Of Falling Leaves and Dew and Rain

Daddy would be so proud. With his 16th yohrtzeit (the date of his passing) just a week away - and with that, sixteen years since the creation of this blog - it's comforting to think that he is smiling down upon my dear husband doing some yard work. Yard work? Big deal, you say. Oh, but it is! Whereas my father spent approximately six months of the year lovingly mowing, weed-wacking, pruning or raking, his son-in-law is just not the lawn care maintenance guy.

Well, he wasn't - until today, when he filled fourteen large leaf bags with what had fallen off the trees in our Afula yard. No small feat in the 85-degree heat!

Back in the States, we have a sole evergreen tree on our property. No leaves. And that's just the way the hubby likes it. But these are different leaves - holy leaves, nourished by the holy soil of our holy land. These leaves are special - so sweeping and gathering them (we don't own a rake yet) is special, too. 

And such perfect timing! Just last night the prayers began here in Eretz Yisrael..."v'sayn tal u'matar livracha..." May you, oh L-rd, give dew and rain for a blessing on the face of the earth.

Only in Israel do we begin saying this winter prayer now (the 7th day of the month of Marcheshvan). The rest of the world must wait until December. It's been exactly 23 years since we've started saying it in Israel and this time, it's personal. 

Please G-d, water our lemon, pomegranate and banana trees and let us merit "to eat from their fruit and be satisfied from their goodness". That blessing, said after eating fruits and grains for which the Land of Israel is praised, also encourages us to Remember Jerusalem and pray for the Temple to be rebuilt so that we can bring our first fruits there with gratitude for all G-d's blessings.

Keeping this post short and summing it up with an attempt at haiku:

gather fallen leaves

pray, we must, for dew and rain

then they, too, shall fall 

Amen.