Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement between God and His people, begins on Tuesday evening.
On Yom Kippur, the Jewish people are like angels. We do not eat, we spend most of the day in the synagogue, praying to God and seeking distance from the material world by not doing any work, as on the Shabbat.
However, this only applies to men. Women, or rather mothers, have to take care of the little angels in the house during the Day of Atonement. Of course, the little angels do not have to fast and they are in a good mood. At least during the morning, when they realize they don’t have to go to kindergarten or school. During the day, however, boredom sets in and the mood changes.
So while I am in the synagogue reaching higher and higher spiritually, like the angels, the most patient wife of all struggles with our three girls (ages 8, 6 and 5). Although she also fasts like an angel, she directs her attention not to the heavens, but to the ground in order not to step on Lego bricks or trip over baby carriages.
Since Jews are not allowed to work on Yom Kippur, we have to feed the children without cooking, so there are snacks, sandwiches, fruit, vegetables and more snacks. The hungriest wife of all must serve all this to the children without tasting it herself and preferably without using much energy, since fasting is very debilitating to the body.
There is a division of labor here: while I take care of the spiritual strengthening of the family, the most patient wife of all takes care of our physical survival on Yom Kippur. I have to admit that I don’t want to swap places with her. I am sure that the holiest wife of all would do a better job than me in the synagogue as well.
Around 7 p.m. on Wednesday evening, Yom Kippur ends and eating and drinking is allowed again. I usually get home early to be greeted by happy children, while the most weary wife of all has collapsed on the sofa. The family looks excitedly at the clock and as soon as it strikes 6:57 p.m., we pour down a large glass of water and congratulate one another on the Day of Atonement. We made it, our sins have been forgiven, our slate is white again. Now all we have to do is put the kids to bed, clean up the apartment, cook food, load the washing machine and dishwasher, and then we can take off our angel wings and go on with our normal lives.
