It is funny how some traditions have the same notions about spiritual journeys. Ric is part Chiricahua Apache, and from the native tradition we learn that a spiritual journey begins as soon as we state our intention to travel on a path. The Jewish tradition has a similar notion about weddings. As soon as the couple agrees to wed that journey starts. So the journey to our wedding started as soon as we had the conversation to have a Jewish wedding.
A second shared notion is that a woman is a bride for a year after the wedding. In both traditions the wedding is much more than a one day or one week event, rather it is a year of spiritual exploration and growth. The wedding ritual is a doorway to a deeper spiritual connection, with every element having a mystical meaning.
The is a Midrash, a story that fills in the biblical gaps, that G-d braided Eve's hair and adorned her with twenty-four adornments for her wedding to Adam in the Garden of Eden. I love to think about re-enacting this moment by taking care with my dress and veil and braiding my hair.
So today I took the dress to the tailor for a hem and a few other adjustments. She is going to make my veil and bling up the belt a bit. I left wondering if there is a blessing for a tailor. I could not find one, but knowing that there is a Jewish blessing for everything, I will do some more searching. If the tailor is helping adorn me, surely there is a blessing for her work, a way to remind me to honor her work as part of this spiritual journey.
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Filling my soul and scaring myself wild
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Remember Fiddler on the Roof? Muttel the Tailor asked the Rabbi if there was a blessing for the sewing machine. And the Rabbi responded, "There is a blessing for everything!" He thought for a second then said, "May G-d bless this sewing machine & keep the Czar far, far away from us." In your case, I think that the tailor is blessing you, the new bride, and in doing so, she honors herself. ♥
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