Jessica Hecht

"'Acts of human kindness, making mitzvahs.

Hard to imagine without the help of a righteous woman.'

A righteous woman?

Who is that?

A grown-up person of the female gender, one who was good, decent, merciful, virtuous, and kind.

Ah, I said, but you have seen right through me.

She is my alter ego.

He looked skeptical for a moment, which I suppose I deserved.

Something has to be done about my karma, I said more honestly than I meant to.

Karma, said the rabbi, not an innately Jewish concept.

But then again, in Judaism, there is room.

And here he quoted by heart, Hillel saw a skull floating on the water.

He said, because you drowned others, they drowned you.

And in the end, those who drowned you will themselves be drowned.

I mean, I need to perform acts of human kindness.

Like you said, it would be better for us.

I pointed at my kid, the dusky rose of her cheek, big black eyes, her inky curls, caramel-colored skin so rich I was often tempted to sneak a look off the brown sugar of her neck.

Neat, he said, something in him brightening.

That implies that you would find it beneficial.

Yes, I nodded.