See this bush? That’s pretty much how my hair is starting to look only more unruly. Why? In observant Judaism the tradition is that you don’t get your hair cut during the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot (that’s the celebration of receiving the Ten Commandments.) It has to do with mourning for the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva, who died because they did not honor one another — there’s more to it but it’s way too complicated — basically it’s a mourning period – also a portion of the time that you work your way from the political freedom of gained at Passover when the Jews left Egypt to the gift of discipline and self-control that comes with the giving of the commandments.- There are lots of things you aren’t supposed to do except for one day in the middle — Lag b’Omer – the day the dying of the students ceased.
This is a long way of saying that my hair is too long. Way too long. And it’s not even my fault! I had made an appointment for a hair cut right before this period was to begin. Then, of course, a huge crisis arose (don’t ask) which meant I couldn’t go. So now I’m stuck. With all this hair. I feel like Medusa.