An Away Game for the Seder

 

This year my wife and I stayed with some friends for the Passover seders.  For many years we would go away to my mother-in-law, who would usually host several other friends and relatives in addition to us.  My wife would, of course, help out with the meal preparations, and I would move the furniture and do all kinds of other things.  But the time came when my mother-in-law could no longer engage in such grand productions, so we began hosting the seders at our house.  A few years ago, having my mother-in-law stay by us became impracticable, but the senior community where she lived had good seder arrangements available for their Jewish residents, which my mother-in-law thoroughly enjoyed during her remaining days.

But my wife and I continued to have seders on a smaller scale, mostly with two or three guests (though we did a few with just the two of us a few times, including last year).

This year, what with our respective professional pressures and commitments, we were quite happy to jump at an invitation from some friends.  It was reasonably enjoyable, but many things were not what we have become accustomed to doing and eating and drinking.

I sort of miss my wife's Cousin Shira, who has been our own guest at our past seders.  Shira is quite leftward in her politics, and I enjoy (A) pointing out the inconsistencies in her worldview, and (B) getting her outraged by my own declarative statements.  But one of the other guests at this year's seder made Shira seem like a freedom-loving, true-blue American.  And in any case, this other guest, Leslie, scores considerably lower on the IQ tests than Shira.

Leslie still believes that she will eventually get free healthcare insurance when all of the bugs in ObamaCare are ironed out (Shira at least understands that her healthcare will always cost money, but she blames George Bush and the Republicans for the high cost).  Leslie doesn't understand that the process of making steel releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere ("They don't need to burn coal to make steel anymore because they now have electric furnaces.").  And Leslie doesn't understand how the flooding of America with illegal aliens costs the taxpayers any money.

Oh, did I mention that both of Leslie's grandfathers were captains of industry in their respective fields, and that they each made her a beneficiary of a trust fund?

Our hosts had to be good hosts and humor Leslie.  But I had no such obligation, and neither did Larry, another guest who thinks much along the same lines that I do.

I did feel a bit like a cowardly bully for picking on such a naïve opponent.  Cousin Shira, at least, mounts  a good verbal fight.

I hope that everyone had a good Pesach or Easter, as the case may be.

Our Pesach Seders, 5773

I would say that our Passover Seders this year were uneventful, EXCEPT ...

Except that EVERY Passover seder that is, was or ever will be is a major league, big time event.  This is true of the 30+ guests my mother-in-law used to have each night, back when she still was up to doing it (and of course I was tasked with moving and setting up the furniture, etc.).  And it is true of the little seder, just me and my wife, the first night (we had another couple over the second night).

The story of our redemption from slavery in Egypt is a key event in world history, to be told over and over again each year from the older generation to the younger generation.  G-d commanded us to tell and retell the story, and to remember it all the days or our lives (which, as the Rabbis of the Talmud explained, means night-time and day-time alike).  If there are no children, then we read the Haggadah to one another.  And, if one finds himself or herself alone for the seder night, then one reads it aloud to oneself.

Maybe one of these years we will do a seder with more guests (including a few who have not yet heard all of my seder jokes, clean and otherwise -- after almost 30 years, my wife already knows them so they are not that fun to tell anymore).  But until then, the twosome seder will just have to do.

But whether a twosome, a solo, or a rent some tables and chairs production, EVERY Pesach seder is a big time affair and a noteworthy event.

And, as we say at the very end of each seder:

L'Shana HaBaah B'Yerushalayim!   Next Year in the Holy City of Jerusalem!

LIFO and FIFO for Pesach

Our Passover seder was very inspiring and enjoyable. This year, my wife's Cousin Shira was once again able to join us, as in some prior years. For those of you who have not been reading the postings, Cousin Shira's sociopolitical outlook tends to gravitate towards the leftward end of the spectrum. This year, she didn't seem as gung-ho about Barack Hussein Obama as in times past. I do enjoy Cousin Shira's company, notwithstanding her politics.

I am not an accountant, but, having attained a MBA degree, I do have a very, very basic understanding of some of the accounting profession's concepts and jargon. In such regard, it is noted that a merchant's inventory can be managed and valued in various ways, and the physical management is not always the same as the valuation method. The valuation method used can make a significant difference, especially when differing quantities are purchased at different times for different prices.

Without getting into too much detail, the three main methods of inventory valuation are First In First Out (FIFO), Last In First Out (LIFO), and Weighted Average. Perishable goods are usually physically managed according to the FIFO method (though they may be valued, for accounting purposes, using LIFO or Weighted Average).

Shortly after my marriage 20-something years ago, I found that I do enjoy eating pickled herring (having theretofore eschewed the food). And so, I usually eat it on Shabbat at my Shul (but that is the only time I ever eat it).

My Rabbi, who takes it upon himself to procure most of the provisions for our sit-down Kiddush meal every Shabbat (the main exception being the baked goods, which are picked up Thursday evening or Friday morning by one of our congregation's members whose office is a few blocks from the bakery we use), informed me that he was unable to find any Kosher for Passover pickled herring.

I went to the local supermarket where we usually obtain the herring, and asked the Deli Manager about it.

Turns out that the jars of the Kosher for Passover herring were still in the walk-in refrigerator, because his inventory management for such perishable goods is FIFO. I explained to him that during the eight days of Passover, certain foods, including pickled herring, need special Passover supervision or religious people such as myself will not eat it.

The Deli Manager thought about it, and then told me that he now understands why the sales of pickled herring were down this week. He instructed one of his underlings to put a few cases of the Kosher L'Pesach pickled herring (3 different brands) into the refrigerator case, so that customers holding by the Pesach kashrut laws would be able to buy it. I purchased four jars and took them to shul this evening. The Rabbi was obviously pleased.

But how much business has been lost because of deli managers who use the FIFO inventory management method with their pickled herring and other perishable foods? And how many, out of ignorance, will decide not to carry pickled herring and other such foods next year?