Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement…get up in the morning and look at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed.”
— Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
For much of Jewish history, Tuesdays were considered a particular auspicious day to get married. Because we count our days from Shabbat, Tuesday is called Yom Shlishi, the third day—and in the creation story, God repeats the phrase: “It was very good” twice on the third day.
As some of you know, my kids and I have been offering morning blessings Sunday through Tuesday, and my 6 year old, in particular, is fond of giving out daily assignments. Look at the clouds, he will say, and tell me what shapes you see. Find something red or gold (Gryffindor colors, if you are wondering), and send me a picture.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote about the way a child encounters a tree; the very same tree they encounter each day is something miraculous, because there is always something new to see. So, today, it is my assignment—not Jacob’s. On this Tuesday—can you find two things, or two moments, that make you stop and say: This is very good? I think we can.
—Rabbi Sari Laufer