ABSTRACT
I had rescheduled my own class at the university today so I could stay for both classes in Rehavia, first Malke’s, then Fruma’s. After Malke left, Fruma taught the section of Leviticus called Behukotai, which began with the words “If you follow My laws and faithfully observe My commandments….” I noticed that Fruma looked different today. She wore delicate earrings, an olive green sweater with a lacy collar and a cuter, shorter wig which allowed me to see she was a young woman. Fruma started reading the blessings God promised the Israelites if they followed the commandments, and she continued with the curses that would be brought upon them if they were disobedient. As Fruma read, she touched the words with her hands as though the letters were raised, like Braille, as though she were reading a letter from her lover and wanted to connect with him through the ink that had flowed from his pen. She delighted as each word formed in her mouth, shuddering as her consonants broke into 264the air. Her power of visualization seemed strong enough to conjure up her own presence at the giving of the Torah.
