Chapter 35: SHAVUOT
God's Little Drop of Water
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Shavuot was the next holiday in May. Shavuot signified the day Moses received the Ten Commandments from God upon Mount Sinai. It was therefore appropriate to light candles, study the Torah, enjoy a feast, and drink red wine to ensure festivity.
Ima prepared a customary dairy meal for the holiday, rather than a meat meal, much to Taliya’s delight. To combine meat and dairy was not kosher. Ima insisted everyone wait a while until they enjoyed the cheesecake. Taliya had spent many days thinking about and anticipating the sweet, creamy cheesecake. And now she sat waiting, waiting, waiting.
Taliya sat at the table, waiting, and asked, “Ima, now?”
A few minutes later, Taliya asked, “Ima, now?”
And a few minutes after that, Taliya asked, “Ima, now?”
Each time Ima said, “Adain lo!” Not yet!
Taliya said, “Oof!” She contemplated going to the refrigerator to get a piece of chocolate. But she wanted to make God happy. So she waited.
Until, finally, at long, long last, Ima declared that it was time.
She served everyone a piece of cheesecake and Taliya was delighted.
Shavuot also offered a three-day holiday from school.
But all too soon, it was time to return to class. Taliya resumed her task of being an exemplary student every day. And at the conclusion of the school day, she went to Gal’s desk and asked Gal if she had been a good student that day. And, just as she had said the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that, Gal assured Taliya that she had been a very good student.
One afternoon, Taliya was walking home from school when she felt a very odd sensation. It was as though someone were physically causing her to lift up her head, moving her gaze from the sidewalk to the sky above her, almost as if she were a marionette on strings.
When Taliya looked up, she saw a window falling toward her at breakneck speed. Taliya immediately hopped to one side. The window struck the pavement and smashed, sending glass flying everywhere.
Several onlookers rushed to Taliya’s aid, making certain that she was unharmed. She assured them that she was fine. Everyone agreed that it had been a freak accident, with the window coming loose from its hinges and falling all the way from the fourth floor of the building. And that it was a miracle that Taliya had leaped out of the way at the last moment the way she had.
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