Don’t Say This At a Funeral
When consoling a grieving widow try not to say “harei at mekudeshet li*” when what you really meant to say is “HaMakom yenachem et’chem b’toch shar avay’lay Tzion vee’Yerushalayim.**”
Not that this has ever happened to me, I am just saying you might want to try and avoid it.
(*Part of a traditional Jewish wedding ceremony. In English it translates something like this: “You are betrothed to me.”
**This is a traditional line said to try and comfort mourners at Jewish funerals. In English it translates something like this: “May the Omnipresent comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.”)
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Jack's Shack June 7, 2006 at 3:05 am
Elie,
They might have and then again maybe they didn’t. Just covering my bases here. 🙂
Elie June 6, 2006 at 3:58 pm
Jack:
It would only be lashon hara if you told who said it – no? But did someone actually say it? How mortifying!
Jack's Shack June 6, 2006 at 4:35 am
JB,
If I said that might be characterized as loshon hara and we wouldn’t want that, would we.
Ezzie,
It is worth a chuckle.
Rebecca,
Yep.
Soccer Dad,
🙂
PP,
Murphy’s Law is a pain in the ass, isn’t it.
tafka PP June 5, 2006 at 10:47 pm
SoccerDad- that’s HYSTERICAL!
Grr. Now that I’ve read your post, Murphy’s law dictates that this will definitely happen to me one day. Oh well, I’ll just blame you when it does, I’m sure *everyone* will understand!
Actually I always get that sentence wrong anyway, I prefer the Sephardic version “Tenachem MeHashamayim”- two words, much more difficult to confuse!
Soccer Dad June 5, 2006 at 8:27 pm
May I also suggest that if you get Sheva Brachos at a wedding don’t say “…asher yatzar es ha-adam b’chochmo…” but rather “…asher yatzar es ha-adam b’tzalmo…”
Rebecca June 5, 2006 at 8:26 pm
wow I’m still laughing!!!
Maybe that’s why they have it posted on the wall
Ezzie June 5, 2006 at 8:01 pm
OMG… I can’t imagine that happening. That’s too horribly hysterical.
Jewish Blogmeister June 5, 2006 at 7:44 pm
Did you know someone who did?