The Sabbath Comes…

the thing about Shabbat…is that it is not fixed to how busy you are, what you have to do, what you want to do. It comes with the setting of the sun Friday night, and other than when Joshua stopped the sun over Jericho thousands of years ago, we are dependent on it to tell us as the Sabbath approaches. For me, I can look out my living room window and watch as it sinks in the sky. At the point that it just touches the horizon…which for me is the beautiful hill starting Jerusalem, I will light the candles.

I asked Elie to please try to call me before the Sabbath. He said he would try. Shabbat begins in just over 30 minutes and he still hasn’t called. I know I should try to call him but I had an idea. I took my phone and gave it to each person in the house and asked them to send Elie a message. I don’t know when he’ll open his phone next, but when he does, he will be flooded with 7 messages wishing him, in English or Hebrew, in short sentences or long, a peaceful Sabbath.

“from your cute brother, Davidi,” my youngest son wrote.

Shabbat Shalom from Shmulik,” my middle son wrote.

Shabbat shalom and come home safely,” my son-in-law wrote.

My older daughter is busy typing him a message now; next my younger daughter will send one as well. My husband is sending it from his phone and then I’ll send one.

Shabbat shalom, by beautiful soldier. I am so proud of you. You are doing what is right and honorable and people all over the world are praying for you. There are those who send words filled with hatred and anger. They are nothing against us because we know a simple truth. If Hamas didn’t fire rockets into Israel, we would not now be attacking Gaza.

No, I won’t write all this. These are words Elie knows, just as he knows that we love him so much. I never imagined how hard this kind of week would be and I feel like such a fraud because my son is not IN Gaza. He is not one of the soldiers going house by house trying to find rockets and armed terrorists.

There isn’t time to write more about why we do this – the sun is sinking lower and Elie still hasn’t called. So I’ll sign off – wish you all a safe and peaceful Shabbat.

17 Comments

  1. Shabbat Shalom,
    It is 5 more hours before Shabbat here, in Boston, so I am at liberty to write to you. I found your blog 3 days ago and I am reading and re-reading your posts and I also sent the link to all my friends.
    Thank you so much for putting in words the feelings that we, the PROUD Jews, have. My children are not in the army service but I look at every young Israeli soldier present and future (there are no former soldiers) like it is my own child. I pray for every one of them and proud of everyone of them. May G-d watch after them and keep them safe and bring them home safely.

    Shabbat Shalom

  2. “Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men: protect me from men of violence, who devise evil plans in thier hearts and stir up war everyday.”
    Psalm 40 1-2

    May Elie be protected from men of violence.

    Blessings to you and your family this Sabbath. My prayers are with you.

  3. Dear Soldiers Mother

    I am one who had the privilege to serve in his countrys’ army in peacetime only. War was many times around us, but we could stay in peace – and this for now almost two hundred years.

    Therefore I assure you that the candle I light so often this times is also for your son and his comrades.

    God bless you.

    R.

  4. Shabbat shalom you and your son!

    I know that Hamas and other “palestinian patriots”, “Islam warriors” are just rude bandits who want simply destroy the Israel and rest of the free world…

    Shalom to your son!

  5. I am so glad that I found your blog. I think of your son and all the soldiers and am continually praying for them.

  6. I hope your son has already called. I don´t think I could stand the idea of my sons going to the war (any war). I don´t think any country deserves the sacrifice of anyone´s son. Why don´t you call him back? Why did you allow him to go? Why don´t you find some place else to go instead of letting your children die like that? A land is only a land. Let them (palestinian)live there and kill each other if they want to, but protect your son´s lives first!
    Maria, Portugal.

  7. Dear Soldier’s Mother, I just found you! It is good to hear from someone in Israel. I am an American and there is not much truth to be had about this war. I will add Elie to my prayer list. And you, too. You are the one with time to sit and think. I hope that Israel will finish the job this time. May the One True God bless you and keep you and bring Elie safely home. Meredith, Tennessee

  8. God bless you, Elie, and the state of Israel.

    I went to Israel last summer on a trip with my church. Of all the places I’ve been, it is one of the few I want to go back to. I truly felt a connection to the land and the people like I’ve never felt anywhere.

    Israel must do all that it can to stamp out the evil that is Hamas.

  9. From one Soldier’s Mom to another Soldier’s Mom – Prayers and blessings to you and your family and a heartfelt thank you to your son.
    I have a candle in my window for our troops to light their way safely home. It now also shines for the Israeli Soldiers (Tho they may get a bit confused if they ended up in Virginia, USA!) But I think they know their way home.
    May your Elie come safely to his home.

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