Moshe's magic tricks

The wind has been relentless. After tending to the needs of the livestock, there was nothing for it but to stay indoors and wait it out. Rivkah played with her dolls for a while, but grew tired of them. She missed Miri. Shmuli was worried about the fact they had not been able to get the bread to KfarNahum this morning. He said he would have to work out a plan so that they were not caught out again. Rabbi Moshe had been reading in his room but his old eyes were tired, he said.

"Let's have some of your mother's herb tea and some mulled wine," he suggested "I can think of nothing better than turning this wash-out off a day into a fun day."

"How can I have fun when Miri's not here...?"

"How can I have fun when my business....?"

"Let's find out." grinned the Rabbi. "Come, sit with me."

I set to getting the hot drinks and the children sat either side of Rabbi Moshe. He took three walnut shells from his pocket and asked me for a dried pea. For the next hour he kept us entertained trying to guess which nutshell the pea was under. We watched him place it under a shell, then he mixed them up sometimes very slowly... we watched... we followed that pea ever so carefully but try as we might, we just couldn't find it. Sometimes it wasn't under the shells at all. It turned up in the strangest of places... behind Rivkah's ear, under Shmuli's hat...even in the clean washing basket- he didn't even get up from his seat, he made me fetch it! Don't ask me how he does it, but we all soon forgot our troubles and the rain... until Shmuel came home that is. He was drenched. We had to vacate the kitchen so he could have a hot bath.

The magic show continued in Rabbi Moshe's room. I hear he can make a small clay ball float when he covers it with a handkerchief, then he can make it disappear. I'll believe that one when I see it for myself!
21 Tevet

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