HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!

Psalm 90, a prayer of Moses, man of God, must have been referring to my mother when it speaks of the length of the human life: “Three score and ten our years may number, four score years if granted the vigor.” My mother turns four score years on the 17th of July, 2005. She has certainly sufficient vigor.

The psalm goes on to describe our lives as “laden with trouble and travail, passing quickly and flying away.” The sense here, of course, is that our lives are too short, too difficult, and too ephemeral, but I think this is not a very Jewish interpretation of the story. The directive from God to Adam was that he must earn his life by the sweat of his brow; God told Eve that she will bear her children in pain. As my mother might say now, “So, what else is new?” Because it is those efforts that provide much of the joy—and pain--in our lives—a life in which our labors may bear wonderful fruits. I have over the years come to understand the expulsion from the Garden not as a curse but as a blessing. Life happens outside of the Garden; outside the Garden is where human activity and choice occur. Outside of the garden is struggle and achievement. Outside of the garden is success and failure. Outside of the Garden is family.

Roberta Hirsh Block has spent her entire life outside of the garden. As she might say now, “Where else should I live?” What wisdom in that question! Granted the vigor, Bobby has lived out here thus far four score years. Her work tilling the earth has borne her fruit, which have this weekend returned to the tree.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!