Weddings are the paradigm of joy and commitment.
Last week, Kibbutz Nahal Oz, a community decimated on October 7th hosted the first wedding since that calamitous day.
The venue for this wedding was deliberate. The grooms family has deep roots at this Kibbutz and the bride — a nursing student at the Assuta hospital— suggested holding it there.
“We chose to hold such a special day, our wedding, and start our life together in a place where just a moment ago a terrorist organization wanted to destroy everyone. Where they tried to kill us and annihilate us, we have to bring life and renewal”, said the groom.
The Jewish ethos is one of endurance, love, joy and commitment. Challenges aside, we are here to tell the tale precisely as a result of this enduring, unyielding and ever-present reverence for life and living.
It comes as no surprise therefore —that the metaphor used for the great revelation of receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai —is that of a wedding. The Jewish nation wedded to Gd — the Torah as the Ketubah, the marriage contract. The Jewish nation continually producing offspring through acts of goodness — mitzvot. The acts of both perfecting the world at large and ourselves as individuals and doing so with joy!
Choosing Nahal Oz for the wedding. How courageous. How absolutely Jewish. Joy and commitment — life and renewal”.
Next week— Friday May 22– we celebrate the anniversary and re-enactment of the Giving of the Torah once again. We read the Ten Commandments as it’s recorded in Torah, lovingly and painstakingly transmitted generation to generation. Whilst it took place 3338 years ago — we commit ourselves once again to celebrate our Heritage with joyous abandon!
With best wishes for a Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Yehuda & Dina Kantor
P.S. Join us for a Shavuot celebration with a delicious dairy buffet dinner for all — here, and for some Torah Ted talks on Thursday night — here.