Another Kittel Thought

Over Yom Kippur, zodiacmg and I were discussing my ongoing confusion on the kittel issue, which I just remembered by association while reading naomichana's other venue. We were discussing the whole "kittel starting with marriage" question, which he feels is just about right (but then, he doesn't usually wear a tallit gadol now either, a custom I decidedly don't hold by. But then, he wears a tallit katan, and I don't). I just have this feeling about it, quite probably based on the fact that the first time I actually saw one was at the wedding of gimmelgirl and her husband, and the second time was Rabbi Lehmann, talking about how his wife had given him his at their wedding.

But in any case, the original thought was this: that maybe it makes sense for a kittel to be worn only post-marriage because that's when you start needing that extra reminder of your mortal aloneness on Yom Kippur (didn't factor in the other times its worn)- that as part of a married couple, you're part of a composite unit so much that the extra reminder that when you die, you're on your own, and the same goes for your relationship with G-d might be useful (this being, of course, conjection- could be entirely wrong). The objection was that if it's about awareness of mortality, then people in their teens and 20s are the ones who most need that reminder, haveing the tendency to see ourselves as somewhat immortal.

Thoughts? Since I don't know what the heck I'm talking about?

On a sort of unrelated note, Cindy/Hillel got me a apples and honey dish for helping out with High Holy Day services for the last three years. I went over to Hillel lounge to pick up my lulav and etrog, and she had it for me. It was very sweet and utterly unexpected.

Another Kittel Thought

Over Yom Kippur, zodiacmg and I were discussing my ongoing confusion on the kittel issue, which I just remembered by association while reading naomichana's other venue. We were discussing the whole "kittel starting with marriage" question, which he feels is just about right (but then, he doesn't usually wear a tallit gadol now either, a custom I decidedly don't hold by. But then, he wears a tallit katan, and I don't). I just have this feeling about it, quite probably based on the fact that the first time I actually saw one was at the wedding of gimmelgirl and her husband, and the second time was Rabbi Lehmann, talking about how his wife had given him his at their wedding.

But in any case, the original thought was this: that maybe it makes sense for a kittel to be worn only post-marriage because that's when you start needing that extra reminder of your mortal aloneness on Yom Kippur (didn't factor in the other times its worn)- that as part of a married couple, you're part of a composite unit so much that the extra reminder that when you die, you're on your own, and the same goes for your relationship with G-d might be useful (this being, of course, conjection- could be entirely wrong). The objection was that if it's about awareness of mortality, then people in their teens and 20s are the ones who most need that reminder, haveing the tendency to see ourselves as somewhat immortal.

Thoughts? Since I don't know what the heck I'm talking about?

On a sort of unrelated note, Cindy/Hillel got me a apples and honey dish for helping out with High Holy Day services for the last three years. I went over to Hillel lounge to pick up my lulav and etrog, and she had it for me. It was very sweet and utterly unexpected.