Giving=Getting
נתן
The Hebrew word for gave is spelled NOON—TUFF—NOON
A palindrome
The same letters when you read them forwards AND backwards.
What is the holy tongue teaching us JewishMOMs?
You feel like you are giving the whole day.
To your family, your kids, your husband. Etc. Etc. Etc.
And it’s hard!
But at the end of the day, who receives so much–personal growth, Divine reward, and even occasionally some joy and satisfaction– from all this giving, giving, giving?
YOU!
This erev Shabbos and this week in general, I’ve been plowing away every second of every day. There was an important timely mitzvah I was supposed to do yesterday. The two nights prior, I had been up late past midnight tying to be a good friend to a struggling couple whose marriage is on the rocks, and being there for my best friend, my husband because all the guy asks for once in a while is my undivided attention. There is so much dividing abs taking it away from him. After a full day of work, running to the supermarket to pick up
items for supper, than running to my three year old’s school to pick him up just in time before after school ended, then running to be sure my seven year olds saw my car and knew someone adult was home to let them in after the bus dropped them off, then feeding, bathing, home working, breaking up fighting and other mommying tasks, by 8 I was done. I just couldn’t function and I collapsed on the bed. I
missed the timely mitzvah. My rav in the past had said I hsve to do it anyway no
matter what, but he could not have envisioned
my level of exhaustion and dysfunctionality. Today, after a good night’s sleep, though I’m insanely busy wearing a gazillion hats with a trillion responsibilities today too, I reflect on all the giving I did and do each day and I just thank Hashem for overfilling my life with opportunities to be there for people, to be needed, to have the skis and ability to help others, and for filling my life as a giver rather than as a take. Whst a blessing and a meaningful existence!!!! Baruch Hashrm!!!!