Walkabout
A couple weeks ago, my daughter, son and I made a "Shabbos Walkabout"....well sort of. It’s not that it was so far (about 2-1/2 miles each way), it’s just
that it drew a lot of attention because it was in 90 degree and 106 degree heat
respectively each way. We received much concern as well as support. We were
doing this walk to participate in a celebration for my parents’ 60th
wedding anniversary. Lord knows I’ve messed up on quite a few commandments from
time to time, so I thought this might be a good way to uphold #4 (keeping the
Sabbath day) and #5 (honoring parents) all at once. You know, a 2 for 1 deal
with the Almighty.
I remember reading a short story about Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach
walking 13 miles to a shabbaton near LA (1970’s) in the cold and rain. It seems
Shabbos started before he could get to the synagogue. So he and his caravan of
hippies got out of the car and walked the rest of the way creating a lot of
attention. Other people joined them, even some who weren’t Jewish.
I think people in general are impressed with commitment. I
had a neighbor once remark and marvel at the fact that we walk to our synagogue
no matter the weather: “nice day, cold, snowing or raining…you walk.” It’s not
that our synagogue is such a hot spot, although it is full of activity. It
is just that the walking makes our commitment solid. Of course it also is forbidden to ignite a fire, thus making igniting a car ignition forbidden as well. I often wonder how it would affect our natural resources if
everyone took 1 day a week to walk.
Anyway, back to my own Shabbos walk. No one offered to join
us…probably thought we were homeless. We stopped in 4 gas stations to wet our
faces and my niece’s apartment to hydrate, but we made it. We even hid some
water bottles in the bushes (only part of the walk was in the “eruv” where it
is permitted to carry). It’s funny how things like that put the rest of your
life in perspective. I even was glad to go sit in the heat for the 4th
of July fireworks show because 80+ degrees fireworks evening just doesn’t even
register compared to a 106 degree walk.
I just hope my 2 for 1 holds out for a
while as I think I may have slipped up on #10 this week: no coveting. My neighbor just got 2 new puppies to offset their divorce. I was secretly wondering if I could
trade my husband in for 2 puppies as well. I’m sure that even thinking so took
me back a few brownie points with G-d.
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