BARUKH HASHEM!!!

BS"D


Monday, August 23rd
Joel & I were inspired to find out when R' Mordechai was leaving for Israel, because we'd love it if he would act as the misader qidushin for our chupah. Wonder of wonders we hunted him down & found out that he would be in Boston until Sunday, when he would fly. After a hasty tête-à-tête, we decided to wed on Thursday night :D:D:D!!!
We sent out a mass e-mail, reaching out to friends & family, & came up with a list of about 25 guests, a location & a time!

BARUKH HASHEM!!!

Just as well I packed, my dress, ring, chupah & qlaf for our ketubah, eh?
So I thanked Shoshanah & Ben, said good-bye to the Big Apple & headed north to New Haven, where Adam & Maggie were waiting to welcome the Big News.

Researched miqva'ot in the Boston area & came up with this:
Daughters of Israel Mikvah, Brighton. The Daughters of Israel Mikvah is under the supervision of the Bostoner Rebbe.
Well, that sounded like it would be an amazing experience, going to the Bostoner Rebbe's miqveh...especially since one of my sofrim is a Bostoner rabbi, so I feel some connexion...
...then I found this on the ritualwell.org site (an excerpt):

Weddings and Commitment Ceremonies:Pre-Wedding Rituals | Ritual Actions
Ceremony for Immersion
By Barbara Rosman Penzner and Amy Zweiback-Levenson

Now, as I immerse myself, I begin a new cycle, a cycle of rebirth and renewal of Your world and Your people Israel. I prepare for my new life and for the sanctification of that life through kiddushin , Your holy state of marriage.

Prayer Before Immersion

Our mothers Rebekah and Rachel were betrothed and began new lives at the gently flowing waters of the well(Gen. 24 and 29).

Our mother Yocheved gave life to her child Moses in the ever flowing waters of the Nile (Exod. 2).

Our sister Miriam danced for the saving of lives beside the overflowing water of the Sea of Reeds (Exod. 15).

Water is God's gift to living souls, to cleanse us, to purify us, to sustain us, and, to renew us.

As Moses and Aaron and the priests of Israel washed with cleansing waters before attending to God's service at the altar (Exod. 40), so do I now cleanse myself before Your altar of sanctification.

"I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean" (Ezek. 36:25).

As God separated the waters in the first creation (Gen. 1:6), so I ask that You surround me with protecting waters and separate out threatening waters.

"Deliver me, 0 God, for the waters have reached my neck...I have come into the watery depths; the flood sweeps me away" (Ps. 69:2-3).

As God cleansed the earth with the waters of the Great Flood, making it livable for a new generation (Gen. 8:8), so I pray for renewal and prepare myself for new life.

I am a well of living waters, a garden spring, a stream flowing from the heights of Lebanon (Song. 4:15).

U-sh'avtem mayim b'sason mimay'nei ha-y'shuah.

"Joyfully shall you draw water from the fountains of salvation" (Isa. 12:3).

I am now prepared
to shed the impurities of my earlier life,
to become one with another life,
to become a creator of new life,
to become a partner in sharing the joys of life,
to teach and to learn in the lessons of married life.

Immersion
Barukh Atah, Y-H-V-H, Eloheynu, Melekh ha-olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al ha-t'vilah.

Blessed are You, Being-ness, our G@d, King of all time/space, who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us concerning immersion.

I also found Mayyim Hayyim, a kosher miqveh who welcomes everyone & was a project facilitated by Anita Diamont.
I couldn't actually believe that we're going to get married!!! *Such* indescribable joy!
I have no words to truly express my feelings or to truly thank G@d. May G@d accept my inexpressable feelings as my thanks.