Drip, Drip, Drip | Imamother

Mommy F.

Wed, Mar 16 2011, 1:13 pm

I just wrote this story, it was very theraputic for me to let out my feelings!

Drip, Drip, Drip

"Wow, it is really boiling hot in this country. Especially in my ninth month
expecting twins. All I can say is, thank G-d for this bedroom air
conditioner. I feel like I have been living in this bedroom all summer. I
guess I am spoiled and used to central air conditioning in America. I wonder
when Israelis will start to discover central air conditioning . . ." Sarah
said to her husband Dovid.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

"Shalom shcheinim (hello neighbors)" says the Sefardi lady downstairs.
"Challah bishvilchem (challah for you)"

"Todah, todah (thank you, thank you) Sarah says with her English accent, as she
closes the door.

"You know Dovid, we really have to fix our air conditioner that keeps on
dripping into her bedroom window. I feel so bad for these poor neighbors of
ours. Every week they bake us batches and batches of challahs because they
want us to fix it already. I can't lift the air conditioner out, look at me,
it looks like I am carrying a basket ball. You know my Hebrew isn't so good,
so I can't call a repair man."

"I know, I know . . ." Said Dovid. "Remember what your Kallah teacher said
about nagging? You know it's the worst thing for husbands, and they don't
like to listen to it"

"Well, we both know that I come from a very giving family and I am used to
helping people as soon as they ask for help. I guess I just have to accept
that you come from a much more laid back type of atmosphere in your family,
where procrastination is just normal" Sarah says with a sigh.

"Anyways, I better finish up this lunch, and start heading out for mincha
(afternoon prayers). I have a new chavrusa (study partner) I'll be learning
with this afternoon. Weren't the burekas great from yeshiva this week? That's
one thing about this kollel that I love! The amazing meals! Talk to you
later!"

Sarah goes out to start shopping for Shabbos. As she wobbles down the stairs
she reflects on the hard life that Israelis have. Many families have lots of
children, no cars, no elevators in the buildings. As she is huffing and
puffing to get to the makolet (grocery store) she realizes she forgot her
purse. "Thank you Uri for putting my groceries on my tab for me! That's one
thing that's unique about this country, back in America no one would let you
buy anything without money. They don't trust people to pay them back, that's
for sure.

Lately, after grocery shopping Sarah needs to take a nap just from the
exhausting walk and hot sun beaming on her brown haired sheitel (wig).

"Brrring, brrring . . ."
"Hello Rabbi Cohen, it's so nice to hear from you. Baruch Hashem, the pregnancy
is going well. I am due in 4 weeks! I can't believe it. Yes, my husband is
enjoying kollel, I can't complain. O.K I'll speak with you later, thanks for
calling."

As Sarah sifts her flour she can't help but think about her poor downstairs
neighbor. She has 9 kids in that little apartment and she said that she can't
afford air conditioning so instead she just keeps her windows open at night and
keeps her fans blowing. Unfortunately, our air conditioner keeps dripping
water through her open window every night and it's really bothering her and
her husband. Sarah felt that guilty lump in her throat again. She was in a
real dilemma. On the one hand she was still in shana rishona and she didn't
want to keep bothering her husband about figuring out a way to get that air
conditioner to stop dripping right at the neighbors window. Then again, the
only other solution would be to turn off the air conditioner at night! Sarah
would never be able to do that. The air conditioner was a real life saver for
her sanity.

Sarah picked up the newsletter from Mishmeres Hashalom from that week, which
her neighbor had brought her. She glanced through the story of the family who
had young children who were always jumping up and down at 5:00 a.m, and the
poor lady in the apartment beneath them would get woken up and upset each and
every morning. Sarah felt herself getting anxious again. She quickly put the
challah in the oven, crossing her fingers that they wouldn't get burnt again.
It took a lot of new skills to be a new mother and just a year later to be due
with twins at that! Sarah was going to be in for a surprise when those 2
little babies would come home and keep her up in the nights and busy as can be.

Week after week Sarah would keep pestering Dovid about fixing the air
conditioner. Every erev Shabbos another little child from the family
downstairs would bring over a freshly baked batch of challahs for Sarah and
Dovid, hoping that maybe this would be the week they would fix the air
conditioner.
Life continued being busy after the premies came home. Sarah and Dovid were
grateful to get chessed girls come over every afternoon. While Dovid couldn't
go to kollel as much or daven as much as before the twins were born, he was
happy that his little boy and girl were healthy and doing well. The Goldman's
would send their eight year old girls to take Sarah's twins for a walk. (In
Israel even an 8 or 9 year old girl is experienced with young children, often
they have 5 younger siblings themselves!) The Beis Yaakov seminary sent their
chessed girls, who are originally from Canada, to come each Thursday night to
cook the chicken and sponja the floors. Dovid's sister used to help bring the
twins to their doctors appointments, and Sarah's brother would be on call in
the middle of the night when the twins were jet lagged after their long trip to
America.

After applying to law school in different states and getting accepted to
several law schools, Sarah and Dovid had mixed feelings leaving the holy land.
On the one hand, Eretz Isroel was so rich with life and Torah learning. On
the other hand financial issues were taking it's toll, wedding money was
running out, and babysitting help from grandparents was a big part of the
decision to move.

Most of all Sarah was thankful that her husband did end up calling a company to
fix the air conditioner. It was like a heavy load was pulled off of Sarah's
back when the tube was attached to the air conditioner so that the water could
flow away from the neighbors window each passing night.
Although she still feels badly sometimes when remembering all those times the
neighbors had to repeatedly remind her and her husband that the water was still
dripping on their heads each night. The young couple will never forget the
challahs that were brought to them every erev shabbos for weeks and weeks on
end.

Sarah learned a lot from her years in Israel as a young newlywed expectant
mother. How patient and calm and generous her neighbor was. Maybe that's how
her neighbor had the ability to raise so many children so close in age in
such a small apartment. Through her good nature and cool composure. Sarah
learned a lot about marriage too. She now tries to be more independent. If
her husband doesn't do a task or job right away, she will try anything she can
to find a way to accomplish it herself or to coordinate a helper to assist
her. She tries to find the good in her spouse and not put down her husband's
faults or weaknesses.