Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Ketubah Search Continues.
I do know that I will only get to have one Ketubah, and I want to hang it on the wall so cost should not be an issue. But I cannot afford to have an original, comissioned work of art so cost must be a part. So I have finally found one that I can afford and looks nice and has the language that I want to use.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
The first spring Shabbat
Today was beautiful, warm and sunny. A great change after what felt like a dark and dreary winter.
Hubby and I went to Torah Study this morning. A lovely small group of people who are regulars to study the first chapter of Leviticus. My husband still has trouble with having Hebrew and English in a book and the commentaries. I meant to bring Etz Chiam for him to use, but I forgot to, so he used Hertz and I use the Tanach. We read aroung tho table each using a different translation. I make for interesting discussion of what is really meant in the passage.
The rabbi even annnounced what hubbys Hebrew name will be. Now I just wish he could remember it.
Of course the day did not start out so well. I had to go out to the office for a few minutes and on the way hit another car. No damage at all to the other car. The biggest wound was to my passenger side mirror. Ripped off the car. The front panel is also wrinkled, but frankly there is no money to fix that right now, so hubby used his manliness to make it so that the door still works. So hopefully I will get a new mirror and finally and inspection this week.
Hubby and I went to Torah Study this morning. A lovely small group of people who are regulars to study the first chapter of Leviticus. My husband still has trouble with having Hebrew and English in a book and the commentaries. I meant to bring Etz Chiam for him to use, but I forgot to, so he used Hertz and I use the Tanach. We read aroung tho table each using a different translation. I make for interesting discussion of what is really meant in the passage.
The rabbi even annnounced what hubbys Hebrew name will be. Now I just wish he could remember it.
Of course the day did not start out so well. I had to go out to the office for a few minutes and on the way hit another car. No damage at all to the other car. The biggest wound was to my passenger side mirror. Ripped off the car. The front panel is also wrinkled, but frankly there is no money to fix that right now, so hubby used his manliness to make it so that the door still works. So hopefully I will get a new mirror and finally and inspection this week.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Ketubah Language
This is the english on my great grandparents December 25, 1898 ketubah:
"Be thou my wife according to the law of Moses and of Israel. I faithfully promise that I will be a true husband unto thee. I will honor thee and cherish thee, I will work for thee, I will protect thee and will provide all that is necessary for thy due sustenance even as it beseemeth a Jewish husband to do. I also take upon myself all such further obligations for thy maintenance during my lifetime as are proscribed by our religious statute.
And the said bride as plighted her troth unto him in affection and in sincerity and has thus taken upon herself the fulfillment of all the duties incumbent upon a Jewish wife.
This covenant of marriage was duly executed and witnessed thus day according to the usages of Israel."
Now this is not a translation of the traditional Aramaic, but it captures the feeling (I did find and actual translation) and that this in indeed a contract between a man and woman.
Unlike the two reform examples which say "I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine. No man without woman, nor woman with man, or either without god." That says nothing!
"Be thou my wife according to the law of Moses and of Israel. I faithfully promise that I will be a true husband unto thee. I will honor thee and cherish thee, I will work for thee, I will protect thee and will provide all that is necessary for thy due sustenance even as it beseemeth a Jewish husband to do. I also take upon myself all such further obligations for thy maintenance during my lifetime as are proscribed by our religious statute.
And the said bride as plighted her troth unto him in affection and in sincerity and has thus taken upon herself the fulfillment of all the duties incumbent upon a Jewish wife.
This covenant of marriage was duly executed and witnessed thus day according to the usages of Israel."
Now this is not a translation of the traditional Aramaic, but it captures the feeling (I did find and actual translation) and that this in indeed a contract between a man and woman.
Unlike the two reform examples which say "I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine. No man without woman, nor woman with man, or either without god." That says nothing!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
More Ketubah musings
Yesterday I talked about my small collection of family ketubah. Now the more I think about the english that I read I would like somthihng like that to continue the pattern.The old language on these ketubahs from 1898, 1933 and 1959 say what I want. A ketubah is noit an expression of love, but a contract and the english should b emenaingful but not mushy. There are obligations between husband and wife and both need to stand up to them. Obligations that are financial, physical and emotional. What I read does all that.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Is it Friday yet??
No, it's Wednesday. At work we are interviewing for 2 big time positions.
At home, the child...my 17 year old step son, goes in 12 different directions. He was here for a moment and then off again. My husband is better, and today did confirm to me that even though he has not been very pysical with me, he loves only me, and no other. That meant a lot to me.
