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At Uncle Yale and Aunt Marilyn's Seder, Asher tries his argument out on papa dog himself. Despite his uncanny, some say freakish, ability to read the soul of a man like a fortune cookie, Yale is mystified by Asher's passionate description of the fortress being erected just a short distance from the Lazris homestead.

In short, he stays put in his chair, nods his head and soothingly assures his nephew's son -- the argumentative one -- that by this time next year they will all be in the promised land. So no need to worry about any barbarians in the woods.