By Bracha Goetz
Udel was the daughter of a very great rabbi called the Baal Shem Tov.
When this story happened, she was the young mother of a delightful baby boy.
It was Rosh HaShanah, one of the very holiest days of the year, and Udel very much wanted to pray.
Udel gave her baby his breakfast.
Then she changed his diaper and put him in his little crib, hoping he’d take a nap so she could pour out her feelings in prayer.
But as soon as Udel opened her special Rosh HaShanah prayer book – her machsor – she heard her baby starting to cry.
Udel walked over and saw her baby standing up, holding onto the bars of his crib. There were tears running down his little cheeks.
But as soon as he saw his mommy, he stretched out his arms to her and gave her a great big, yummy smile.
Udel hugged him tightly and scooped him out of his crib.
As they cuddled together, his mommy told him his favorite story.
Then Udel played with her baby, and they laughed a lot together.
After that, Udel gave her son his lunch, and then he needed to have his diaper changed again.
Before long, it was time for everyone to come back from the synagogue – and Udel had never gotten the chance to pray.
She looked upward, and then she whispered, “I only have time for one short prayer, so I will pray for You, the Creator of our Universe.”
“My prayer for You is that you will have as much joy from all your children this year.”
“As You have given me from mine, “she smiled, hugging her baby close.
Bracha Goetz is the Harvard-educated author of 25 Jewish children’s books, including Remarkable Park, What Do You See in Your Neighborhood? and The Invisible Book. Find her books on amazon.com
I have been on both sides of this, and I feel your position is one of unacceptable intolerance. When my children were little I craved the chance to be in Shul even for a short while, to gain some inspiration and feel a bit of Kedusha in the midst of the very Gashmiusdik and never-ending demands of young children. I felt demeaned for this–once I was actually barred from entering!–as if I had no right to be there. Now that my children are grown, I look around me in Shul at all the babies and toddlers Kein Yirbu, and just… Read more »
For Shofar of course all children/babies belong in shul. However, after that, please allow others to daven in peace and concentrate on their tefillah. A shul is not a childcare facility. It’s a serious place to connect to Hashem in tefilla, without adult chatter or babies/children running around causing noise.
It annoys me so much to see babies in shul all day rosh hashana and even toddlers there on Yom Kippur! They disturb ,the crying, the mess , the candies ….a mothers place is at home with her kids!!!!
in a sense, sometimes its more important to daven one line and mean it, then to daven the whole tfila and not be into it at all.
This is exactly what I needed to read today. I hope to have the time to daven tomorrow, but if I do not I will remember this story and be comforted.
A gut gebentched yar.
Often times we daven only when we want something.
Never forget to also daven to thank Hashem for what He has already given us!