The Great Adventures of Chol Hamoed

Pesach's Iconic Moments

Pesach is all about imagery. Almost every important moment of the holiday and every observance corresponds to its own iconic moment in the story of Yetzias Mitzrayim (the Exodus from Egypt). At the seder we conjure the hardships of Jewish slavery, the Ten Plagues, and our hasty departure. From the second night we count the Omer, remembering the Jews' march toward Sinai, and on the last days of yom tov, we rejoice in the miracles at the Yam Suf. But what about Chol Hamoed? What storybook moment goes along with this holiday middle child?

Passover Humor

If you're like me, you're always up for a good laugh. The problem is, though, there's not much about Passover that's all that funny--that is until you're 4 cups in and the guy across the table, who decided to take on his own chumrah (extra stringency) and drink straight through the meal, tries to make animal noises for Adir Hu, thinking you're up to Chad Gadya. Of course, the story of the Exodus is exciting and genuinely inspirational, but as a movie I'd file it with the dramas or the action films, even the sci-fi (well, minus the "fi"), but definately not under "comedy." That's probably for the best: how would it look if the story of G-d's greatest show of wonder and Heavenly dominance was relegated to sitting in some Blockbuster next to a scratched-up copy of "The Hangover?" But that still means no one's laughing when it comes to Pesach. To fix some of that, I've put together some clips and other stuff that made me laugh. Of course, this is not meant to detract from any of the serious preparation that must precede any meaningful spiritual endeavor. Just think of it as the charoset on top.
OK, here we go. Everyone, leaning to the left...

Shortage of ADHD Meds is Getting Parents Hyper, Too

Talk to a parent whose child with ADHD has been helped by stimulant medications like Ritalin and Adderall, and you're likely to hear how their son or daughter is "a different kid" on the drug. But many parents who have been "given back their child" by ADD medications are preparing themselves to get reacquainted with the old kid.

According to a report by MSNBC, pharmacies across the country have been turning away parents who have come to fill their prescriptions for Ritalin and Adderall and their generic equivalents. The scarcities have prompted the Food and Drug Administration to add both methylphenidate (Ritalin) and Amphetamine Salts (Adderall) to their list of national shortages. A shortage will hit stimulant medication users and their parents especially hard because they are unable to fill more than a 30-days' supply at one time because of the medications' classifcation as controlled substances. In addition to often tripling prescription copays and adding inconvenience, this law also means that parents never have more than a one-month stock of the medication.

Pesach Preparation Delusions

Tricking ourselves into believing in the big Passover payoff

The Passover Preparation Myth

In a season of slavery to redemption, the weeks leading up to Passover would definately fall into the former category. Cleaning out drawers and cars; endlessly reminding kids that, "Yes, that is chametz, and No, you may not take that into your room!"; trying on ALL of EVERY child's Shabbos clothes to figure out what needs to be purchased; cooking, scrubbing, kashering... the list is endless. But ask most Jewish women (and hopefully men), and you'll likely hear that the work is not all that bad, or if it is it's worth it. For most people, the beautiful Yom Tov is a payoff that justifies all of the pre-Pesach prep.

But is that really true? Is the degree of a person's Yom Tov pleasure or meaning related to how much they sweat to prepare for it? Sure, a person who worked hard for anything is able to take pride in a way that someone else can not. But does a kid who comes home from yeshiva or college right before Pesach enjoy the holiday that much less than his parents who've been slaving over the preparations for weeks?

I'd venture to say not much.