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“Here, take it. It’s for you.” Mr. Mandelbaum pressed a book into my hands. Mr. Mandelbaum was a fixture in the synagogue. Sweet, mild-mannered, and a little stooped, the nonagenarian widower still lived independently and attended daily services, morning and afternoon. As a teenager, I had little reason to interact with him, and saw him only on Shabbat. The gift was completely unexpected; it took me a moment to process the situation and thank him.
Floored. This is the stuff that has me coming back to Ricochet. Simple stories of life. There is truth that often mixes the happy with the poignant. I learn something special.
I was wondering of the word on the book. Is that the Greek word for G-d?
The cover image is from a frontispiece to Deuteronomy. It’s the Hebrew word for “these” (“These are the words….”). But you have a good eye. The word’s first two letters by themselves would spell “el”, which could mean either “god” or “God”.
This is a beautiful story.
I love books that have belonged to friends and family. When I hold a book in my hands that someone else has read and loved, it’s as if that person is right there, as if he or she has left a bit of himself or herself in that book.
You’ll be answering questions all day today about that beautiful book. :) Hope you have lots of coffee.
Lovely
Do you “swear” by this translation?
Thank you for the help. I almost thought it was an “al” instead of an “el” but my Spanish is not very good.
That’s a fantastic story.
This post is a gift, too, SoS! When someone gives me a much-loved volume, I feel that they want to be with me daily. My favorite Bible is such a gift – from my Mom. I sometimes can hear her reading passages when I’m looking at them. My own life of faith is an outgrowth of hers. (Maybe I’m going a little soft in the head, since she’s still here, too.) <smile>
Wonderful! Think of how many people Mr. Mandelbaum surprised and touched with his simple gifts, and now all of us know about it too.
The cover art is radiant. Do you know if it would have been painted in Europe, in the Middle Ages or so? Looks like it could be of the same era as Christian monastic illuminated manuscripts.
Great story, SoS.
Once my aunt noticed twelve-year-old me bidding on a box of old books at an auction. The bidding got too rich for my meager resources so I dropped out. Without drawing my attention, she jumped in at that point and on our way home presented me with the box.
It’s from Southern Germany, early fourteenth century.
Dime, you will turn us into a warm fuzzy place. The Democrats will be shocked, shocked! :)
Marci, Dime’s already fuzzy – not enough fabric softener…
I keep telling him to clean out the lint trap . . . .
Beautiful story, thank you so much for sharing this with us.
How incredibly sweet. It’s often small, unexpected gestures that are the most meaningful.
Dime, you’ve turned positively chenille on us.
Yes, and I’ll take all the warm fuzzies I can get (though I do appreciate the occasional dousing with cold water).
Thanks, SoS.
This is a delightful story, SOS! Thanks for sharing it with us. Ha kodesch baruch hu!
One might hope to meet Mr. Mandelbaum in a better place and perhaps be instructed on illuminated Hebrew manuscripts, filling in a few more of the blank spaces which one finds in one’s learning.
One of the best posts ever!
You’re too kind.
A gift that doesn’t quite make sense, quirky, unexpected. Those are sometimes the very best kind.
My favorite nonagenarian (thank you for that word) is also quirky and doesn’t always make sense, but she is the very best kind of person. I try to hang out with her as much as possible, hoping through osmosis I can become a little more like her.
BTW, thanks Dime for the inspiration. I had never thought to share this story with my wife and children until you prompted me to write about gifts.
I have 4 copies of beautifully illustrated manuscripts that my mother brought back from Israel in 1960. Two of them are framed and I cannot read the printing at the bottom. I was told that one of them was a “Ketubah” a Jewish marriage contract.
The two unframed are: Job, “Rothschild MS24” 1475, Bezalel Museum, Jerusalem. And: Book of Esther, 1730, Bezalel Museum, Jerusalem.
I’m pretty sure all were purchased from the same Bezalel Museum.
Thank you SoS. I have a similar story about a couple of books of poems, loaned to me in the 1980s, but the dear soul died shortly after loaning me the books with no relatives to return them. “The Sentimental Bloke” by C.J. Dennis, published 1916 in Sydney Australia. And a follow up book, Doreen in 1917.
Oh. My. Heart.
SoS,
Thank you for your warm thoughts. My thoughts are sometimes a dime makes a difference. A nudge is enough at times. It is surprising what big things can be started and opened with a little key.
Thank you SoS. What better gift to us than the story of a gift. Not only does such a story move our hearts. It also brings back memories of those special gifts we have received–and given.
I still want the ability to Like posts. Great post!
Ah, SoS, you have given us two gifts. The first is your beautifully told story and picture. The second is the desire to share. Thank you.