Friday, 16 October 2015

I didn't sleep very well last night (and don't really know why) and so got up late and didn't go out for a walk. I did walk down and buy challah for Shabbat, though, of course.

I taught 5 units of Berlitz lessons today: 9:00-9:45, 10:00-11:30, and 11:30-1:00.

I just stayed home all day today.

In the evening, as the sun dipped below the Eilat Mountains to the west, I lit candles, drank a bit of sweet red wine, and ate a bite of challah to welcome the Shabbat Queen. The instant I start singing the blessing after lighting the candles, I can feel the difference.

This has been a tough week for Israel, especially for Jerusalem. As far as I know, we haven't had any terrorist attacks here in Eilat, but we can still feel the anxiety and pain of our people. And so I leave you with Psalm 121, the original Hebrew and my translation:

שיר למעלות

אשא עיני אל-ההרים מאין יבא עזרי:

עזרי מעם יי עשה שמים וארץ:

אל-יתן למוט רגלך אל-ינום שמרך:

הנה לא-ינום ולא יישן שומר ישראל:

יי שמרך יי צלך אל-יד ימינך:

יומם השמש לא-יככה וירח בלילה:

יי ישמרך מכל-רע ישמר את-נפשך:

יי ישמר-צאתך ובואך מעתה ועד-עולם:

A song of ascents

I will lift my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come?

My help is from The Eternal, Maker of the sky and the earth.

God will not let your feet slip; your Guard will not slumber.

See here! The Guard of Israel will not slumber and will not sleep.

The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Eternal will guard you from all evil, will guard your soul.

God will guard your going out and your coming in from now until eternity.