Take every opportunity to begin a tradition.

As you know from previous articles, this June I will become a Bat Mitzvah.  My daughter called very excitedly today to say she had bought me a special gift.  It was supposed to be a surprise, but she couldn't wait to tell me.  She had bought me a beautiful, antique yad to be used when I read Torah for the first time. 

I didn't tell her, but I was so thrilled and I immediately thought about my precious granddaughter and her Bat Mitzvah in 3 1/2 years.  It would be such a great, great pleasure to have my Sofie use the yad as she reads Torah and then pass it to her brother and her cousins as they become Bar Mitzvah.

We have several meaningful and lovely traditions in our family and perhaps they started in similar ways.

The Bible, carried by my mother on her wedding day, was passed on to her sisters and then carried by my cousins and my sisters.  Forty years ago, covered with orchids, the Bible was in my hands.  Years later I watched as my daughters walked down the aisle, Bible in hand.  From my mother's hands to my children's hands.  My prayer is that the next generation will feel the same specialness of this tradition as they reach this day in their lives.

When my nephew was born, 50 years ago, my mother purchased a beautiful bris dress.  She knit little booties and stiched a man sized yarmulke so it would fit her timy grandson.  Seven years later, his brother wore it and thirty-six years later, my first grandson wore this same outfit.

Each occasion became so much more important and special as l'dor v'dor from generation to generation, these objects passed through the generations from my mother to my daughters to my grandchildren.

And now, I am so thrilled that we can begin a new tradition with the yad given to me by my daughter. 

How easy to take a special gift and begin a tradition.  Perhaps one that will span the ages.

So as my Mama always said, "I wish for you, what you wish for yourself."

 

Buddee

 

By the way, if you have any questions, or have ideas for something you’d like me to write about, email my daughter and she’ll tell me (I’d say to email me, but…well…let’s just say I’d won’t be giving advice on how to use a computer.)

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