In Hebrew, the root letters Kuf-Dalet-Shin can be used to describe Kiddish wine blessing on Friday night, the Mourner’s Kaddish memorial prayer, and Kiddushin, the Jewish wedding ceremony. What these three experiences have in common is that they are all attempts to capture holiness in this world. By acknowledging the sacred in times of joy, sadness, and the everyday we demonstrate God’s presence in all parts of our lives, even the most challenging.
This Friday when we hold our annual marriage reconsecration service, we bring couples at all stages of their married life in to celebrate where they are in their own individual relationships. We will have couples marking their sixtieth anniversary of married life, and others who have only been together a decade or more. All these stages are special and unique, with their own set of challenges and rewards.
We should be in awe of one another, but not awed. In this week’s Torah portion, Sh’lach, ten of the twelve spies who survey the land of Canaan report back that, “we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so were we in their sight” (Numbers 13:33). Instead of being in awe, they are awed by what they see. Our community is made of a whole host of individuals, couples, and larger families. Every one of our journeys contains holiness. As a sacred community we support one another wherever we are on our own journeys. Holy, holy, holy, are all our lives.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Alex