you get such preposterous ideas?"
asked Dod Gershon.
"It's not preposterous at all!
Stranger things have happened in
the mountains of Tzefat."
"What kind of things?" asked
Michael.
"Oh, all kinds," she answered
vaguely. "Anyone who has lived in
Tzefat can tell you the most unusual
stories. But it's time to light the
candles now."
When they were lit, it was Doda
Shifra's turn to speak. "It's still
early for shul," she said. "Tehilla,
why don't you take Malka for a walk
and show her how lovely the
mountains look in the sunset? You
have plenty of time until we daven
Kabbalat Shabbat. Here are your
sweaters. It gets cool at night in
Tzefat! We'll meet you both later
on." And without giving them a
chance to say no, she pushed them
gently but firmly out the door.
"Keep your eyes open," Savta
Simcha called after them.
The girls had a rather silent
walk. They walked down Figtree
Court and across the road. They
walked past the famous Ari
Synagogue. They walked down the
long, long street of crooked steps
which led to the bottom of the
mountain.
It was very quiet. There were
no cars or buses, no hustle or
bustle; only people going quickly to
shul. They could almost hear the
sound of Shabbos gently settling
down on the city of Tzefat.
"I think we'd better go to shul
now," Tehilla finally said. "It's
getting dark."
They turned back and began
the long climb up when Malka
stopped suddenly and gasped,
"What ... what's that?" The two
girls stood still and listened.
The air was full of strange but
somehow familiar sound, like a
windy song blowing through the
mountains. They turned to see
where the airy melody was coming
from, when through the hazy,
dimming light they saw it ... a
wispy figure in a long white dress. It
seemed to be floating softly and
gently up the mountain.

"Oh," gasped Malka again,
"what is it?"

I don't know, but let's not wait
to find out!" Tehilla grabbed Malka's
hand and dragged her away as fast
as their legs could carry them. In
no time at all they were at the top
of the stairs, huffing and puffing and

hurrying into the crowded, well-lit
shul.
"Gracious," whispered Doda
Shifra from behind her siddur, "you
girls could be a bit more ladylike, on
Shabbos at least!" The girls didn't
say a word. The just held hands
tightly all through the tefilla.
Later in the evening, after
dinner, when they were still sitting at
the table, Tehilla asked, "What kind
of ... uh ... strange things have
happened in Tzefat, Savta Simcha?"
"Oh, all kinds," answered Savta
Simcha cheerily while cracking a
peanut. The girls were still holding
hands under the table.
"Were there every any ... uh
. ghosts, or things like that
around here?" asked Malka.
"Singing ghosts," added Tehilla.
"Singing ghosts? Dear me, no,
or at least I've never heard of any.
What is the matter with you two
girls tonight? You have been acting
quite strange yourselves!"
So the story came out. They all
listened quietly as Tehilla and Malka
told the story of the wispy, white
lady and the thin, windy song. "Do
to leave the table, Doda Shifra and
paper so they won't dry out," he
you think we should call the
Savta Simcha looked at each other warned.
and smiled.
police?" asked Malka.
"It's a good thing Michael and
"I doubt that it's necessary,"
That night in bed, the girls were Ezra are still on vacation and will be
said Dod Gershon. "Whatever it
busy discussing things again. "I
coming with me," she said as she
was thinking about the song that
was it seems to have disappeared.
struggled to close her bag. "They'll
And maybe it was just your
wispy lady — if she was a lady! —
be a great help."
imagination."
was singing down the mountain,"
"I hope so," Dod Gershon
said Tehilla. "Maybe Savta Smcha
"Oh, no, it wasn't!" both girls
replied. "You look like you could
answered together.
was right. Maybe it really was the
use a little help. That bag is getting
Shabbos Queen. I think the song
"Perhaps it was the Shabbos
heavier and more crowded all the
Queen," said Savta Simcha very
she was singing was Lecha Dodi!"
time!"
Sunday morning, Savta Simcha
matter-of-factly. "These are her
"Oh, then they can't carry my
picked a basketful of ripe figs from
mountains, you know. And Friday
bag. I'll take that. But sometimes
night is her night."
Doda Shifra's trees. She wrapped
Sumsum does get a bit heavy on
"And you can't greet her and
them up and packed them carefully my head. Perhaps they could take
in her big black bag, right between
say Shabbat Shalom if you're angry
turns holding him."
the barley and the raisins.
with each other," added Doda
"Really, Simcha, you are too
"Don't forget to set aside
Shifra. "Shalom means peace,
- much! Ezra, you keep an eye on
remember?"
terumot and maaserot from all your Savta Simcha and help her with
fruits," said Dod Gershon.
Dod Gershon smiled. "Maybe
that bag. And Michael, you keep an
the Shabbos Queen's first name is
"Gracious me, how could I
eye on Ezra and make sure he
Simcha," he suggested.
possibly forget something like that!" stays out of mischief."
Savta Simcha replied.
"If you mean me, you are
"You sure need a lot of eyes in
"I bet I'd forget," said Malka.
wrong," Savta Simcha said very
this family," thought Michael.
"In Wintergreen City, there is no
definitely. "I am not very good at
"Be well, everybody, and I'll
mitzva to set aside terumot and
climbing mountains anymore. I even
see you all at the kiddush!" Savta
maaserot."
tumbled down a hill in Beit Lechem
Simcha announced. "Tehilla, don't
"That's all the more reason I'm forget to bring your grandmother;
and got a black and blue barley
sure you'd remember to do it here!" and Malka, you bring yours!"
bump for my trouble!"
said Savta Simcha. "No one wants
"But you're good at making
She put on her floppy pink hat
to miss a mitzva — especially an
peace," said Dod Gershn.
and checked to see if Sumsum was
Eretz Yisrael mitzva!"
safely seated on top. "Come on,
"And you're wearing a white
Dod Gershon handed Savta
boys," she said, "I'm ready to go!"
Shabbos dress," thought Michael.
Simcha several stems of perfectly
And
Savta Simcha was off again. CI
"Well, whoever that wispy lady
shaped hadassim from his garden.
was, she certainly did make Tehilla
"They're a present for Uncle
Reprinted from Savta Simcha and
and Malka friends again, and that's
Nechemya to use together with his
The Seven Splendid Gifts, Feidheim
the main thing." As they all got up
lulay. Keep them wrapped in moist
Publishers.

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

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