Sunday, July 15, 2012

A Screaming Contest with G-d


We've been regular attendees to Temple Emanuel's Tot Shabbat for years now, but as Max has gotten older, he often wants to go to services with Hannah. But yesterday he really wanted to see Julia, and off to Tot Shabbat Max and I went.

Julia has an established routine that she follows each week, and it's amazing to see the kids learn the particulars of this service as they grow. The video above shows two year old Max reciting the questions Julia asks as a lead-in to the prayer "Mi Chamocha," which asks "Who is like G-d?" Julia asks, "Is anyone stronger than G-d? Is anyone sweeter than G-d? Is anyone deeper than G-d? Is anyone louder than G-d?" The children and parents chorus back "Nooooo!" to each question.

Until yesterday, when Max firmly repeated back, that yes indeed, he was louder than G-d. He's repeated the story back to me three times now. According to Max, he met G-d once, and they had a screaming contest. After G-d screamed, Max screamed, and G-d assured him that Max was definitely a louder screamer. Now, I know firsthand that Max could give anyone a run for their money on the screaming front...but who am I to argue that he's had this conversation with G-d?

Max is a stubborn little guy - he always has to be right about everything. Surely he believes this screaming contest was real. And maybe it was.


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