I Am Forbidden by Anouk Markovits

Author:Anouk Markovits [Markovits, Anouk]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-0-307-98475-3
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2012-05-08T04:00:00+00:00

THE MEN sang the groom to the wedding dais with a joyous march: “There was a king among the righteous.…” Zalman turned to face the center aisle, to await the bride, and the guests turned with him. He hummed the melody he had hummed at the wedding of his study partner, Gershon Heller, back there, in Transylvania, Bilvovi mishkan evneh (In my heart I will build a temple), he hummed until Gershon’s daughter appeared, a white radiance holding a pale bouquet in gathered hands.

Mila could not see where she was stepping, under the thick veil that covered her face, but Hannah and Mrs. Halberstamm guided her. When Mila’s foot reached the dais, Zalman thundered “Blessed be she that cometh!,” and to the measure of the voice that had been deemed the most beautiful east of Vienna, Mila circled Josef seven times for the seven heavens, the seven days of creation, the seven rotations of the phylactery strap; as man binds himself to God, so Mila would bind herself to Josef.

Josef slid a wedding band on Mila’s finger. He uttered the ancient vow: “Harei at mekudesheth li b’taba’ath zo kedath Moshe v’Yisroel.” (Lo thou art consecrated to me with this ring according to the Law of Moses and Israel.)

Hannah lifted the veil from Mila’s face.

There were no blood relations on either side to attend the wedding.

Arm in arm, eyes sparkling, bride and groom stepped down from under the dais.

In winding chains, the men wove their steps on the men’s side, the women on the women’s side. The dance continued into the night, until a sign from Zalman indicated it was time for the festivities to wind down. What was the propriety of so much joy when the Temple was destroyed, when the divine presence was in exile?

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