It’s been a busy time over here in the the land of three dimensions; our stuff has been packed and sent off to points east, and most of our furniture has been sent off to its new homes already–the remaining two or three items will be gone by today. We’re here through hag*, and God willing will get in the little green car and start trekking to the other big ocean on Wednesday.
Tonight I’m going to be teaching at two different institutions; the tradition is to study all night, and so I’m going to be on at 11pm at one place (the shul where I’ve been working all year) and 1:30 at another (the community that’s been my home base since I moved to LA). It will, God willing, be a very sweet evening filled with lots of nummy Torah; I’m really looking forward to getting some good learning from my friends, teachers and colleagues in at both locations.
Shavuot, happening when it does, often seems to be a time of transition for me–I seem always to be just leaving or coming back from someplace around now. I guess it’s a time of transition for all of us–out of Egypt, but not yet begun the new chapter necessitated by receiving Torah. God comes calling, and everything changes. Na’aseh v’nishmah (we will do and we will hear.) That is so often how our transitions happen, isn’t it? It’s about taking steps first, and then about understanding, perhaps later, what those steps might be about, what their implications might be for our lives.
Well, my first steps after receiving Torah are going to be, definitely, a little bit of wandering (more literally than spiritually, I think, this time–but who knows?) before I arrive to the next land designated for us, the Holy City of Boston. The wandering will even include a tent:
But generally, the tent will not be pitched inside a nice urban apartment. Nor, on the other hand, will it be guided by a pillar of fire at night–just our headlights. (I think, anyway–I’ll let you know if I’m wrong on this.)
I’m really going to miss folks here. I’m glad that I get one more hag here, for a little more celebration and time with folks. It’s not like I’ll never be back to visit. But after this Mattan Torah, there will be a new chapter for everyone–and mine will have me traveling on a bit.
*Shavuot, the holiday in which we receive Torah from Sinai, starts tonight and lasts through Tuesday night.