Dream On: Chapter 11 

Chava often said there was no greater nachas than having her whole family gathered together over Chol Hamoed. That’s why they built their Succah in their building’s parking lot, despite having to carry the food up and down three flights of stairs. Their tiny porch would never be able to accommodate her large and growing family.

But right now, looking around at her children relaxing around the Succah table — the six married couples; Baruch and Reuven, her yeshivah bochurim; Elisheva; and a few of the grandchildren who hadn’t gone out to play with the rest — she was surprised to feel a certain weariness as well.

At the far end of the table, Hillel, her bechor, was telling over a chaburah he’d recently given to his kollel, while down at her end, Devoiry was discussing her new business with her sisters. Chava was curious to hear what she had to say, but somehow, her eyes kept fluttering closed.

It had been a long day; she’d gotten up early to start preparing the food. And after everyone left, she’d be faced with the dirty pots and serving dishes, the mess, the crumbs, the toys strewn all over her apartment. Her daughters and daughters-in-law, she knew, would offer to clean up, but would also gratefully submit to her insistence that she’ll take care of it; they had enough to do getting their families home, with the buses bursting with the Chol Hamoed crowds