Monday, June 9, 2008

Shavuot miracle

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Today Jews celebrate Shavuot, also know by its Biblical names Chag HaKatsir, the [wheat] Harvest Festival, and Yom HaBikurim, Day of the First Fruits. By tradition today also marks the day of King David's birth and death. In synagogues the scroll of the Book of Ruth is chanted, in loving memory of David and Ruth, his Moabite ancestor, the mother of all converts.

But mainly Shavuot is Zman Matan Toratenu, The Season of the Giving of our Torah. Seven weeks (shavuot) have passed since Passover. It took 49 (+1) days of wandering in the desert for God and Moses to prepare the People for the the biggest day in history.
In  today's morning prayer service Exodus 19-20 is read. All rise in silent reverence to listen to the Ten Commandments, with the feeling that we all are standing at Mount Sinai.

More about the deep meaning of all this and the fascinating customs of celebration await you at the friendly Chabad site.

But what I actually want to tell you today is my Shavuot miracle story from far-away SWITZERLAND.
OK. . . The winds blew cold as I wandered alone along the shore of Lake Neuchatel, missing Israel. So I asked God for a sign of friendship and connection:
 Hey, remember the split rock that our friend Sister H. found and made into something nice? I know such rocks are rare, but please, could You let me have one too?

I searched and searched, but in vain, and was about to head back. Then something told me to try at the little stretch of beach where the ominous sign says (or at least what my poor French thought it said): "Private property. Walking along this beach is permitted but stopping is prohibited."

I walked, and kept walking, and lo and behold--there it was, under the ripples of cold water!


Wrapping the heavy rock in my scarf, I almost danced all the way home.
After it got dry it looked like a loaf of bread,


or maybe the whale about to swallow Jonah.


But no! We knew its real destiny.
With a few strokes of my pencil, trying to do like the finger of God, the Hebrew letters for 1 to 10 were etched in stone and voila--the tablets of the Ten Commandments!

Click a few times to enlarge the photo and see the alef-bet letters:


Chag sameach, happy holiday to all!
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22 comments:

  1. That is an awesome find. Interesting post.

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  2. What a Beautiful post!!! Happiness to you!!hughugs

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  3. Very creative miracle! Hope you're enjoying your holiday.
    Hag Shavuot Sameach!

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  4. Thank you for telling this beautiful story. Miracles do happen! I know it for sure and God listens. Thank you for this information about Shavuot and Yom HaBikurim. I shall read Exodus 19-20.

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  5. Hi Andrea and Donna, glad you like the story. Too bad the stone was too heavy to fly back to Israel with.
    Olga, ahalan!! So glad you're back to your wonderful Tel Aviv blog! We missed you.
    Thanks Wil. Today's Torah portion is such a drama. Very exciting.

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  6. From your unusual critter to posts as indepth as this it is always a pleasure to visit. One of the unexpected bonuses I get from bloging dailies is a peek into others religions aswell as cultures. I hope this time has been special for you.

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  7. Great story!

    Thanks for your comments on my blog - pigeons aren't rare in Maine, just in the small towns. They prefer the cities and farms where the food is plentiful...

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  8. What a wonderful story. And how about that split rock! All the best to you and yours :)

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  9. Oh Dina, this is such a lovely post. It's a very heartwarming story and conveys so much good information. Thank you. Shalom to you and yours.

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  10. I wonder what it was that split the rock?

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  11. wow! what a great response. blessed enough to find that stone. the idea of writing ten numbers makes it a perfect find and a personal memorabilia of God's response to you.

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  12. Neat rock. My girls use to collect heart shaped rocks. Once you start looking its amazing how many you can find.

    Love the twisting tree in the previous post.

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  13. This was a fascinating read. Thank you! I admire how you carry the reader along on your journey searching for the special rock.

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  14. Faith and persistence. Congratulations for having both, plus a generous measure of vision.

    Chag sameach to you, too :)

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  15. A delightful, and delightfully told tale!

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  16. What an amazing find - absolutely brilliant. And brilliantly photographed too :)

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  17. As usual, interesting posts and awesome pictures !
    miss Yves

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  18. What a lovely post. How did you carve the Aseret Hadibrot into the stone?

    Kfar Sabarit.

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  19. Thanks everybody. Signs and wonders are always exciting.

    Ahalan Anonymous-- I'm afraid my version of the Ten Utterances was only in pencil and not etched in stone. Mi at/ata, efo?

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  20. Shalom Dina, I am impressed, it doesn't look like pencil. I thought you had carved it.

    I am from Kfar Saba (hence the name).

    You have a lovely blog, very beautiful pictures.

    Kfar Sabarit

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  21. Chag Sameach Dina! I love this story and yes it is a very special miracle story of hope, joy and love.

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