He shakes his head. “If I had not married her, she would still be alive today”

Eliyahu jumps down into the cave as Yannai is splashing his hands with water from the large, earthenware jug.

“It’s alive, it’s alive, it’s alive!” he shouts, arms in the air.

“Alive?” Yannai blinks and makes a face. “Yes, I suppose I am.” He yawns. “I did, after all, just say Modeh Ani. Although sometimes I wonder if all of this is one strange dream, in which I take up residence in some sarcophagus of a cave, and all for what?”

Eliyahu grabs his hand. “No, Yannai, do you not understand?”

“Understand what?” He rises, one frail hand steadying himself on the wall of the cave. “That it is indeed, my G-d-sent duty to persuade a young man not to give up on the sons of man?”

Eliyahu shakes his head. “The ewe. The ewe who was broody, ready to give birth. She has lambed. We have a new lamb.” He laughs out loud, unable to move his mind from the tiny, stumbling creature, rocking on new legs in the moonlight.

Yannai reaches over and squeezes Eliyahu’s shoulder. “Oh, Eliyahu. It is all well and good to get excited over a sheep, but it is not only G-d’s speechless creatures who are worth our time and effort. We may arouse annoyance and ask silly questions, but we do not generally aim to hurt.”