91: To sanctify the day with Kiddush and Havdallah
The Book of Seasons
Laws of the Sabbath
To sanctify the day with Kiddush and Havdallah (Ex. 20:8)
a hospital room
an unconscious PATIENT hooked up to machines
sitting beside them is their COMPANION
also in the room is a NURSE
the COMPANION holds the PATIENT’s hand
they sit in silence for a long time
the PATIENT’s monitor beeps to indicate an issue
but neither the COMPANION nor the NURSE move
it’s clear this is expected
the COMPANION waits
and waits
and waits
as the beeping continues
until almost imperceptibly
the PATIENT passes away
the NURSE turns off the machines
the NURSE exits
the COMPANION sits with the PATIENT
hours pass
nighttime falls
the COMPANION goes to the window
looks at the night sky
the COMPANION goes to the door
closes it
the COMPANION goes to their bag
pulls out the supplies for Havdallah:
wine
a Kiddush cup
a spice box
matches
and a braided candle
the COMPANION pours the wine
quietly blesses it
and takes a sip
the COMPANION holds the spice box to their nose
inhales
the COMPANION lights the candle
holds their fingers up to it to look at their shadow
the COMPANION lifts the PATIENT’s hand
holds the PATIENT’s hand up to the candle to look at their shadow
the COMPANION dips the candle in the wine
all the lights in the hospital go out as the candle goes out
in the dark
we hear the door open
a FIGURE enters
we can’t quite make out who they are
but they look a lot like the PATIENT
the COMPANION locks eyes with the FIGURE
the FIGURE stands silently for a long time
and just as suddenly as they went out
the lights turn back on
the FIGURE is gone
as is the PATIENT
they have both simple vanished
the COMPANION crawls into the bed where the PATIENT was
smells the pillows
and lays their head down to sleep
END OF PLAY