“Neither did I, Naomi.”
“You want me to admit I’m wrong, but, Daniel, what if what I’ve found is the truth. What if you’re wrong?”
Daniel steeled his jaw. “Look, we need to get out of the car, get in there and do some planning. Let’s keep this impersonal, okay?”
She opened the door for herself this time, and over an impersonal breakfast they managed to plan a final get-together at their house with all those who would be traveling to Israel together.
Naomi thought of asking, “If I’m so unclean, why would you allow me to mingle with all the clean people?” She held her tongue. Ginger had asked her to memorize a Proverb: He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from trouble. Ginger then would paraphrase it and say, “Zip your lips, Naomi.”
Their breakfast meeting over, Daniel opened Naomi’s car door and walked to the driver’s side, praying, Oh God of my fathers, please help me, the yoke of your law is sometimes more than I can bear.
Their fellow travelers were thrilled when Naomi called and invited them to a kumsitz—let’s all come and sit together. Jay and Sandy Marcus were, as always, a wonderful help.
To Naomi it seemed as if she were under great scrutiny. Not only by Daniel, but also by others in their congregation. It was obvious Jay and Sandy knew there was trouble between her and her husband. They had been their best friends now for over a year and would certainly be sensitive to the change in how she and Daniel were relating.
Sandy had given no indication that somehow she had learned about Naomi’s new faith. Sometimes, Naomi almost wished she did. She couldn’t help but wonder how Sandy would react if she told her, “I believe like your mom now.”
Naomi’s idea of having refreshments on this occasion included some of the Israeli food they would soon be eating. This was applauded by the students but only a smattering of the older people.
Sandy had warned her to expect this. “Our older folks are not so adventurous. Sure hope they’ll have their corned beef on rye when they get to Tel Aviv.”
Once the mounds of food were almost gone, Daniel made an announcement. “I thought it’d be nice if we talked about what we’re hoping to get out of this trip. You can either write it on a slip of paper,” at which point he gestured toward all the paper he had stationed around the tables, and then continued, “or you can share it with us. Whichever you feel more comfortable doing. So, anyone want to tell us . . . what do you hope to get out of this trip?”
Mark, predictably, was the first to jump in, and his answer was predictable as well. “Man, I hope the food over there is as good as it is here. Mrs. C, great food. Especially that hot red pepper stuff.”
Smiling, Naomi told Mark, “Compliments to Mrs. M, not me. Jake’s mom is a great cook, isn’t she?”
Jerry, as gruff as ever, then told everyone, “Hey, let’s hope we didn’t get scalped. You know what I mean? This tour company is charging an arm and a leg.” He looked over at Daniel and asked, “You said these hotels would all be five stars, right?”
“That’s what I was told, Jerry.”
Mark’s mother raised her hand. “My husband and I are looking forward to a special family experience. This is the first time in a long while we’ve taken a family trip together.”
Jay agreed. “Sandy and I are excited, too. With Jake getting older, this may be the last time we have a family trip like this. And to think it’ll be in Israel. Rabbi, I appreciate so much this opportunity.”
As others spoke of wanting it to be a safe and healthy trip, Mark called out, “So, what about you Rabbi Dan? You haven’t told us what you’re hoping for.”
Taken off-guard, Daniel said, “Well, besides what I might hope for personally, let me tell you what I hope for as your Rabbi. My hope is that each of you will appreciate your Judaism more. You will come home to America having a deeper sense of what it means to be a Jew. That’s what I hope.” He had very pointedly avoided looking in Naomi’s direction.
Mildred then asked, “Rabbi, please tell us what it is you’re hoping for personally. We can hope for it with you—if you tell us what it is.”
And once again Mark piped in, “Since the Rabbi doesn’t want to tell us, you tell us, Mrs. C. What do you hope for?”
Daniel hastily reached for his guitar. “Before we all go home, how about we sing a song?” He tuned his guitar and placed a capo on the fret. “Let’s sing Jerusalem of Gold.
Once everyone had left and the house contained only Daniel and Naomi, wordlessly they cleaned up, said their goodnights, and went to their separate rooms.
Alone in her bedroom, Naomi wanted to read from her new Study Bible, but realized she had left it in her car, having had a moment to go to the beach for some solitary time with the Lord. And she was too exhausted to climb out of bed and go out to the car—she also didn’t want Daniel to hear something that would somehow make him suspicious—after all, she felt like she was a specimen under a microscope these days.
She would read from the hardbound Bible given to her by Melinda. The last time she had read it was before going to Ohio. She had read about a Jewish ruler who went to Jesus at night and seemed sincerely to be seeking the truth.
Why can’t this be Daniel?
