Sanctuary

“Remember the day of Shabbos to sanctify it.” (Shemos 20:8)

On Friday night when we sit down to our Shabbos meal, the first thing we do is welcome the angels, the holy guests that Hashem has sent into our home, singing “Shalom aleichem! Malachei hashareis.” We also ask them to bless us. But after a few short moments we say, “Tzeis’chem l’shalom!” and bid them farewell, the Slonimer Rebbe notes. Why don’t we beg them to stay? (Rabbi Yaacov Haber, TorahLab)

If this past year of uncertainty has taught me anything, it’s to seize the moment. So when my daughter called to tell me that a friend was going away and had asked if we wanted to stay in her home in the moshav of Beit Chilkiya for Shabbos, I jumped at the opportunity.

It was predicting to be a long winter with multiple lockdowns looming, and the change of scenery sounded good. Even though I’d had to cook and pack all the food, I was in high spirits as we pulled into the winding country road that led to the charming stucco home where we’d be staying.

The house sat at the far edge of the moshav. It was small but boasted a double-story, enormous picture window framed by a curving window seat. From that gorgeous vantage point we could see acres of plowed fields that seemed to stretch beyond the horizon. I felt a peace settle into in my crowded brain.