97: Not to do prohibited labor on the first day of Passover

The Book of Seasons
Laws of Festival Rest
Not to do prohibited labor on the first day of Passover (Lev. 23:8)

            GOD and SATAN in heaven

            both are 6-year-old children

            they play with toy blocks together

            building a tower throughout the scene

GOD
he loves me

SATAN
you’ve said

GOD
devoted beyond belief

SATAN
yes you’ve said

GOD
he loves me as no one else he loves me as though i were a god

SATAN
you are

GOD
even so-

SATAN
he loves you with money
it’s easy to love when you’ve got money

GOD
even so-

SATAN
and plenty of cattle and food
beautiful silks beautiful camels

GOD
yes yes but even so-

SATAN
he has a family that loves him

GOD
what’s wrong with that?

SATAN
it’s their love not his own that he gives to you

GOD
you don’t believe his devotion?

SATAN
i believe his devotion was easily made
and i believe it will be easily lost

GOD
what would you have me-

SATAN
strike down his oxen his camels his dog
send thieves for the money
and floods for the silks
torch his tent
render him rootless
blind him lame him curse him with boils
fill his mouth with locusts and sew it shut
turn all his friends against him in his anguish
kill wife kill his children kill his spirit
burn and slash his life to pieces
and see how firm his devotion is then

            silence

GOD
he’d love me regardless

SATAN
you say that-

GOD
he’d love me regardless

SATAN
you say that but do you know that?

GOD
i know all

SATAN
no you don’t
that’s the line you give them down there
but up here it’s just me old friend
i know how little you know

GOD
he'd love me regardless

SATAN
prove it

            silence

GOD
you’ll have to wait

SATAN
nooooo

GOD
it’s a holiday down there
i’m quite strict about holidays

SATAN
you always were

GOD
wait a bit
then you can strike and flood and burn and blind and kill and kill and kill

SATAN
don’t threaten me with a good time

GOD
afflict him heartily and watch his devotion deepen

SATAN
you don’t know these people
you don’t know these people

GOD
but you’ll have to wait
wait seven days
wait for their festival to pass

SATAN
and then?

GOD
and then you may begin your work

SATAN
but for now?

GOD
we rest

            GOD places the last toy block on the tower they’ve built

            looks quite pleased

            SATAN knocks the tower down

            GOD begins to vibrate

            a temper tantrum brewing

            thunder and lightning fills the heavens

SATAN
see?
easy to love when nothing is wrong

GOD
you’re so mean

SATAN
we’ll build it again
c’mon

            SATAN and GOD begin building a new tower of blocks

            END OF PLAY