by Ruchi
Busy. Dizzy. In a tizzy. This was the
kind of week that I was still hungry when I went to bed at night
because I didn't have time to think about eating enough during the day.
The kind of week where my built-in pockets of quiet time were
over-scheduled. Where my wiggle room between meetings and classes were
filled with essential activities like grocery shopping. So, so busy.
Late nights catching up at my computer and early morning getting my kids
off to school.
"Adam la'amal yulad - Man was born to toil" (Job).
"Fortunate is he... whose toil is with Torah" (Rabbi Yochanan - Talmud).
Years
ago, when we lived in Israel, we used to go visit my husband's
grandmother. I never knew her while she was well. She had Parkinson's
and was declining, and was bedridden. As a young newlywed and later
young mother, we used to spend time with her. And I was always struck
by a life in bed. I was busy, working, housekeeping, mothering.
Sometimes life in bed seemed...nice. Relaxing. No one demanding your
time. No one demanding your energy.
When
I have a week like this one, it's exhausting. But also exhilarating. I
am needed. I am useful. We were born to toil, because otherwise it is
an utterly depressing life. I am grateful, so fortunate, so blessed,
that my toil is in Torah.
