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PAGE 14 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE February 14, 1986
and a whole lot more!
ExecuFLower
SERVICE
For your Valentine
* Long stem roses — Fresh or Chocolate
* Balloons — in a box or bunch
* Flower arrangements
f Candy Baskets ,
A Jewish view
Valentine’s Day
by Rabbi Bernard S. Raskas
WNS-Seven Arts
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Valentine’s Day is popular because
of its primary association with love;
however, the origin of this day is
rather obscure. Some believe it is
traced to the ancient Roman festival
called Lupercalia. Others think it
has to do with a Christian martyr
named Valentine. Still others link
it with an old English belief that
birds chose their mates on Feb. 14.
There is yet one more school who
believes that it comes from the
Norman word galantin which means
“a lover of women.” It is probably
a combination of all of these.
By the 17th century the custom
of sending valentines to one’s favorite
developed. At first these were simple
homemade items but by 1800 the
first commercial valentines began
to appear.
Then there developed the in
teresting feature of commercial
valentines. Today, the post office
estimates that over half a million
valentines are sent out and this, of
course, does not include those we
give by hand. So one can safely
assume that well over a million
valentines are exchanged today.
So much for that. But, what
about the Jewish view of Valentine’s
Day? It might surprise us to learn
that there was a Jewish Valentine’s
Day during the time when the
Temple stood. The following selection
from the Talmud is fascinating:
Rabbi Simeon ben Gamliel said:
There were no happier days for the
Jewish people than the 15th of Av
and Yom Kippur, on which the
young girls of Jerusalem would
venture forth. All of them would
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dress in simple white garments,
borrowed from each other, so that
not even the poorest among them
need be embarrassed. . . They
would venture forth to dance in the
vineyards. What would they sing
as they danced?“Lift up your eyes,
young man, and look around that
you might make your choice. Look
not for beauty, but look for family.
Charm is deceitful and beauty is
vain, but a God-fearing woman is
much to be praised” (Proverbs
31:30).
This passage reveals the typical
rabbinic overtones of equality and
stressing that essential attributes
are not physical but spiritual.
However, not all rabbis were
strict moralists and some of them
were very warm and understanding
human beings. There is a very
beautiful little passage to be found
in a sermon given by a Hassidic
rabbi in the 18th century. He asks:
“Why does it say in Genesis: ‘Be
fruitful, and multiply? It is redundant.
Wouldn’t it have been enough to
say, ‘Be fruitful’?—or wouldn’t it
have been enough to say, ‘multiply’?
Why add something to the text?’
He explained: “This is to show that
there must be a plus to marriage.
Animals have sex and multiply. In
marriage there must be more than
a physical relationship. A husband
and wife must bring love, tenderness
and affection not only to the sexual
act, but to their marriage.”
We find many such passages in
the 18th and 19th centuries which
encourage expression of love.
Marriage was viewed not only as a
spiritual relationship and a familial
one but also one that involved
romance and love. We have pictures
of women during these times and
they were dressed in the best of
fashion of their times. Indeed,
research will demonstrate to us
that romantic love is found in the
Bible in an entire book named
“The Song of Songs.” Perhaps, if
more people read it carefully in our
day they might give it an “X”
rating.
When it comes to passages on
love, there is a charming story
taken from shtetl life. A scholarly
man said to Rabbi Abraham of
Stretyn: “It is said that you give
people strange drugs and that your
drugs are most marvelous. Give me
one such drug that I may attain the
fear of the Lord.” “I know of no
such drug,” said Rabbi Abraham.
“But if you wish I can give you one
for the love of God.” “All the
better!” exclaimed the other. “Just
you see that I get it.” “It is the love
of one’s fellow human being.” an
swered the rabbi.
Love to the Jew is not just
something for Valentine’s Day but
for every day. Warmth, affection
and tenderness is something that
can make each relationship a little
bit nicer and each day a little more
pleasant.
Since on Valentine’s Day it is
traditional to send greetings to
loved ones, the following quotations
might be appropriate for a Jewish
valentine’s message:
From The Song of Songs: “Your
love is better than wine.”
From the Apocrypha: “Wine and
song rejoice the heart but better
than that is the affection of lovers.”
From Judah Al-Harizi: “O lovely
maiden, thou hast drawn my heart.”
From Emanual di Roma: “Your
eyes bewitch me, a glance thrills all
my soul with wild delight.”
From Abraham ibn Ezra: “Your
face brightens the day.”
From Heinrich Heine: “You are
my love. You are my dearest friend.”
From the Yiddish: “Love me a
little less but love me longer,” or
“For a little love I would give my
whole life.”
From the Talmud: “When two
souls kiss they are united in love.”
Students at American Yeshiva
once had a humorous Valentine’s
Day party and decided to write
their own messages for a Jewish
valentine’s card. This is the one
that everyone agreed was best:
Roses are reddish
Violets are blueish
I love you
Because you are Jewish.
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