Moadim L’Simchah!
Hopefully, this post won’t be one of those condescending and supercilious “I Made Aliyah and Therefore I’m So Holy” posts. However, if it does reek of smugness, feel free to leave a virtual smack upside my head in the comment section…
When I think back to the BA (before aliyah) era, I recall - at least to a certain degree - a tacit sense of:
“What’s with those Israelis and their one day of yuntif? I mean, I realize that even the most haredi of Israelis keep only one day, and obviously, I know that according to the Torah, one day is the ideal. But still, there’s something a shtikel, well, modern about the whole thing. And besides, I like yuntif! If one day is wonderful, then two days are even better!”
And so on.
But then we made aliyah and started keeping only one day.
And you know what?
It’s all good.
I don’t feel deprived. I don’t feel like we’re missing something. I don’t feel like we’re observing some new-fangled custom. I don’t wish we had an extra day or an extra Seder.
Quite the opposite in fact.
I feel like we’re keeping yom tov as it is meant to be kept. I feel that another day or another Seder could only be described as כל המוסיף גורע (loosely, overkill).
When it comes to yom tov in Israel, less is much, much, much more.
And so, as we begin to approach our 11th aliyah-versary, YZG and I continue to be extremely appreciative of the fact that living here in our beautiful country is truly an incredible privilege and honor.
!שבת שלום ומבורך
"I feel like we’re keeping yom tov as it is meant to be kept."
ReplyDeleteWell put. I'm already getting nervous abt our two day Shavuot this year!
כל המוסיף גורע
ReplyDeleteTo that any non Israeli will say:
כל המוסיף הרי זה משובח
BTW - I almost got the first comment!!!
YAT - you're not even second! HA!
"Hopefully, this post won’t be one of those condescending and supercilious “I Made Aliyah and Therefore I’m So Holy” posts."
ReplyDeleteWhy not? I love to rub it in as much as I can. Something along the lines of "Not another 3-day yom tov? Nebech."
An American recently asked me if I keep one or two days of Yom Tov. I thought it was hysterical, but I just realized that when she was in Israel she probably saw a lot of Americans keeping two days. A good reason not to do it ever over here.
Yaffa - It's always amazing how much stuff Israelis buy whenever we do have a two day yom tov (or an approximation thereof)!
ReplyDeleteMAG - Yeah, but at least YAT is related to the person who "got the first comment". That should count for something, no?
MiI - You're right. There are some neighborhoods in Yerushalayim where a significant portion of the residents keep two days...
mag: i am fifth which is a lot better then second.
ReplyDeleteblah!!!!!!!!!
:):):):)):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:
(smiley faces for who ever that didn't realize)
if YAT is related to the person who got the first comment, I'm also, somehow...
ReplyDeleteYAT - So, I hear that you went swimming today. Can you confirm this rumor?
ReplyDelete:-)
MAG - True, but the difference is that only YAT knows how he's related to the first commenter...
:-)
i didn't go swimming
ReplyDeleteI went in to the water, I did not swim!
ReplyDeleteYAT and MAG - Then what were you guys doing in the water if you weren't swimming?
ReplyDeleteWe were jumping on the waves.
ReplyDeleteRight YAT?
MAG - Sounds like fun...
ReplyDelete