For the past month I’ve been working almost all the time. Between all the blogger work I do and the benefit I co-chaired it’s been madness. Still is, a bit. But we’re rolling up to two summer weddings and a weekend at the beach so I will recover I’m sure. We spent a good deal of this past weekend celebrating with our friends in the last official activity before their wedding – it’s called an aufruf and it’s part of the Saturday morning service. The groom reads from the Haftorah and then – I know it’s goofy — everyone throws soft candy at him. It’s kind of a welcome into the almost-married state.
I was surprised at how moved I was; seeing a young couple of whom we are so fond pass another milestone on the way to their wedding in July. I am always struck at the value of ritual — something I suspect I’ve spent much too much time avoiding. Because we have been part of this relationship for some time, and because my husband was part of the service and all those called to bless the Torah were close both to the groom and to us, every moment was rich with meaning. The more I learn about the value of these moments the more I see the value behind religious observance. There are many days when I just get angry – don’t want the restrictions and rules and dos and donts. Days like Saturday though, I understand the connection between the lovely and the difficult. Just like the rest of life in some ways I guess.. only more so.