Not So Fast

Today was Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. Every year during the high holidays, Todd and I try to figure out what to do to make the holidays our own. Last year for Yom Kippur, we both took the day off work, ate Chinese food, and otherwise loafed about. Technically/traditionally, what someone is supposed to do on Yom Kippur is fast for the 25 hours between the sundown of the beginning of the holiday and into darkfall the next day, when the holiday is over. And fasting means not only eschewing food, but also drink. And one is not supposed to engage in other comforts, such as showering. Also, nearly the whole day is supposed to be spent in temple, repenting and otherwise trying to distract oneself from dehydrated starvation. At least until the break-fast, where everyone gorges and is generally relieved.

Not being the traditional types, Todd and I have never really done all this (Though Todd does vaguely remember fasting when he was about 15). So this year, we decided to give the fasting a try, although I refused to give up water. I also drew the line at the not showering thing. We were also going to attend a service at a Humanistic Jewish temple, which said something about being in tune with the cultural traditions of Judaism more than the religious ones. This seemed different, so we thought it would be an experience. And attending the service was free/donation requested, rather than the several hundred dollars per person to get tickets at some synagogues.

I would definitely say that today has been an experience. The service was strange in that there was no religious element whatsoever. No Torah. Very little Hebrew. No mention of God, even. It was a "family" service, and featured children reading various poems and quotes, one of which was from Mr. Rogers. It was well-meaning but hokey. And the lack of anything religious was disconcerting. How can there be no Torah? On the high HOLY days?! No. Also, the whole service lasted about 45 minutes, rather than the 3+ hours one might expect for a morning Yom Kippur service. This was hardly enough time to distract us from our hunger.

And our hunger was great. It was distracting us from the purpose of the day, which is self-reflection and amends-making. At one point this morning, I was saying something to Todd but then lost my train of thought because I was thinking about yogurt. Last night, as we were drifting off to sleep, Todd suggested that we might eat some banana bread together after the fast was over. You know, as a fun activity. And this was just the yearning for food. I had no coffee this morning. And for someone who usually starts her day with 2 large mugsfull, this is bad, bad news.

By the time we returned home from the temple (which was actually a Unitarian Universalist church) it was basically lunch time. In the car ride home, we had been discussing how the fasting was not helping us be more self-reflective, and so seemed like pointless pain. We also drove by many restaurants and bakeries. I was beginning to feel nauseated from all the acid rolling around in my stomach. And so we did what people do: We ate. The fast that was supposed to be over around 6:30 or 7 tonight ended at about noon. We decided that we are just not the fasting type. I don't know how so many people all over the world do it. Maybe they know something I don't. Maybe they're in temple all day, so there are no bakeries to look at. I don't know. But they get my utmost respect.

Next year, maybe we'll go the Chinese food route again.