My husband has some scheduling conflicts and has missed a few of his conversion classes. They actually moved tomorrows meeting so that he could be there. Of coure every meeting he misses delays our wedding, but give some more time to collect all the pieces. I already have a few piles of silk flowers. I love to have lots of stuff to use so that I can pick what I want as I make things, in this case wrist corsages and boutonniere's.
I am considering Ketubahs so I looked back and what I have here. I have my parents, my grandparents, and dads paternal gparents. Which is very cool. I was born Jewish and I have never had to prove it. I say I am and so I am. But I do know that I might be asked. And how do you prove that you are jewish? By your parents Ketubah. So if I needed to I can prove it. What I Found very interesting is that all of these have almost the exact same English, which is a pretty good paraphrasing of the traditional Aramaic used on most Orthodox and Conservative ketubahs.
Our congregation is Reform, but the rabbi tells me that I can use any Ketubah that I want...now i just have to find the right one.
At home, the child...my 17 year old step son, goes in 12 different directions. He was here for a moment and then off again. My husband is better, and today did confirm to me that even though he has not been very pysical with me, he loves only me, and no other. That meant a lot to me.
My husband has some scheduling conflicts and has missed a few of his conversion classes. They actually moved tomorrows meeting so that he could be there. Of coure every meeting he misses delays our wedding, but give some more time to collect all the pieces. I already have a few piles of silk flowers. I love to have lots of stuff to use so that I can pick what I want as I make things, in this case wrist corsages and boutonniere's.
I am considering Ketubahs so I looked back and what I have here. I have my parents, my grandparents, and dads paternal gparents. Which is very cool. I was born Jewish and I have never had to prove it. I say I am and so I am. But I do know that I might be asked. And how do you prove that you are jewish? By your parents Ketubah. So if I needed to I can prove it. What I Found very interesting is that all of these have almost the exact same English, which is a pretty good paraphrasing of the traditional Aramaic used on most Orthodox and Conservative ketubahs.
Our congregation is Reform, but the rabbi tells me that I can use any Ketubah that I want...now i just have to find the right one.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Monday
Today was unremarkable, except that my appointment with my neurologist went well. I have MS and I am a candidate for the new drug ampyra (I think I spelled it right).
On the jewish front my husband still cannot remember his own hebrew name. He likes what we picked, but is not used to the concept of a separate name. I have grown up with mine but he is getting his at the ripe old age of 46.
I have been surfing the web in search of the items needed for a jewish wedding. The Ketubah is an important part and they are very expensive. So do I get the one I think I really like for $400, which has good english, or get one that really is jsut as good and spend only $200. I waffle and will be able to do so until we get closer to the actual wedding.
I also need a new kiddish cup (I already have 2). I did get 3 lovely long stemmed glasses, one to smash and the other two for toasting. I also want a new mezzusah for our bedroom door.
But of course I can't do much more than look at most stuff because he has not completed his conversion yet.Next week he will get back to his studies so he can get back on track and finish before we are 50.
On the jewish front my husband still cannot remember his own hebrew name. He likes what we picked, but is not used to the concept of a separate name. I have grown up with mine but he is getting his at the ripe old age of 46.
I have been surfing the web in search of the items needed for a jewish wedding. The Ketubah is an important part and they are very expensive. So do I get the one I think I really like for $400, which has good english, or get one that really is jsut as good and spend only $200. I waffle and will be able to do so until we get closer to the actual wedding.
I also need a new kiddish cup (I already have 2). I did get 3 lovely long stemmed glasses, one to smash and the other two for toasting. I also want a new mezzusah for our bedroom door.
But of course I can't do much more than look at most stuff because he has not completed his conversion yet.Next week he will get back to his studies so he can get back on track and finish before we are 50.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
A rainy sunday.
Well, I set out to talk about being a jew in Maine. Part of my problem is that I am not from Maine and that my family is in NY.
Passover is coing up...and for me this and Thanksgiving are the most important holidays because these two are when my entire family gets together and to miss one SUCKS!! Bigtime.
But I may miss passover this year, because while I am Jewish and my husband is going to be, his son is not. And we cannot take him out of school for 2 days.
Passover is coing up...and for me this and Thanksgiving are the most important holidays because these two are when my entire family gets together and to miss one SUCKS!! Bigtime.
But I may miss passover this year, because while I am Jewish and my husband is going to be, his son is not. And we cannot take him out of school for 2 days.
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