Thursday, September 17, 2009
shanah tovah u'metukah
My wife Ariella has a nice post on why we say "shanah tovah u'metukah" -- why not just "shanah tovah", like "kesiva v'chasima tovah"? The answer is that what is good for us may not always be sweet, and what is sweet is not always good. We ask Hashem for both. Take a look over here.
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See Aspaqlaria: Aseres Yemei Teschuvah, pg 17.
ReplyDelete-micha
I remember Rabbi Copperman offering girls good wishes with the phrase, "yimale kol mishalos libech letova betova," adding on the latter. Similar to what I said about the tova and methuka, we believe "gam zu letova," but while it is happening, it could be unpleasant to. Though the morning may reveal that it was a good thinkg to lose the candle, cock, and donkey while camping out for the night, we are not always zoche to see how apparent mishaps really work for the good. NOt every missed plane is highjacked or crashes. Sometimes we just miss the plane and feel the frustration that would naturally arise. So the extra wish is to be able to experience good not just realize that it will be good, the extra "betova" on top of letova. I didn't get to read what you linke to, though I hope to. Love the Rabbi Maroof style spelling in the title.
ReplyDeleteIf you really want a shana metuka, make sure you're in Uman next year. If you know the right people, you can get a subsidized ticket.
ReplyDeleteBut would my wife and children find it matoq?
ReplyDeleteNothing against the Uman-goers in particular. In Litta, great men went on provene galus. How is this justified against a man's responsibilities to wife and children?
Or in the typical story about the rav who sold everything to get the finest esrog. Nu, it's beautiful he's willing to give all that up for his mitzvah. If in the story he surprises his wife, it's not like /she/ chose to make this sacrifice; her husband decided for her to minimize her yom tov. I never quite got the point of those stories.
-micha
Excellent observation, Micha!
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