The Ever-Expanding Shabbat Table
Jul. 26th, 2007 02:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gnomiSo, on Sunday, mabfan and I figured that, since we're being guests for Shabbat lunch this week, we'd do a quiet dinner with just the two of us.
Then, on Monday, not long before the fast started, we ran into our friends D&S on Harvard St. When we learned that S was going out of town and D was going to be alone for Shabbat,mabfan and I had a rushed, silent conversation and then invited D to have dinner with us, warning him it was going to be casual fare (I was (and am) planning macaroni and cheese as the main dish). He was fine with that, and S was sad to be missing mac and cheese.
On Wednesday, we got e-mail. S is no longer going out of town, so D won't be alone for Shabbat. Did we want to cancel D's visit, or should S come along? We said, bring S. and come for dinner.
This morning (well, last night), we got e-mail from our friend G. G and our friend J and we all went to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix a couple of Sundays ago, but G and J had to leave right after the film, so we didn't get time to deconstruct the film. So G e-mailed to ask when he was next coming for Shabbat dinner, so that we could deconstruct. We said, well, D&S are coming for dinner this week, and they've seen the film, too, so we can deconstruct it over dinner. So then we were five at Shabbat dinner.
(An aside: Whenpressburger lived in Brighton, it became habit for him to call on Wednesday or Thursday and say, "I'm coming for Shabbat dinner. What am I bringing?" I like having the sort of Shabbat table that people are comfortable inviting themselves to; many folks have done it over the years, and I always enjoy the last-minute unexpected company, provided said self-invited company realizes that they'll be eating what I've already planned for the menu.)
This morning, we got e-mail from D. His father is unexpectedly coming into town for Shabbat. Did we want to reschedule D&S for another time, or was it OK if they brought D's father? In for a penny, in for a pound, says I. Sure, we say. Bring D's dad. So now we're six. :-)
mabfan and I figured that, since we're being guests for Shabbat lunch this week, we'd do a quiet dinner with just the two of us.Then, on Monday, not long before the fast started, we ran into our friends D&S on Harvard St. When we learned that S was going out of town and D was going to be alone for Shabbat,
mabfan and I had a rushed, silent conversation and then invited D to have dinner with us, warning him it was going to be casual fare (I was (and am) planning macaroni and cheese as the main dish). He was fine with that, and S was sad to be missing mac and cheese.On Wednesday, we got e-mail. S is no longer going out of town, so D won't be alone for Shabbat. Did we want to cancel D's visit, or should S come along? We said, bring S. and come for dinner.
This morning (well, last night), we got e-mail from our friend G. G and our friend J and we all went to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix a couple of Sundays ago, but G and J had to leave right after the film, so we didn't get time to deconstruct the film. So G e-mailed to ask when he was next coming for Shabbat dinner, so that we could deconstruct. We said, well, D&S are coming for dinner this week, and they've seen the film, too, so we can deconstruct it over dinner. So then we were five at Shabbat dinner.
(An aside: When
pressburger lived in Brighton, it became habit for him to call on Wednesday or Thursday and say, "I'm coming for Shabbat dinner. What am I bringing?" I like having the sort of Shabbat table that people are comfortable inviting themselves to; many folks have done it over the years, and I always enjoy the last-minute unexpected company, provided said self-invited company realizes that they'll be eating what I've already planned for the menu.)This morning, we got e-mail from D. His father is unexpectedly coming into town for Shabbat. Did we want to reschedule D&S for another time, or was it OK if they brought D's father? In for a penny, in for a pound, says I. Sure, we say. Bring D's dad. So now we're six. :-)
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Date: 2007-07-26 06:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-26 06:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-26 06:36 pm (UTC)I grew up Presbyterian, and well, protestants were soooo very anti-ritual that we don't really have many, and I think sometimes rituals can be very grounding. I think it's awesome that your buddies call you and invite themselves over. So awesome!
I can bring candles and challah- our local bakery makes some every Friday morning; it's yummy. Yay! Another thing to shoot for when my back is better! YAY YAAY!
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Date: 2007-07-26 06:53 pm (UTC)We should definitely have you come some time. This time of the year, when dinner isn't starting until 8:30 and will likely go until at least 10 or so, it's unfair for us to have you come so far and have to drive home so late. But in the fall, when Shabbat starts earlier, we should arrange a date for you to come for a Shabbat dinner.
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Date: 2007-07-26 07:35 pm (UTC)(I'm just kidding: they may have been ok at Muffy's place, which is full of fragile chachkas, but you've got just enough toys that they may not intuitively understand that they have to be on best behavior. :-))
Anyhow, your post reminded me of someone's comment recently: that her table could accomodate 10 Jews or 6 goyyim. (No blight on goyyim, just that Jews are used to squishing in.)
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Date: 2007-07-27 01:27 am (UTC)My mind keeps insisting that this should be "now we are six" as in the book title.
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Date: 2007-07-27 05:27 am (UTC)Things have been so crazy I keep forgetting to email, so blog comment it is :)
If it's too short notice, how about a week from this Sunday?