the Mississippi River in the year 1815. It happened to a Jewish family, immigrants from Poland, who settled as pioneers in the United States of America. The Bob family -- originally Bobsky -- had long ago detached themselves from the Torah and mitzvos, the very roots of the Jewish people.

Making Ends Meet
by Rosally Saltsman

Part II

"Usually, saving money also involves some kind of spiritual tool, be it self-control, creativity, bitachon, self reliance or doing a mitzva for someone else."

Vacation -- From Problem to Challenge
adapted from an article by A. Dover

Vacation time is here again. Can you say that you feel the same joy and relief that filled your hearts as schoolchildren at this time?

(Not Yet) Washed Out and (Not Yet) Washed Up
by Sue Tourkin-Komet

Learn to appreciate the pervasive power of water and washing and how these feature in our daily and yearly lives...

Your Medical Questions Answered!
by Joseph B. Leibman, MD

Mrs. R. from Bnei Brak called me last week on a case which is now amusing, but at that time was worrisome. She had cooked oatmeal and after eating some and feeding it to her baby, she found a battery in the oatmeal.

Poet's Corner
Breaking Through the Darkness
by Rifca Goldberg

Sitting low
On small stools
The pain of this day
Causing headaches
Causing heartaches.

Tisha B'Av

Rumblings of hungry stomachs,
Parched lips thirsting --
Where is water? When is water?

Rumblings of hunger for the Redemption
Parched souls thirsting --
Where is Moshiach? When is Moshiach?

Waiting for the fast to end.
For the suffering to be finished.
Done with.

Those passing each other
Barely nod their heads
Forbidden to greet one another.
No one has the strength anyway.

The aron kodesh
Stands stripped of its curtains, mourning,
So many tragedies relived,
Such bottomless sorrow.
Thousands of tears,
Tears of thousands of years.

When will the Beis Hamikdosh break through
The dark clouds of exile
Shining with the brilliance of geula?

*

With suddenness beyond belief
The tears have finally ended!
Finished!
Done with!

Awe replacing century old sighs,
As Tisha B'Av becomes
The greatest Yom Tov of all.

An enormous room
Bigger than the largest
Broadest auditorium
Barely able to see the gold lined walls

Inhaling deeply the scent of the Incense
Which rises in a silver smoke column above all.

Squeezed tightly together
Engulfed in gladness,
More Jews than anyone
Knew could exist
Great-grandmothers standing next to
Their great-grandmothers...

Men embracing
A thousand year old embrace

Eyes opened wide in wonder
Lips opened wide in laughter.

Now the time has come to prostrate
There's just room to stand
Yet all bow down
On these sparkling sea colored stones
of the Beis Hamikdosh.

Tisha B'Av is breaking through the darkness.
Now the most joyful Yom Tov of all!