Another Yom Kippur is in the books. I did fast for 24 hours, not even drinking water.
Because I have been battling a cold, I had to play fast and loose with the rules this year, even though I have fasted every year since I turned 13. Instead of fasting from sundown to sundown, which is about 7:30pm to 7:30pm, I started and finished earlier. I fasted from 4pm to 4pm. While this is still 24 hours, it is easier, especially if one is knocked out from cold medicine and sleeping until 2:30pm. By the time I woke up and showered, it was almost time to eat.
Given that I am typing in a Dimetapp induced haze, I will be mailing it in today, but hopefully still providing something of value. The following link contains a Jewish prayer known as “Avenu Malkaynu,” which translates into, “Our Father, Our King.”
Although some of the passages are distinctly Jewish, much of it applies to all people. Avenu Malkaynu is said every Yom Kippur. It is a prayer for forgiveness.
http://www.shema.com/pdf/PrayersAvinuMalkaynu-1.pdf
What I will leave everybody with is that it is easy to say words. It is much more difficult to match those words with deeds. As I have said more than once, I am not a patient person. Tonight, before I go to sleep, I will face my first test of the Jewish New Year.
I have several televisions in my living room, with each one showing a different NFL game on Sundays. I have the DirecTV NFL package. Two of the televisions have High Definition, but not Tivo. However, the big screen has Tivo, but not High Definition. Since I Tivo stuff, I prefer watching it on the big screen. However, now that football season ha started, it would make sense to have the High Def tv showing football.
So why not just switch the wires? Because I am technologically incompetent. I am a reasonably bright guy with an advanced degree. I will screw this task up. All of my tvs will be messed up, and I will be cursing and spitting blood. Or will I?
My vow tonight is to be patient, look at the wires, reason it out, and successfully switch everything in time for NFL Sunday. I will not take the lord’s name in vain, and I will be patient. I have 3 hours before I go to sleep. I am an adult, and I will handle this in an adult matter.
I will say a four word prayer that I normally say when I wake up in the morning.
We…can…do…this.
Avenu Malkaynu, give me the strength to not only accomplish this task, but to do so with dignity, in a manner of a man worthy enough to be in your presence. Amen.
eric
Stand back, look at it , and write out a diagrahm on paper and take your time.
I will pray for you, and your TVs.
The Prayer Oveinu Malkainu is about asking G-d to grant us all kind of good stuff in the coming Year. The Yom Kippur Day will provide forgiveness automatically if You repent sincerely. You are supposed to eat until sunset and fast from sunset to an hour after sunset the following night, about 25 hours.