Sima woke as the light of the new day shined in her window. She was still tired from cleaning the house for Pesach (Passover) the day before. She gathered her clothes to take to the river to wash. Her daughter Zehava followed behind humming a song.
It had been a hard year for the young widow, Sima, who missed her husband badly. sickness ravaged the village that winter and she helped many anyway she could. Sadly, many died.
Zehava asked her mother when they would start cooking for the seder meal. Sima just sighed as she did not have any matzah, wine or food for the seder. So, she sadly went to the river to wash clothes so that she and her daughter could at least welcome the holiday with clean clothes.
“Ima, please tell me the story of Pesach (Passover)” asked Zehava. “Not now my precious daughter but tonight” answered Sima. Her daughter walked and played along the bank of the river where flowers were starting to appear, and the trees were budding. It was a beautiful spring day, but Sima was so sad.
Zehava began to play in the water, cupping the water and then letting it slowly run out of her hands back into the river. She did it again and again. “Ima, why are you so sad today? It is right before Pseach a happy holiday.” asked Zehava, Sima looked at her daughter and remembered when she was a girl and her mother always found a way to be happy at holiday time no matter how hard things were. “I’m sad because we have nothing to prepare for Pesach and no one to share with us” Sima tearfully answered.
“You know, I learned that sadness is an enemy that can destroy a lot of things.” Zehava said. “Oh, to be a little girl again with few worries. To see the good around us and to just play” Sima responded.
Zehava continued playing in the water, “Every day when I pray I say ‘You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies’ (Psalm 23:5), she held her cupped hands up high and as the water trickled down she sad “my cup overflows.”
“Ima, you help everyone who needs help even though we are very poor. One thing though, we are so full of mitzvos (good deeds) that they can’t fit into any treasure chest.”
“Zehava, my sweet child you remind me of something my mother told me a long time ago ‘He lifts up the soul and makes the eyes sparkle; he gives health and life and blessing.’ (Ben Sira 34:20) The sparkle in your eyes makes me appreciate the gift the Holy One, blessed be He gave to me.”
Zehava ran over and hugged her mother and they both smiled.
In the distance Zehava saw someone walking along the bank of the river. The person seemed to be struggling. As they got closer, Zehava saw it was an old woman, older than anyone she had even seen. The old woman having trouble walking.
As the old woman neared, Sima and Zehava invited her to rest on the riverbank with them. The old woman asked if she could join them for the seder. Sima began to cry as she explained they did not have any matzah, wine or food for the seder. The old woman answered, “As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you (Isaiah 66:13) may you be blessed in all your actions and may you celebrate the holy days with happiness,”
The old woman told them she was very tired, and Zehava asked, “Ima, can this old woman sleep in my bed until she is ready to go on her way?” “That’s a good idea” Sima answered as she told the old woman to go to the house behind them.
