Chapter Four

Zechariah returned from the school and began making preparations for his weekly priestly duty. As he had done twice a year, every year since he turned 13 years old, he prepared to pack his necessities. He laid out all his items on the small table where he had said his morning prayers. A clean tunic, his leather sandals, his small pillow. He did not need to take much with him. Most of his necessities would be provided for.

Elizabeth watched him carefully folding and arranging the items. He confirmed he had everything as needed, mentally checking things off his list. He pulled down his incense bowl and incense. He carefully wrapped them together in an old cloth that still smelled like incense from the last trip. He then placed them all in the small leather sack he used only for his trips to the temple.

“Zechariah, I made you some fresh bread for your journey,” Elizabeth said.

“The other priests always look forward to your bread. Did you make some extra? Last time I didn’t get even one bite. Avner loves it so much that as soon as I unwrapped it he scooped it up and immediately insisted all the other priests try some.”

Elizabeth smiled. “The large wrap is for the others. This small one here, this is just for you my darling.”

Zechariah smiled and gave her a big kiss on the forehead.

“I am most favored of all men. Such a beautiful and caring wife our Lord has given me all these years.”

He quickly finished packing and hung the sack on a peg by the door. He headed outside to graze the animals.

Elizabeth began preparing vegetables for the evening stew she had planned. Slicing the vegetables she dropped them in a pot of water and olive oil. She cut off a few pieces of dried goat meat from the smoked hind leg hanging on the wall and placed it in the pot.

Removing the cover from the top of the oven, she placed the small grate over it. She picked out a few medium sixe sticks and stuffed them in the lower chamber. The dried wood quickly caught fire as she gently blew on them. She pulled out the small clay shelf she used for baking the bread and the flames rose higher straining to reach the opening at the top. She closed the oven door and place the pot on top of the grate.

She washed the knife and cutting board and set them near the window to dry.

Drying her hands she pulled out the circle loom. If she worked quickly she could make a few more circular mats before Zechariah left for the temple.

She placed the loom on the table then sorted through the collection of dyed thread. She chose white, light blue and pink thick spun rolls.

Sitting on a small stool she unwound several cubits of white thread. She stretched the thread along the edge of the table measuring it out until she had the precise length needed for the loom. She fed the end through the center hole in the loom then tied it to the outer edge of the loom. With the end secured she began feeding the thread through the center and hooking it in the grooves along the outer edge. She worked her way around the loom until every groove was threaded. She tied off the end and clipped of the extra.

She then pulled off more white thread, carefully measured it and cut it to length. She then cut a piece of the blue about a half a cubit longer and a piece of the pink about a half a cubit longer than the blue. She tied the ends of the threads to a strand of the white thread already on the loom. She then braided the three together and carefully began weaving the three threads around the top of the loom. Softly she sang to herself as she worked.

Zechariah quietly snuck into the house and hid just behind the wall. He loved to listen to Elizabeth sing. Her voice always moved his her with joy.

“Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens
Praise Him in the heights!
Praise Him, all His angels
Praise Him, all His hosts!
Praise Him, sun and moon
Praise Him, all you stars of light!
Praise Him, you heavens of heavens,
And you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the Lord
For He commanded and they were created.
He also established them forever and ever
He made a decree which shall not pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth
You great sea creatures and all the depths
Fire and hail, snow and clouds
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word
Mountains and all hills
Fruitful trees and all cedars
Beasts and all cattle
Creeping things and flying fowl
Kings of the earth and all peoples
Princes and all judges of the earth
Both young men and maidens
Old men and children.

Let them praise the name of the Lord
For His name alone is exalted
His glory is above the earth and heaven.
And He has exalted the horn of His people
The praise of all His saints
Of the children of Israel
A people near to Him.
Praise the Lord!”

Entering the room, Zechariah came up behind Elizabeth. He reached around her shoulder to display a handful of wild flowers to her. Elizabeth stopped weaving and looked over her shoulder at her husband.

“Oh Zech, they are lovely.”

