My most often read entry was posted on June 28, 2011, "My Table of Eight Seats Ten." It was a thank you to the special women in my life. I am blessed with an abundance of people on whom I can count, and who hold a piece of my heart. These people hold my heart because they offered me a piece of theirs.
There is a flip side to this. In Pirkei Avot (1:15) Shammai teaches, "Make your Torah study a fixed practice; say little, and do much, and greet everyone with a happy face." This was the quote I used upon graduation from Seminary. The last piece, in Hebrew is "havei m'kabeil et kol ha'adam bsever panim yafot."
Havei m'kabeil- not just a greeting, but to receive, to take someone into your life, into your heart, to be open to him/her.
Sever panim yafot- this is much harder to translate. Is it cheerful or happy, as it is usually translated? Yafot, from the root Y-F-H, meaning pretty. It can also mean joyous, happy, friendly, and more. Google translate (I was curious) gave me "with open arms," an excellent translation.
It follows so beautifully after "say little and do much." How should we do this, by opening our arms, our hearts, and our minds to receive others. Combined with study, it is a way of living. Have an open door and an open heart. I try to smile as often as possible, and always greet others this way. A smile costs nothing, but offers everything. It makes you open to others, and in turns helps them to be open to you. You can hear a smile on the phone. It is also contagious.
Sukkot is known as zman simchateinu, the time of rejoicing. How do we do this? Just read Shammai's teaching- a little study, a little action, and being open to people.
If there's room in your heart, there's room at the table. My table of eight seats ten, and so many more.
Here's to a year of peace and understanding among all people.
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