Just a few things...
Yesterday was a really nice day. I parked my car in the Old City and headed off to Beitar to visit Leah. It was so nice to see her. The kids are big, cute and brilliant (no big shocker). On my way back I took a different bus so it didn't take me back to the Old City where my car was. I was going to take a bus from the top of Geula to the Old City (about a 10 minute trip). On the bus I found out that he was being directed away from Geula, so I jumped off (along with a few others) and began walking to Geula. I saw policemen, but they didn't stop me from walking, which means that there wasn't a chofetz chashud (a suspicious object) so I kept walking. I figured that I'd walk through Geula to Jaffa street and down to the Old City. As I was walking through Geula I saw the most beautiful thing.
The streets were virtually empty (which was very strange for this area at this time of night) and I saw an ambulance syle van, where there was space for a person laying down and people sitting along the sides in the back. This van was driving slowly up the street past me. The back of the van was open and I saw men sitting in the back. I looked more carefully and there was a tallis. I looked behind the van I saw people walking behind it.
I noticed two girls sitting on the side of the street having a conversation, they saw the van, stopped what they were doing and started walking up the sidewalk alongside the van. I realized what was going and walked about 10 feet behind the van when they closed the rear doors.
What this was all about was the mitzvah of honoring the dead, by accompanying the body for part of the trip. People who did not know the deceased stopped and walked with the van for about 10-20 feet. The girls, myself, others... it was beautiful. There's no other word for it.
Tomorrow is an exciting day. I'm picking up Ari at the airport late afternoon. I've got a place for him to sleep and Shabbos plans are coming together. Yeah!
Learning is going well and I'm enjoying my time in classes. I have a Pirkei Avos and a Maharal class I'm getting a tremendous amount out of. This coming week tho' I'm going to be missing some learning. On Sunday Ari needs to be taken to his dig near Ashdod by noon. That afternoon at 2:30 there's going to be a pidyon haben near the airport (the total opposite direction) for Yosef's baby. Mazal tov to them.
Wednesday I'm going with the Kever Rochel lady to - Kever Rochel to see what's happening there. I heard today something I hadn't heard of before. Nava Applebaum's wedding dress was made into the parochet, the large drapery, in front of the ark holding the Torahs. She was murdered the night before her wedding having coffee with her father (who was also murdered). Her family donated it on her birthday about 9 months after the bombing.
I hate to leave on a heavy note, so I'll wish everyone a Chodesh Tov (a good month). It starts tonight and I believe ends Friday sundown. It should be a month with brocho (blessing), hatzlocho (success), health, and only good things. Shalom al Yisrael.