Untitled: Simchas Torah in Chevron.

Untitled: Simchas Torah in Chevron.
My former physics teacher, who currently lives in Bat Ayin, e-mailed this to me and others describing her experience in Chevron over Yom Tov. I'm putting up her account, so that everyone else can see it too.

"Joy on one side of the heart and weeping on the other. We stayed as usual with the Rosensteins, where Efraim is caring for his very ill mother. A video should be made so others can learn how to take care of an old and sick mother, maintaining her dignity, and as much as possible, quality of life.
A new question has been added to those a sensitive person will avoid, not to cause others emotional pain. ''How many children do you have?'' has been out for a while. There are unfortunately many people that have lost children in terrorist attacks. (the day before sukos 3 more families had children gunned down by Arab terrorist at a bus stop 10 minutes from our house.) The new question to avoid is ''Where are you from?'' There was a 16 year old boy at the Yom Tov table that until 2 months ago had lived in a beautiful home in a warm loving community by the sea in Gush Katif.now his family is homeless and living in a leaking tent. ''Where are you from?'' was not a sensitive question. It left him speechless.

Ok. Let's get to the joy part. On simchas torah in Hevron, all the Torahs from Meros Hamachpala, the holy burial place of our patriarch and matriarchs, were joyously danced through the streets and up the hill to the old Chabad cemetary at the top of Hevron, where the holy woman, Menucha Rochel was buried 150 years ago. I can't descibe the bliss of that Hakafa. Hevron filled with Jewish people of all ages, carrying the many Torahs, dancing and singing. It was a taste of the Gaula Shelama, the future redemption.

At the festive dinner meal, we spoke of G-d's fascination with the dignity of the Jewish people through these last 2000 years of exile. In the Simchas Torah dancing in Hevron we are already redeemed. G-d will open his eyes and see!

With love and warm blessings from our holy land,
Miriam"

posted by Lea