Well, the most interesting thing that happened last week was a visit from Noam, a friend whom I've had the pleasure of hosting several times in the past. He works as a madrich (guide/counselor) at a yeshiva around the Jerusalem area, and he called me up on Tuesday saying that he wanted to visit Tzfat for a little spiritual retreat.

Noam arrived on Wednesday afternoon, and after we'd set up the guest bed and settled him in, he went off to dip in the Ari's mikva while I finished up work and my house chores. He spent most of the evening wandering around town and finding places to meditate while I made pudding pie as part of my desperate attempt to use up the last of the food in my house before Pesach.

The next morning, I took him on a hike in the Nahal Amud nature preserve west of town. I led him on a relatively tough trail, but at the end we got to rest at the babbling brook at the bottom of the valley, and Noam sat for another meditation session while I stalked off to poke the trees and stones and water.

He went back home early Thursday afternoon, and I hope he accomplished his goal of preparing and centering himself spiritually for the upcoming holiday. I really just enjoyed hanging out with someone else who doesn't constantly need to talk just to fill up the air.