As I passed the Health Water aisle, shaking my head as usual at the ridiculousness of it all, I thought to myself that I really need to write a blog post about it.
And that's the best I could do.
In life in general and in Judaism in particular we are constantly being pulled in opposite directions. You know how everyone going faster than you on the highway is crazy and anyone going slower is <insert ethnicity/age/gender to which one proscribes bad driving habits>?
Or how anyone more religious is a fanatic, and anyone who is less is an idol-worshiping pagan.
We are tasked with somehow toeing many lines.
We are asked to be involved in the world, yet remain above it.
We are asked to do everything we could in accordance with the Torah, yet to go at our own pace.
We are asked to accept the absolute divinity of the laws, but then go study them according to all the rules of logic.
We are asked to be absolutely subservient to G-d, yet we are supposed to strike out on our own, finding who we are, and making it personal.
It's hard as heck.
We each find our own line, how far in each direction we lean, which side we express. Sometimes by choice, mostly by default. It's hard to think.
Chassidus tells us that in navigating this crazy world the two most important character traits are humility and honesty.
Humility in accepting that we are not the final arbitrator of truth, of morals, and to be open to the possibility that the divine will may not need to fit into our current gestalt.
Honesty in being able to look at ourselves objectively (as much as possible). Seeing where we are, who we are, what are strengths and weaknesses are. Being able to accept that where we have to be and what we have to be doing may not be what we think we want.
Health water is neither humble nor honest.
But Levi is.
I wrote some time back about the horrid state of Jewish music. Levi Robin is the opposite of all that's wrong with Jewish music.
As a friend Levi is the most honest and humble person I know. I'm sure he isn't perfect (Aden may disagree), but he is aware of who he is and what he has to do, and as simple as that sounds, it’s not common. At all. And seriously, his music is amazing. Check it out.
Aden I don’t know as well, but if Levi loved her than she must be very special indeed. And I wish them the best in their marriage and in fixing this darn world already!
///
I am blessed to have some wonderful friends in the photography community. One of them, the beautiful and talented Lexia Frank, flew all the way down from Portland to photograph this wedding with me. And she rocked it.
And make sure to mosey over to Levi Robin's music page. You'll be happy you did.
Thanks for looking! Peace, love, and goji berries.
