The Best Bar Mitzvah Ever

Stock photo' not one from my story.

It was twenty years or more ago that I was in Atlanta, GA for the Bat Mitzvah of the grand-daughter of my friends Don and Barbara.

These events are always tender and loving.

A boy, his name was Ben, was  having his Bar Mitzvah.  

As part of the ceremony the children read a passage from the Torah in Hebrew, and then tell us what it means.

The boy's passage was from Exodus, the part when the Israelites were instructed to gather Manna each morning, but only enough for one day.  If they gathered more than they could eat it would go bad overnight.  (Yes, there was an exception for Fridays on which they could gather enough for two days, so as not to have to work on Shabbat) , but that's another story.

The boy explained the passage by saying that "too much of even a good thing can be bad for you".  BRILLIANT.

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"Too much of even a good thing can be bad for you".

For dogs "treats are a good thing".  Prince Zion has worked this to the extreme. He knows how to sit down, look cute, and extend his paw if there is half a chance of getting a treat.

AND he got sick.  Partly because of his addiction to treats, and partly because I have been feeding him a diet which was too rich in fibre (e.g. too much brown rice -  which I thought was good for him)

He copiously fertilised  my bathroom floor during the night between Thursday and Friday (Jan 30/31); and on Friday,  Saturday and Sunday he had a lot of rear-end squirts, and a bit of vomiting.

I was fortunate enough to get a short notice appointment at the Veterinary Clinic on Monday morning.  His fecal tests showed no signs of infections or parasites. PHEW!

The vet explained that my response to Zion's malady had good intentions but bad results  (too much brown rice and scrambled eggs).

As for the treats, it's not because of their good or bad quality, it's because they are a new kind of food. 

Too much of a good thing can be bad for you  -  thank you Ben for this  insight at your Bar Mitzvah.

As for Zion  -  the vet ordered a "presciption" wet food; plus antibiotics and probiotics.

Within 24 hours Z. was bouncing back to his normal cheerful self,

As for the treats  -  I have told Zion's friends not to give him their many and variegated treats.  Instead I will carry with me his healthy treat  (the Paul Newman brand), then give them 1/2  of each treat so that he can be rewarded for his charm offensive.

Too much of a good thing can be bad for you.  Thank you Ben for your powerful understanding.