Eeks, Pesach is Just a Couple of Weeks Away!

I always freak out this time of the year. My house is too full of junk to easily clean. Yes, I know that the best thing is to throw things out, which I must do. It would also help to use up all the food we have in the closets and freezer/fridge. That used to be the easy part, but now we're just two old fogeys rattling around the house, so food just doesn't get finished all that easily.

The freezer looks deceptively almost empty, but there's a lot of food frozen and waiting to be consumed.

The pantry also has too much leftover in quantities that can't be finished before Pesach. OK, some things may be "sold" or donated to food charities, which I'll probably do.

I am thankful to be back to teaching, since in Israel schools close more than a week before the Passover Seder, which gives me plenty of time. And, no, I will not spend every single day cleaning. But I will make goals and doable plans to clear things out.

Sidney Spiegelman, Z"L
1920-2016

Gd willing this year there won't be any unexpected death or other tragedy. Last year my father died just three days before the start of Passover. So I spent the days before Passover sitting shiva. This year we will commemorate his death and life by having a family seder at my daughter's, Gd willing. And we just celebrated a granddaughter's Bat Mitzvah and are looking forward to a wedding soon. So, thank Gd after a difficult year, which included the unexpected death of my brother, we should Gd willing enjoy a much better year.

I pray for good health for family and friends. And as panicky as I always get before Passover, Gd willing this year I will look forward to a cleaner, more orderly and spacious home, once I throw out what I don't really need or use. And when the school year is over, Gd willing I'll get started on the new kitchen.