Its 11pm on shabbos night. Everyone is either in bed, going to bed or blogging. I am flicking through the new glossy section of Hamodia, which this week is all about affairs. Not affairs of the heart, or affairs as in "it was a sordid affair", but affairs as in "the chupah is in London, and the Do is in Luzcerne". Not so long ago we were being cajoled by the rabbonim to make our get-togethers a little less lavish and a little more modest. Now this!
In its own defence, Hamodia takes the trouble of putting Rabbeinu Hakadosh on a pedastol for making a lavish affair. The difference of course, is that he invited "all the tanna'im and talmidei chachamim of his time"; we invite all our wealthy friends and business associates, so bringing the occasion down to one of pure dosh. (Do I even know any poor people?)
Perhaps our rabbonim are not as learned as Hamodia's editorial board, and so don't know just how lavish a do Reb Shimon's chasunah was. Hence they tell us to tone down our simchas. More likely though, the big shots at Hamodia sussed that the way to a woman's heart is through a glossy mag with pictures of dressed tables and fancy halls, and some male singers just for added interest, and that business will fall once they do a supplement on fast cars, medical insurance and DIY. Once again, its the women who hold the key to success.
The Tribune, it must be said, hasn't yet sunk so low as to produce a glossy mag to pander to anyone's material senses. It has higher values. (Was I knocking it the other day? Can't believe it). I'm not saying it is a newspapaer, but whatever it is, it has standards. Hamodia even advertises in the secular Jewish papers, (not that I read those) and I guess it must have learnt from them about glossy mags.
Well if the editorial board is reading this, please can you do a feature about smart hats for weddings and for yom-tov parading in NW11, thank-you. And another one on shoes. And baby formula. And one on property in Israel for my husband (to keep him quiet while I'm in Amshinov).
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