Setting down the loom she rose and poured some water into a vase. She carried it back to him and he placed the flowers in it and set them on her work table. While she primped them Zechariah followed his nose to the stew on the stove. He dipped a finger into the stew and quickly pulled it out of the hot liquid. Sticking a finger in his mouth he quickly ducked the towel Elizabeth threw at him.

“Zechariah, you wash those hands before you put them in my stew.”

“Your stew?”

“Yes, my stew.” I made that for my lunch tomorrow.”

“Looks like a lot of stew for one old woman to eat for lunch tomorrow.”

“Maybe I’ll have company. Miriam always visits when you are gone. Helps me with the animals.”

“Hmmm. Maybe you made extra for that young man Benesh who likes to carry you water for you.”

“Benesh can have some of my stew any time he likes. He is nice young man. Minds his manners unlike my husband.”

Elizabeth pulled a ladle down from the wall and a bowl from under the table and dipped out some stew for Zechariah. Pulling out a second bowl she dipped some for herself. She placed both bowls on the table in the main room.

Stepping around Zechariah who was washing his hands she cut off a piece of bread for both of them and set it on the table also. She filled 2 glasses with wine and set them next to their bowls.

The two sat down on cushions opposite one another.

Zechariah tore of a piece of bread and dipped it into the stew.

“How much cloth do you have for me to trade with?” he asked her then bit off a piece of the bread.

“Two hundred and twenty five cubits, give or take.”

“How much linen?”

“Hmmm, half and half?” she said and shrugged her shoulders.

“That much wool?”

“I spun it a little thin and we received more than usual this season.”

“I should like to trade for a cow this trip. We have not had one for about a year now. We could trade the milk.”

Staring at the table, Elizabeth chewed her wet bread in silence. Should I tell him about the dove. Zech never understands these feelings I get, even when they are valid.

She finished the last of her meal and sat silent across from Zechariah.

He searched Elizabeth’s face. He knew that look. Maybe she would tell him what she was thinking and maybe not. He had learned a long time ago there was no prying it out of her. Either she would share it or she would not.

“A small dove came and landed on the window sill while you were teaching today. It cooed so gently. It sat so still and just watched me packing the cloth. The it took one of the Rock Roses from the vase then flew off.”

Zechariah listened quietly. He slid the last of his bread into his mouth, chewed a few times then drank down the last of his stew.

“It is time for our after meal prayers then I must leave for Jerusalem.”
 
Zechariah looked up toward the ceiling and began to recite his prayers.

“When the Lord brought the exiles back to Zion it was like a dream. Then our mouths were filled with laughter and our tongues with song. Then was it said among the nations: ‘the Lord has done great things for them.’ Truly the Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced. Bring us from exile, Lord, as the streams return to the Negev; those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. Those who go out weeping, bearing sacks of seeds, shall return with joy, bearing their sheaves.”

“Let my mouth offer praise of the Lord, and let all beings offer blessing of God’s holy name forever. We will bless the Lord from now on and forever more: Praise God!”

“Give thanks to God who is good; whose kindness is enduring. Who can tell the mightiness of the Lord, or announce all of God’s praise?”

“Let us thank God. Blessed is the name of God now and forever. With your permission, let us thank God whose food we have eaten.”

“Blessed is God whose food we have eaten and through whose goodness we live. Blessed is God and blessed is God’s name.”

“Blessed is the Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, who sustains the entire world with goodness, kindness and mercy. God gives food to all creatures, for God’s mercy is everlasting.”

“Through God’s abundant goodness we have not lacked sustenance, and may we not lack sustenance forever, for the sake of God’s great name. God sustains all, does good to all, and provides food for all the creatures whom God has created. Blessed is the Lord, who provides food for all.”

“We thank the Lord our God for having given a lovely and spacious land to our fathers and mothers; for having liberated us from the land of Egypt and freed us from the house of bondage; for the covenant which God has sealed in our flesh, for the Torah which God has taught us; for the laws which God has made known to us; for the life, grace and loving kindness which God has bestowed upon us, and for the sustenance with which God nourishes and maintains us continually, in every season, every day, even every hour.”

“For all these blessings we thank the Lord our God with praise. May God’s name be praised by every living being forever, as it is written: “When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to the Lord your God for the good land which God has given you.” Blessed is the Lord for the land and its produce.”

