Passover is coming...

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Passover is coming Monday. This is the Jewish holiday where you don't eat bread for 8 days. Yes, there are much more important facts about this holiday involving Moses and Slaves, etc etc but the most important part is no bread.

This year it will be easy for me to avoid the bread because I am in the middle of a diet where bread is enemy number 1. It is so boring but so far effective so I hope that dreams about french bread are worth it.

Here is an interesting fact about Jewish people that you might not know, they are very superstitious
when they are pregnant. This is not one of those official Jewish rule. Just one of those things that most Jewish people know.

When I was pregnant, I was not allowed to tell anyone (outside the immediate family) until I was at least 3 months along (everyone just thought I was getting rapidly obese).  In addition, many Jewish girls don't have baby showers or buy anything for the baby until after it comes.   Many Jewish girls order their cribs, etc but the stores don't deliver them until after the baby comes. My mother had her baby stuff stored in someone else's house until I was born.

Many Jews don't find out the sex of the baby. Very religious Jews don't even name the baby until the Bris (circumcision)


I had to know the gender of both of my children and I picked out names for both of my sons before they were born but did not have it written on anything until they were born. (This was also in case those sonograms were wrong). I did have a shower and set up the nursery before my sweet boy came along but I did not wash any of the baby clothes. As soon as he was born, the washer started running and has not stopped since.


Why this "craziness"? Well, Jews don't like to tempt fate. We don't know what G-d has in store for us.  My very wise grandmother used to say "We make plans and G-d laughs". This is the opposite of the Book "the secret".  I probably live in a world in between. I don't like to tempt fate but I do believe in the power of positive thinking.


What it an interesting custom that your culture has that I might now have heard of?



4 comments:

Susie said...

Japolina, Bless your heart...you made me laugh about the washer running since your son's birth.I know that feeling. Thanks for telling us about your religion. The only thing I know about jews is from watching the Barbara Strisand movie...yental.And Neil Diamond's the Canter. I love to see the jewish men in the black hats with curls. Sorry, please don't take offence...cause I don't know the right names. Take care and happy passover.xoxo,Susie

angryparsnip said...

In Japan, although this custom is somewhat changing working mums and all. The expecting Mum goes to live with her mum for at lest a month before the birth, my DIL stayed at her home all of her family is so near.
About the fifth month the family goes to the shrine and has a ceremony to pray for a safe birth. The Mum is given a sash that she uses to wrap around her belly for support.
At the shrine Son and DIL went to, it is know for predicting the sex of your child, ... you also get wrapped up with the sash, a paper with a prayer and it names the sex of the child. BUT what that means you will have the opposite sex child. And it was correct, the prayer said they would have a son and they had a daughter.
After the baby is born the Mum and baby stay home for a month, neither goes out at all.
I personally think this was a precaution to keep the baby safe from illness, till the baby was stronger.

LOL at the washer comment !

cheers, parsnip

NanaDiana said...

Oh- I didn't know all that- I love all the differences of the cultures and how we are all tied together in the end by a loving God. I don't know if there are any odd facts-except that I am a pastor's wife and no one believes me!;>) xo Diana

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

a kanahara of sorts. yes i am learning! i even went to temple last night with my gal pals...

smiles, bee
xoxo

 
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