We haven't had letters for some time. What's doing with you
readers?
Reminding you that we accept submissions — and pay.
MAIL: Weinbach, Panim Meirot 1, Jerusalem. FAX: 02-5387998.
Email: shyated@netvision.net.il.
My New Year's resolution is to try to read incoming
submissions within the day (bli nedder, if they are not too
long. I said `try'). If faxing or mailing, please put your
name on EVERY page submitted. I almost credited a poem to
someone else, recently.
*
FEEDBACK to Tzvia Klein for her down-to-earth comments in her
article, "Keeping Grandmothers Happy" [Parshas Ki Sovo] and
most of her other articles, too, which succinctly express the
opinions of many of us, if we were but able to voice them so
well.
While my own daughters and in-laws are well tuned in to the
points she raises in this piece, there is rarely a time when
our generation does not give a firm nod of approval after
reading such pieces. Keep them coming, please.
L. Kohn
And from Soroh Solomon, England:
Not long ago, my fifteen-year-old granddaughter mentioned
that a quite a bit of cheating goes on in her school [in
Israel]. I asked her what the teacher does about it, and she
answered that she does not see what's going on.
I asked a few other girls in different schools and they all
said that cheating does take place. They didn't seem overly
concerned, either.
I grew up in England where, of course, some cheating goes on,
but no one claims that it is the right thing to do!
On more than one occasion, I have heard of someone asking
another person to take an English exam which is required for
any job in a state school. "What difference does it make if
I'm not to teach English?"
The difference is that it is dishonest, and once we act
dishonestly in one area of life, it becomes a habit.
Another thing bothering me is the notes mothers write for
their daughters. "Please excuse my daughter for not doing her
homework. I needed her help." Not true. Or, "Please excuse my
daughter's lateness. She had to do urgent shopping for me."
Not true. She got up late. What are we teaching our children?
That honesty is not important?
Is it considered alright to shave off a few years of an older
girl's age when she is looking for a shidduch? To me,
that's lying. So if cheating and lying are allowed, what's
next? Stealing? What happened to the Ehrlicher Yid?
Some years ago, I had a repair done on my car. When I was
about to take out my check guarantee card to verify my check,
the garage owner said it was unnecessary. "I know your
community. Only once in all my years have I been caught with
a dud check." I felt proud.
Surely our aim should be to instill in our children the idea
that we must be scrupulously honest at all times, in all
circumstances. But children are not fools. If we are less
than honest, they cannot be expected to be better.
We have many shiurim on all sorts of subjects. Maybe
it is time to have some on honesty? What do you think?
FEEDBACK
Just the other day, I had the misfortune to scald my right
hand quite badly. I had just made a cup of tea when,
suddenly, I knocked the cup and the contents poured over the
back of my hand.
I quickly turned on the cold water tap and let the not
particularly cold water run over my hand and then reached
into my freezer, extracted a packet of frozen peas and
applied it to the scald. Even with the frozen peas on my
hand, I could feel the burning sensation quite deeply. I took
a look at the scald and saw that my hand was bright red. I
quickly pulled off my rings and by this time my hand was
trembling with pain. I replaced the packet of peas and
thought quickly. "What should I do?" I was in the middle of
my Shabbos preparations and didn't know how I would be able
to continue. I knew that I had to act immediately, but the
question was how? What could I do and what did I have in the
house that would be effective?
Then I remembered that I had read that Australian Tea Tree
Oil was supposed to be effective against burns and scalds. I
try to keep some in the house as a remedy for colds and sore
throats and fortunately I had a bottle of essential oil in
the kitchen cupboard. I quickly poured the neat oil over my
hand, which by this time was swollen and starting to blister.
Within 30 seconds, the burning sensation began to ease and,
before my eyes, my hand started to return to it's usual
color! I poured over some more oil and was able to then make
myself another cup of tea. I sat at the kitchen table and
could not take my eyes off my hand. The burning had stopped
and my hand had, Boruch Hashem, returned to normal! Within 30
minutes, I felt able to continue with my Shabbos
preparations. There was simply no trace of the scald!
I would urge everybody to keep a bottle of Tea Tree Oil in
the house for just such an emergency. (No, I do not have
shares in the company!). Hashem in His kindness has given us
natural remedies to combat mishaps and, Boruch Hashem, I was
able to take advantage of this.
Yours faithfully
Miriam Shorrick
Kiryat Sefer
[Ed. Had she kept her hand in cold water until removing it
did not hurt, she would have also had the same results, I
believe.]
