When they returned from Shule and nothing was said, even at the evening meal, about the way Benjamin had annoyed his mother, he was rather surprised.  His mother, during the time they were at Shule, had made the living-room, which was really the kitchen, look so clean and bright with the five lighted candles placed on the snow-white table-cloth, and the old stove so well polished, that it almost looked as bright as a looking glass.  What interested the young ones most was the saucepan which stood on one side of the stove waiting for its contents to be put on the table, and, oh, how they enjoyed the sweet savour which came from it!

FRIDAY EVE

They all gathered round the table to welcome the Princess Sabbath.  The father made kiddush, and the wine cup was handed round to all.  Then they washed their hands and said a prayer before sitting down to the evening meal, which passed off very pleasantly, and zmires (or songs or psalms of praise) were sung at intervals during the meal.

When the meal was ended, and the grace said by the father, they all separated:  one or two went out for a walk, while the other members of the family took a newspaper or a book and quietly read.

When the table was cleared, the mother sat down to rest.  Grateful, indeed, was she for this Sabbath rest after her week’s hard work.  She often said that, for such as herself, no blessing was as great as the command:  “Thou shalt not do any work on the Sabbath.”

WORD OF LOVE

When all were quietly settled down, Benjamin’s father took him between his knees, and said:  “My son, I wish to ask you something, and I want you to answer my question frankly and truly.  What made you throw the tsitsith down on the floor this afternoon and say to your mother that you would not wear it?”

The boy Benjamin dropped his head and was silent for a minute or two, for to hear his father speak in a kindly way made Benjamin far more ashamed of himself and his deed than if his father had scolded him and given him a whipping—­in fact, he felt so wretched that he longed to run out of the room and hide himself from everybody.  His father’s knowledge of human nature made him understand what was passing through Benjamin’s mind, and he said:  “Do not fear to tell me, my son, why you acted in such an unusual way, for there must be some reason for a Jewish boy to act so.”

With his head still down, Benjamin said:  “When I go swimming in the baths, my school-fellows see my tsitsith when I undress, and they make fun of it and pull it about, and say all sorts of nasty things to me for wearing it, and it makes me feel I cannot stand it any longer.  I will gladly put on my tsitsith at home in the morning when I say my prayers, but, Father, do let me go to school without wearing it?”

“I expected something like this,” said his father, looking at his wife.  “Listen to me, my child—­instead of being ashamed, you should feel it a privilege to wear tsitsith.”