Day 353 (Shabbos)

You know how Parshas B'Shalach opens with Hashem not taking the Jews from Egypt to Israel via Plishti-territory because that way is the short way? Well, I actually pulled out a Biblical Atlas and traced the route the Jews took out of Egypt. My friends, the Torah is not kidding: we went the long way around, and by that I mean that we were heading away from Israel for most of that trip. Technically speaking, we weren't travelling to Israel at all: we were travelling to Sinai, which is south of both Goshen and Israel. Here is the map I used, taken from Atlas Daat Mikra.

(Assuming you can't make out the teeny tiny writing on the picture above, I am providing the following list: the red triangle is Egypt, the orange ellipse is Goshen, the blue thingy is Southern Israel, the green smudge is Sinai, the roughly vertical yellow scribble is pretty much where the Jews went this week, and the roughly horizontal yellow scribble is a particular route the Jews did not take. According to the Hebrew key, the purplish lines are "international paths;" I think I'd call those "trade routes." If you are one of those wonderful people who care about such things, the scale bar is in kilometers.)

After Shabbos, I drove to Pisgat Ze'ev and took the train to the Old City to go to a L'Chaim for Leah Schwartz (Aunt Ruby's niece and the sister of my best friend growing up). First of all mazel tov, mazel tov on Leah's engagement, but my Gosh, I think I was just as excited to see these Schwartzes and Aunt Ruby, Uncle Ari, and family!

I wanted to go to the Kotel after the L'Chaim, but I also very much didn't want to rip the pretty sweater that I was wearing. (I asked Uncle Ari about that, and he refused to tell me that I would have to rip it, but he also made it clear that he couldn't think of a reason that I wouldn't have to.) Nu, nu. I really will go back and see the Kotel one of these days, soon.

Instead of going to the Kotel, I walked a few train stops in the wrong direction, so I could feel like a lady about town. I really, really, really like living in a quiet place with open spaces and gorgeous views. But once in a while it is nice to be part of the maddening crowds and see the chustle and the bustle. And an added advantage to walking toward the Center of Town was that I accidentally walked to Ema II's bus stop, so we could get on the train together. (Yes, she's visiting Israel, and now it's our turn to play with her for a little.)