Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Book of Esther II

Here is a picture of me when I was a year old. My grandfather is holding me up and I am grasping the cover of the Megillah which was written in my honour.




Thank you everyone for your warm Purim wishes! There was a bit of a problem with the commentbox, it kept disappearing and then...just as I would give up hope of ever finding a solution, it would pop up again on my screen. I didn't mean for it to be a "no comment" post, you know how I do LOVE commentboxes.

The Megillah reading was successful, and I thought of you all as I sat in the front of the small hall and looked at the many different faces of the women. I didn't end up putting on a fancy dress costume, instead I wore my retro cherry dress and my red Swedish clog-sandals - happy and colourful clothes which reminded me of Anna and made me smile. Purim is a festival of happiness. One is actually required to be happy, and I am surprised every year by this fact. It makes me think of Journeymama and Bluemountainsmary who have both discussed the importance of cultivating joy in one's life.

By the way, the video of the chanting which I embedded in yesterday's post was not a video of me, it was just something I had found which I thought would give you an idea of what it sounds like. I do not actually know the woman who is reading, although I do admire her tremendously...she makes it look very easy (and it isn't at all).

I am so so tired tonight, I can hardly keep my eyes open. So I shall sign off with a special thank you to the new commenters who showed up in my box during the last few days, you are always welcome and always appreciated.

Good night.

6 comments:

Julia said...

So glad it went well! And I really like the idea that happiness is required. Shouldn't more festivals be like that?

trash said...

i am late to the party but am so glad that all went well and the red outfit sounds suitably exciting without being so strange that you worry you may get stopped by the police en route and have to try to explain it ;-)

The Coffee Lady said...

I love the idea of having to be happy. I'm up for some of that.

Anonymous said...

Required to be happy. I love that!

I adore reading about all of the Jewish customs and festivals. I was raised Protestant but my favourite Grandmother was Jewish and I so wish we had talked about religion more. Thank you for sharing this.

Esti said...

A cute picture.
I too feel required to be happy. It's not a bad feeling, anyway :)

Sömsmånen said...

Thank you so much for the latest couple of posts, I do love to learn new things. Especially about such wonderful traditons. Also immensely proud to in a way have been present, and honoured. (You most likely started a new trend, wearing clogs at the reading.)
I fully understand the sense of generations gone by and history that must have passed through you when reading.
How long do you have to stay happy? Just for the reading? Wish you happiness just the same!