Determined to read this section again and then pray accordingly, she went to the one bookmark placed in the New Testament. Strange, it was in a whole other book of the New Testament. Matthew. Her eyes were particularly drawn to one section, where the letters were written in red. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
An hour before descending into Ben Gurion Airport, the passengers were treated to an exquisite sunset. The magnificent oranges, pinks, and golds streamed in through Naomi’s closed eyelids, awakening her.
She turned to Daniel sitting next to her. His eyes were not closed, however they refused to turn toward her. He must know I’m looking at him. That eye magnetism thing . . .
Did others from the Temple observe the lack of interaction between the Rabbi and his wife? Once again, she blinked away stinging tears, and then was treated to a more splendid vision than the sunset. She saw Y’shua embracing her as she had seen before, but something was now added. His everlasting arms held not just her, but Daniel as well. Together they were being embraced by their Messiah.
About to make their descent, she reached into her purse and pulled out a package of chewing gum. This always helped her ears from feeling like they would burst. She extended a tinfoil wrapped stick to Daniel. “Want one?”
Without turning toward her, but actually moving his head to face the aisle, he shook his head. She popped the gum into her mouth and chose to finally ask. She touched Daniel’s arm, causing him to look at her. “Daniel, are we going to be sleeping in the same room?”
“We’ll have to.” He gently picked up her hand resting on his arm and removed it. “We’ll work it out.”
“You know our anniversary will be tomorrow?”
“Actually, it’s in four hours. They’re eight hours ahead here.”
Going through customs, getting his wife’s luggage, connecting with the tour guides . . . Daniel fulfilled his responsibilities as both husband and Rabbi Cantor. After all, the tour company had billed this trip as “a chance to be personally escorted by Rabbi and Mrs. Cantor.” Rabbi Cantor felt he was guilty of a charade.
With the tour bus making its way toward Jerusalem, Daniel was bombarded with questions from a host of the travelers, along with a slew of complaints. It was now nine p.m. and many were hungry, referring to the dinner served on the airplane as “chintzy.”
Observing Daniel’s weariness, Naomi spoke up on his behalf. “Please, we are all tired right now. Let’s meet tomorrow morning for breakfast and we’ll talk. The hotel has a wonderful breakfast we’ve been told.” Even with his rejection, she would still be a helpmate.
Then there was the first sighting of the Temple Mount
, glowing with lights. Naomi and Daniel gasped simultaneously. He had insisted Naomi take the window seat. While she pressed her face against the glass, Daniel impulsively leaned against her so that he, too, could see. Here they were, in the land of their longing, how could they not be experiencing this as one flesh?
They soon turned into the King David Hotel, where even Jerry was impressed. “It’s a five star, all right.”
Several members of the hotel staff took their luggage from the tour bus and assured each of the passengers that their belongings would make it to their room. They were told, “All you need do is go to the front desk and get your key.”
Naomi followed Daniel as he walked to the concierge. “Cantor, Rabbi and Mrs.” Once handed their keys, he handed one to Naomi. “I’m going to take a cab to the Wall. I can’t sleep until I go there.”
After her initial shock, she asked, “Can I go with you? Please?”
He nodded.
The cab ride was accomplished in silence—at least each had their own window to press their noses against. Naomi clung to the vision of Y’shua holding her and Daniel together while Daniel fervently prayed something would happen at the Wall where the Master of the Universe would speak to his wife and she would again be his My-omi.
They soon were cleared through security and approached the revered Western Wall. Daniel donned his prayer shawl and yarmulke. To their amazement, they were there alone. When they came to the partition which separated the men from the women, he nodded to Naomi and continued walking to the men’s section.
Naomi moved toward the wall and placed her hand on the stone and instantly felt the presence of the Almighty pulsating within every atom; He was filling the very air with His beauty and His loving-kindness. Before the words were spoken in her spirit and before the words could be formed on her lips, Y’shua breathed, “Your prayer will be answered.” At that moment, there was a soft rustling sound high above her head. She lifted her head to see a beautiful white bird soaring toward the men’s section of the wall.
She felt compelled to walk to the place where she and Daniel had gone their separate ways. From that vantage point, she saw the men’s section. Daniel was a precious lone figure against the wall. Why did he suddenly step back and raise his head?
Daniel had heard the fluttering of wings. He looked up and had a fleeting glimpse of a white bird. He then had the sensation that somehow the bird had touched him as it flew past. Had a feather fallen onto his tallit? He indeed did find something tangled in the fringes of his shawl.
Naomi witnessed him unloosening something from the threads, unfolding what looked like a small piece of white paper and reading whatever was written on it. If she was breathing, she was not conscious of it, but simply knew God was holding them both.
Slowly Daniel walked toward her. His eyes held glistening tears. Once alongside her, he handed her the small piece of paper and she read, “Come unto Me, My yoke is easy and My burden is light. I am your Messiah.”
Daniel wrapped her in in his arms and covered her with his tallit. “Happy Anniversary, My-omi.”
Naomi, The Rabbi's Wife Page 30
