Pesach, rain, funerals...

It's hard to believe that Pesach is over.  I always find the transition back from the holiday challenging. In many ways it was very uplifting but there was also pain this year for both erev Yom Tovs had a funeral on it.  Right before  Pesach started, Daniel Viflic died of his wounds.  So in addition to the usual bedikas chometz there was a funeral to attend and a shiva visit the next morning.  Alas, the second erev yom tov was once again marred by another Jew's murder.  Ben Yosef Livnat was murdered by a PA "policeman" at Joseph's Tomb for praying while Jewish at a Jewish holy site.  The Arabs celebrated by desecrating this site yet again.  A preview for all those obsessed with establishing a terror state on Jewish land.  More on that later.  But it was also a very beautiful and uplifting Pesach with children singing around the table, good food and company and a few local outings.  Beautiful weather and rain, so unusual for this time of the year.  Perhaps another flow of blessing to comfort the Jewish people, perhaps the very heavens weeping over our national pain.  I read some interesting and inspiring books over Pesach - Rabbi Reisman's  In the Footsteps of the Prophets,  Rabbi Soloveitchik's Fate and Destiny and started Rabbi Eisemann's Haazinu book, I forget its' name.  All very meaningful and inspirational and timely.  We went on a local outing with the kids, it was really nice as always.  I love hikes and the scenery is out of this world.  I'll try to post some pictures later.  We had some family visiting us and we visited some family.  It was really special and there was lots of excitement.  We had lots of good conversations on many subjects but the usual lessons were on hold.  I cooked and cooked and cooked and cooked.  The kids surprised me by liking the healthier things I made as well as the usual favorites.  I think I'll write a separate post on the subject.  Now that all the Pesach things are put away and the excitement and the upheaval dies down, I hope we can get back to our routine and all the things that I put on the back burner until after Pesach.   Yes, Pesach is over.  Now as we count down to Shavuos, it's time to grow and build and push ourselves to new heights and learn and learn and learn.