Lights Out
Shabbat was wonderful in Jerusalem today. We went to shul in the morning and then walked back to the apartment for our own small kiddush luncheon. At 6:30 p.m. we went back to shul because they had Mincha, dinner, Maariv, and then Havdalah. (Mincha and Maariv are the daily afternoon and evening services, respectively, and the Havdalah service ends Shabbat.)
What was funny though was that in the middle of Maariv, half of the lights in the sanctuary went out. Then all of them went out. There were about a hundred of us, all sitting in the dark. Apparently, the lights in the sanctuary had been set on a Shabbat timer that ended a bit too soon. Still sitting in the dark, someone started us in the "Shabbat Shalom" song. Since there are only two words in the entire song, it was easy for everyone to follow along without having to read their Siddur (prayer book).
We then went outside onto the patio where there were still a few lights on and finished the service. But, we wondered, what would have happened if the lights had gone off in the middle of the Amidah? (When reading the Amidah, you are supposed to be so focused that you wouldn't be distracted even if a 17-year old naked young women walked in front of you.)
We recently heard a story that at the Orthodox yeshiva here in Jerusalem a fire had broken out on the second floor of the yeshiva in the middle of the Amidah. All but one of the students stayed put to finish the Amidah before they rushed to put out the fire. The one guy that moved stills feel guilty for doing so.
What would I do? No question, I'd put out the fire and then restart the Amidah.
What was funny though was that in the middle of Maariv, half of the lights in the sanctuary went out. Then all of them went out. There were about a hundred of us, all sitting in the dark. Apparently, the lights in the sanctuary had been set on a Shabbat timer that ended a bit too soon. Still sitting in the dark, someone started us in the "Shabbat Shalom" song. Since there are only two words in the entire song, it was easy for everyone to follow along without having to read their Siddur (prayer book).
We then went outside onto the patio where there were still a few lights on and finished the service. But, we wondered, what would have happened if the lights had gone off in the middle of the Amidah? (When reading the Amidah, you are supposed to be so focused that you wouldn't be distracted even if a 17-year old naked young women walked in front of you.)
We recently heard a story that at the Orthodox yeshiva here in Jerusalem a fire had broken out on the second floor of the yeshiva in the middle of the Amidah. All but one of the students stayed put to finish the Amidah before they rushed to put out the fire. The one guy that moved stills feel guilty for doing so.
What would I do? No question, I'd put out the fire and then restart the Amidah.
posted by Jen at 10:53 PM
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