High-pressure afternoon yesterday: Rosh haShanah would begin in just a few hours, my round, holiday hallot — a variation I’d never tried making before — were rising in the oven. I’d used up the last of my eggs, needed just one more, for glazing the loaves before baking. So I zipped out to Codman Farm (c. 1740), which raises organic chickens and sells eggs at the Farm Store.
Image by Undeleterious via Flickr
Luckily there were two dozen eggs remaining in the store’s fridge; I grabbed one dozen. As I dropped my $4 into the honor-system pay box, I heard something surprising for that context: low, breathy notes of a flute, wafting from the barn. I cocked an ear as the notes formed a melody, beautiful and mournful and … familiar. Wait a second — that’s Avinu Malkeinu!
I went to discover the source, and next thing I knew I was celebrating the eve of Rosh haShanah in a real barn! The informal, moving service was delightful itself, led by warm, thoughtful people beneath the hayloft; I might have felt moved to blog about my first time davvening in a barn anyway.
Image via Wikipedia
But when, midway through the service, a red chicken wandered calmly through the congregation, heading toward the makeshift bimah as if she planned to cluck some Hebrew liturgy or perhaps even blow the shofar, I just knew I had to share.
L’shanah tovah u-m’tukah!
(“May you have a good and sweet New Year“)
Related Articles
- The High Cost of Eggs (kristof.blogs.nytimes.com)
Tags: Avinu Malkeinu, Chicken, Eggs, Hebrew language, Holidays and Observances, Jewish holiday, Jews, Judaism, Religion and Spirituality, Rosh HaShana, Rosh haShanah, Shofar
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