“May the Lord our God have mercy on God’s people Israel, God’s city Jerusalem, Zion the abode of God’s glory, the royal house of David, God’s anointed one, and the great and holy Temple that bears God’s name. May our God, our Parent, tend and nourish us, sustain and maintain us, and speedily grant us relief from all our troubles. May the Lord make us dependent not on the alms or loans of others, but rather on God’s full, open and generous hand, so that we may never be humiliated or put to shame.”

“May it be God’s will to strengthen us in God’s commandments, especially regarding the seventh day, this great and holy Sabbath, for today is great and holy before God–a day on which to rest and repose in love, according to God’s command. May it be God’s will to grant us relief from all care, sorrow and grief on our day of rest, and may God enable us to see Zion comforted, and Jerusalem, the holy city, rebuilt. For it is God who is the Master of salvation and comfort.”

“Our God and God of our ancestors, may our existence and impact be elevated, come up, arrive, be seen, be willed, be heard, be visited and be remembered, along with the memory of our ancestors, of the Messiah, son of David Your servant, the memory of Jerusalem, Your holy city, the memory of all Your people Israel before you; for goodness, grace, kindness and compassion, for life and for peace on this day. Remember us today, O Lord our God, for well-being. Visit us on this day with blessing.”

“Save us on this day with life. For our eyes are upon You, as You, O Ruler, are a gracious and compassionate God.”

“May God rebuild Jerusalem, the holy city, speedily in our lifetime. Blessed is the Lord, who restores Jerusalem with mercy. Amen.”

“Blessed is the Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, who is our God, our Parent, our Sovereign, our Mighty One, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Maker, the Holy One of Jacob, the Shepherd of Israel, the good Sovereign who does good to all. May God who continually shows us kindness continue offering goodness to us. As God has ever bestowed favors upon us, may God continue to bless us with grace, loving kindness, compassion, deliverance, prosperity, redemption, consolation, sustenance, and mercy; a life of peace and all goodness. May God never withhold goodness from us.”

“May the Merciful One reign over us forever and ever. May the Merciful One be extolled in heaven and on earth. May the Merciful One be praised in all generations, be glorified through us to all eternity, and be honored among us forever. May the Merciful One grant us an honorable livelihood. May the Merciful One break the yoke of our oppression and lead us in dignity to our ancient homeland. May the Merciful One send abundant blessing upon this dwelling and the table at which we have eaten. May the Merciful One send Elijah the Prophet to us, and may he bear good tidings of salvation and comfort.”

“May the Merciful One bless all who are gathered here and all their families, as well as all dear to us, just as our ancestors: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were blessed in every way; and Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah, were described as good; so may God bless all of us together with a complete blessing, and we say: Amen.

“May our merit and the merit of our ancestors secure enduring peace for all of us. May we receive a blessing from the Lord, and justice from the God of our salvation. May we find grace and favor in the sight of God and humankind.”

“May the Merciful One bless all of the children of Israel who are now oppressed and bring them from darkness into light. May the Merciful One bless the State of Israel, the beginning of the flowering of our redemption. May the Merciful One create a caring bond between the children of Sarah and the children of Hagar.”

“May the Merciful One grant us a world that shall be entirely Shabbat and eternal rest. May the Merciful One renew this new month upon us for good and for blessing.”

“God grants deliverance to God’s chosen sovereign, and shows kindness to God’s anointed one, to David, and his descendents forever.”

“May the One who makes peace in the heavens let peace descend on all us and all of Israel, and let us say: Amen.”

“Fear the Lord, you who are consecrated; those who fear the Lord will be sustained. Those who deny God are lacking and hungry. Those who seek the Lord shall not lack anything that is good.”

“Give thanks to the Lord, for God is good; God’s mercy endures forever. God opens God’s hand and satisfies every living thing with favor. Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, for the Lord will be their protection. I have been young, and I have been old, but I have not seen a righteous person abandoned or that person’s seed destitute.”

“May the Lord give strength to our people; may the Lord bless our people with peace. Amen.”

© 2011 John Pearson All Rights Reserved.