Communication Frustration

“Avraham expired and died in a good old age, old and satisfied, and he was gathered to his people.”

(Bereishis 25:8)

This pasuk relates a fascinating sequence of events. There are three stages to what we call dying. “Avraham expired” means his body ceased functioning. He “died” refers to his body and soul separating. “He was gathered up to his people” means he entered Olam Haba. (Rabbi Label Lam, Torah.org)

Raising bilingual children, it’s often embarrassing when they put their linguistic feet in their mouths.

Because although they think they’re saying exactly what I told them to say, things often get lost in translation, making for mortifying moments.

I still remember the time my five-year-old told my mother that I couldn’t come to the phone because I was “sitting on my sisters’ kids” — her interpretation of babysitting.

I’ve had my kids tell their teachers that their “Mommy is shmenah” (fat, when I was expecting) and “ko’eset kol hazman” (getting angry all the time instead of kotevet — writing, my profession.)