Ready or Not

Recently, my kids were reading one of their favorite books: a book about children preparing for Shabbos.

As they read, something puzzled me.

"Is it Shabbos yet?"

"No," Mommy answered. "We still need to..."

Wait a second.

Is it Shabbos yet? No, it isn't Shabbos yet, because the sun has not yet set. Shabbos isn't something that waits for us to be ready for it. Shabbos comes at a certain time, whether we are ready for it or not.

Perhaps the question should be: "Are we ready for Shabbos?"

Fire Desire

Dedicated in honor of the birth of חנה בת רבקה

When Chana stood before Hashem pleading for a son, Eli, the Kohen Gadol, took her for a drunkard, and criticized her for coming to the Mishkan while inebriated. 

While quite understandable on the surface, Eli's criticism of Chana's behavior had a deeper meaning as well. 

Firstly, when standing before The King, one must be in a state of complete Bitul-Nullification. How can one think of personal needs at such a time? 

Secondly, granted, one is supposed to bring his requests before The King, yet, Eli was disturbed by Chana's incessant Davening. "Ask for your needs, but don't get drunk with you Tefillah for them!"