Well, our faux Passover has come & gone. I had hoped to be able to go up to Aargareezem to pick some of the wild lettuce that the Israelite Samaritans use for the bitter herb but we were very busy at home & my wife would not, I think, have approved. The boys, who were home, would have asked questions that I would prefer not to answer. The wild lettuce grows just about everywhere in Israel but how spiritual would that be? From Aargareezem it would have been very spiritual and the local stuff would have been a pale imitation. So horseradish it was.
It will be easier to go up to the Mountain late this summer, before our "Rosh Hashanah", like I did last year. Our eldest boy will be in the IDF & our youngest will be back in school.
I am counting the omer because I am frequently called upon to lead the Saturday evening prayers at our synagogue & when our youngest son is home my wife likes me to count with him. Each night I say to myself before I count I that I am doing so under compulsion.
The Israelite Samaritans will begin counting on Saturday night, May 9, I believe. I have asked my IS friend how I must count & what I must say.
I finished Gerald Russell's book. Very good, all chapters. I detected one mistake. Mr. Russell wrote that the Israelite Samaritans believe that the Torah was given on Aargareezem not Mt. Sinee. I read where he referred to the Sullivans. What a pity that things did not work out for them. I must admit that I fantasized about Mr. Russell referring to me, the Israelite Jew who became an Israelite Samaritan. May it be Shema's will!
I wish everyone a happy & healthy new year. May Shema shower His blessings on you!
