“You think I’d ruin the wedding for all of us – for everyone? Our lives?”
“No. But I know why I’m asking…”
“The ring is kosher,” the rabbi said, after examining it carefully.
“I bought it in Jerusalem three months ago.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw my father change color.
“Dad, I’m fine,” I whispered through clenched teeth. He smiled. Lily’s father didn’t react at all. He remained formal, as always.
The pale blue veil was placed gently over Lily’s face, covering her features. My mother and hers stood on either side.
“My wife – for life,” I whispered.
“She’s not your wife yet,” the rabbi corrected, having overheard. “You haven’t sanctified her.”
My father, who usually struggled to hear, caught the rabbi’s words this time. He kept looking at me with a trace of fear.
“Dad, it’s fine. Don’t worry,” I whispered into his good ear.
“Behold, you are sanctified to me with this ring according to the law of Moses and Israel,” I said to her again – this time under the chuppah, and again slipped the ring on her finger. Again, when she heard it, Lily was moved, just as she had been the first time. Her eyes sparkled. Now and then she wiped away a tear. I teared up too. I was also moved.
This time, over 150 guests heard the sanctification. In Jerusalem, there had only been a few dozen uninvited strangers. When I finished with the traditional words, the “If I forget Jerusalem…” and smashed the glass, I saw David, Serge, and Max smiling – they were holding up three of the four poles of the wedding canopy. I remembered Jerusalem all too well. I’d never forget that ceremony.
We spent our wedding night in our apartment. We skipped the Hilton night that had been one of our wedding gifts. We thought we might use it someday – but maybe never. The very idea of the Hilton felt foreign, sterile to us.
“So, now we’re married according to law and tradition,” I said as I carried Lily over the threshold.
“And to complete that ‘law and tradition,’ I prepared a surprise for you,” she smiled – and suddenly burst out laughing.
“What are you talking about?”
“We’re going to sleep together like it’s written in the book.”
“What? We don’t already?” I was lost.
“You don’t get it. Like it’s written – literally written.”
“The Kama Sutra?”
“Are you crazy?” She broke away and opened the closet.
“The Baba Sutra,” she giggled, pulling out a white sheet.
“Lily, I don’t get it…”
“Then look at the middle.”
The sheet was pure white, with a hole cut in the center.
“I made it myself today, while you were at your parents’.”
“You mean to tell me this was all planned out ahead of time?”
And so, yes, we fulfilled yet another commandment together – one that I’d never really known, and never wanted to know, for sure was real or just a myth.
Chapter 34
