The thirteen-year-old boy

would become a Bar Mitzvah in the morning.

At Shabbat services on the Friday evening before,

he read his Torah portion in well-practiced Hebrew.

 

The congregation waited patiently – knowingly –

to laugh after the Kaddish, as they anticipated the

soon-to-be-man would, per usual, gag and make faces

after tasting the wine. It was tradition!

 

The young man took his first sip of wine… then he

tilted back his head and raised the Kiddush Cup higher

and higher until he drank the entire cupful of wine!

 

“He’s ready for college!” his Rabbi chuckled,

the congregation letting loose their own stifled laughter.

The Rabbi took the empty chalice from the man’s hand

and set it on the nearby table with the Shabbat candles.

 

“Let’s put this over here by the challah…

and the breathalyzer!

Mazel Tov! Shabbat Shalom!”