So I survived this Shavuot feeling like a wreck. But then again, who doesn’t?
Erev Yom Tov, we had fleishigs and after my late ‘lunch’ (sandwich and a bag of roasted peanuts – needless to say that they had forgotten to put a hechsher on the products, those damned ammaratzim!), I was already cracking. Due to my heartburn and my wife’s pre-yomtov burnout, we decided to only make kiddush and have some cake with it. No washing, no bentching, yaye!
I stayed up late for the first night, learnt a bit (prepared some Daat Emet ‘maamarim’) and then decided Facebook chat was a worthier way to bide my time and went to bed at 2:30 AM. Thank God for cell phones and SG for the great chat. Now I know why the yidden at Matan Toire overslept! ;)
The next morning, davvening was at 10 AM, thanks to Chabad®. I was a chazan for Mussaf (which I like doing and I tried my best not to think about Facebook chats, clipping finger nails and polishing my shoes on Yom Tov) and then we had guests for lunch until 3:30 PM. By then, I was really, really exhausted and bursting from all the milchigs.
After the traditional nap, we ate again with the kids before the second night since our kids can’t stay up that long. I then walked to Chabad again for minchah with my neighbor and walked back for a maariv in the area. Which, of course, started after nightfall (10 PM!) and then some person who never comes to davven with us had a ‘chiyuv’ (read: his wife had Yahrzeit!). Now if only he had a decent voice and knew the nussach well enough…
The second day we were invited and I tried to restrain myself (no seconds and not too much challah). I was getting quite proud of myself…that is, until I surrendered when dessert was served: 3 diferent types of cheesecake, a chocolate cake and a pudding cake. I was filled to the brim of my black hat! Can you feel the spirituality come out of my ears?
In the afternoon, I did not manage to sleep (but I was able to read some kofer literature from Isaac Bashevis Singer’s ‘The Magician of Lublin’), then another Chanad mincha-maariv (forewent the meal with bagels and salads and instead read in one of Rabbi Wein’s history aka propaganda books).
I came home exhausted. Luckily, the end was near and we made havdalah, followed by hours of dishwashing, laundry and preparing for Shabbos (we are having guests sleeping over).
I am floored. I feel disgusted. I experienced Shavuos.
why are our holidays so food-centric? i mean, don't get me wrong. i love a good blintze. but we kill ourselves to prepare. we eat ourselves stupid. we go to shul to give the impression of some kind of holiness.
ReplyDeletethis was my first otd shavuos. i kinda liked not having all the pressure.
I just went to work both days of Shavuos. Boruch Hashem ! No more sleepless nights :)
ReplyDeleteBec: I think in general that god is obsessed with food (what you can and what you can't eat). Glad for your milestone!
ReplyDeleteHamaskil: Alei vehatzlach! ;)
One of the fine perks of being in a similar situation to your, but living in Israel is the single day of chag. It really makes things so much more tolerable. However, unlike you, i didn't even pretend to stay up to learn. in fact, we were going out for lunch and my friend called me to tell me what time they wanted to begin, but he wanted to make sure that if i was staying up all night that it wouldn't be to early. i told this to my wife and she responded "did he forget who he called?".
ReplyDeleteIn terms of meals, i do think that people over do it with the food, but i like the social aspect if it all. Particularly in the summer with the long shabbat afternoons, i enjoy having friends over for lunch and just taking our time and hanging out.