Graduation present...

[arib]

So, Dad got me my graduation present today.

A new set of Tefillin (phylacteries in Latin, small leather boxes with straps, the boxes contain parchment with various chapters from the Torah written in them, they're worn during the weekday morning prayers.)

My original set, which I got at my Bar Mitzva, ten years ago, belonged to my Dad's father, and are now close to fifty years old or so. As such, they're old, and parts of the lettering on the parchment are going to start flaking off, if they haven't already.

It's nice to get a new set, but I'm definitely holding on to the old one, it has lots of sentimental value, helps me feel connected to Grandpa, he died when I was nine, so I don't remember him too well.

So, a cool gift. Now I need to start using them regularly... :-)

Comments

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Cool. :) Is there something keeping you from using them regularly now?

[chaiya.livejournal.com]

Neat! But, um ... I thought that you *were* using phylacteries rather regularly. Is that a misconception on my part?

Re:

[arib.livejournal.com]

Not exactly.

Whenever I daven (pray) weekday mornings, I use them.

Thing is, I haven't been praying much, other than on Shabbat.

Sometimes it's because I oversleep, and can't say the morning prayers when I wake up.

Sometimes, for some reason, I just couldn't feel motivated to.

I've had some trouble feeling connected to God that way for a while. Maybe because I've been in a lousy mood for the past while, I'm not sure.

I do want to feel that way again, and using them this morning helped.

It's not that I doubt God's there, that never crossed my mind. Sometimes, I just don't think God's listening to me, is all.

I'm trying, and it's getting better.

[chaiya.livejournal.com]

It's not that I doubt God's there, that never crossed my mind. Sometimes, I just don't think God's listening to me, is all.

Hm. Not sure what to say to that. This sounds sorta like how I first approached Shabbat -- "what do you mean, I can't use the computer? what do you mean, I have to say all these extra prayers and stuff?" But after doing it for a few weeks, I began to get comfortable with the melodies and the quiet and the *REST* from the weekdays. I now value Shabbat highly. Maybe sometimes you have to do things by rote until it clicks into place for you.

Now I just rebel over tearing toilet paper. *grin*

I'm trying, and it's getting better.

Oh, good. *hugs*