Happiness without relief

Rabbeinu Yonah comments on the Mishna 'No one ever said to his friend, "There is no room for me to sleep in Jerusalem" as follows:
When the people came to Jerusalem for the Festivals, no one ever said, "The place is too crowded for me; move aside for me that I may dwell" (Yeshayahu 49: 2). As David HaMelech said, "The build city of Jerusalem. it is like a city united." (Tehillim 122: 3). In other words, the city was built to accommodate the enitre nation. The word "it" means "for its sake"; Jerusalem waas built for the sake of the Jewish nation, so that they could all gather there.

My in-laws certainly put this into practice this Succot. Not only did they manage to find place to sleep the two of them and the seven of us, but for the first days they also had two other guests sleeping over! Not bad in a two bedroom apartment!! (Succot is easier than Pesach, because some of us were sleeping outside).

Unfortunately the Mishna doesn't mention anything about bathrooms. There is no verse saying that there will be enough toilets for everyone. And so, in their two bedroom apartment, my in-laws have one toilet (which is itself not a good ratio). Then on Shabbat the toilet became blocked, and gradually during the next few days became flooded, started dripping down on the neighbours, and eventually began to spread raw sewerage around the house. LOVELY! Talk about having to keep our legs crossed!

Luckily there are friends who have toilets. So we weren't quite reduced to following the sign:



Thanks Savta and Zeidy for putting up with us!

Chag Sameach

New Bog Standard

Language Warning. The blog you are about to read may be unintelligible to non-English speakers (i.e. Americans). See end of blog, or use internet, for glossary.
Subject Warning. This has nothing to do with Judaism or Israel. It refers to the place that Americans charmingly refer to as 'restroom' though I would probably not choose to rest there if I had any alternative. AKA bathroom, though you won't find any bath there. AKA washroom, but please use soap (because - 'where there's lice - there's soap!' - Rabbi Shraga Silverstein)

Breaking news: (from 25 April 2007) - "New toilet designs to help combat bullying in BSF schools"!!

This doesn't even require any further comment. My only question is how will it prevent dehydration? (that is always my question in this heat).

New guidance published today governing the specification of toilet blocks in schools will help tackle bullying in secondary schools. New designs to be used in all BSF schools will make toilets more attractive, cleaner and safer for pupils to use.

The guidance, Toilets in Schools, recommends making hand-washing areas more visible and placing toilet blocks opposite classrooms and staff areas enabling them to be supervised "passively". With the fear of bullies using toilets to threaten and mistreat others reduced, pupils will be more likely to drink water at school and so keep hydrated throughout the day...

Toilets that pupils can be proud of also reduce rates of absenteeism, boost self-esteem, improve relations between pupils and teachers, and encourage willingness and ability to learn.

This was published (seriously) in "The new Guidance – Toilets in Schools – is part of a series of Standard Specifications, Layouts and Dimensions DfES guidance notes produced for the Building Schools for the Future programme."

Don't forget to check out the website: www.bog-standard.org

Glossary:
Bog - slang for toilet/ w.c./ restroom etc.
Bog standard - something ordinary or unremarkable.