Hekdesh

The Beadle writes:

As you know, I am the shamash of my London Shul. ‘Twas on Christmas Day when a chareidi French mother and ten year old daughter knocked on the door of the Shul. They had come to the country the day before and were looking for somewhere they could buy food as they had run out the day before.

Oi did they come on the wrong day! I explained to them that the only places open that day would be non-Kosher restaurants. All the Jewish shops are in Golders Green / Stamford Hill, which, as there was also no public transport that day, would take them 3-4 hours to walk to even if they knew where they were going. The local shops which hold some Kosher products would all be closed that day.

I offered them bread, cheese, etc from the Shul, but the mother refused saying “it is hekdesh”. Obviously I told her that we ain’t no Bet Hamikdash, so its not hekdesh – still she refused. I said she could pay for it if she wants – still she refused. I reminded her that no matter how hard she looks she won’t find any where to buy kosher food, even just fruit – still she refused saying that her Rebbi had told her that you shouldn’t take food from a Shul as it’s like Hekdesh. I pointed out to that that’s a lovely chumrah to keep, but not when you have a hungry 10 year old. Still nothing. I mused to the lady as to whether her Rebbi would insist on this chumrah if he knew that that was a little girl who would not eat for 48 hours. She said that they could drink water.

Regards

The Beadle