Completion

B"H

Marriage. What's so great about it anyways?
I mean, human nature would seem to point towards wanting to stay free of obligation, of responsibility.
A loving relationship - fine, but "marriage"? Who needs it?
According to mortal thinking, this is a good question. But Marriage is a Divine Institution, a Biblical Invention.



There was once One soul.

It was split, 2 halves descended to this world into two different places, pining to re-unite once again, to be complete.
This is the mystical source for a male & female's desire to find love.
When re-united, man & woman play 2 roles that complement one another - completing the other.
Even though we were once 1 soul, since we are now in bodies in a physical world with different lives and upbringings,
this bonding of course takes time and effort (unlike what Hollywood would like you to believe).
As it says in the Torah: "And (Issac) married her (Rebecca), and he loved her." 1st came marriage, then came true love.
A love that develops over time, with real caring and commitment to one another and their day to day needs and feelings.
Finding a mate based on a shared mission in life & family values, not just infatuation. This gives more chance for success.

Now we can better understand why so many of our parents are intent on us marrying Jewish. (Besides for the whole wiping out our future existence thing)
True, Judaism is the only religion that believes that every righteous person, Jew or NOT, has an equal portion in the world to come,
in heaven. But we also believe that the Jewish soul still has a different, unique role in this world. We are likened to the moon, chosen and appointed with the mission to reflect the "sun", to reflect God's Will in this world. When we accepted the Torah on Sinai, we accepted this role. And our souls forevermore reflect this change.

But it's very hard to feel distinct or unique nowadays in 2010. I dress the same, talk the same, listen to the same music as everyone else. So what makes me a Jew?
I'll A: this Question with another Q: (when Prime Minister Golda Meir was once asked "why do Jews always A: Q:'s w/ another Question?" She Answered: "Why not?")

Do you identify yourself as an American Jew? (with the emphasis on American) Or as a Jewish American?
If your answer is an American Jew, let me ask you: If you were born in France, would you still be an American? No.
But would you still be Jewish? Yes.
Now what if I asked you: What does it mean to be "Jewish"?
If your answer is "b/c I'm part of the Jewish People", that's like saying "I'm a tree b/c I'm part of a forest." But what are you?
If you'd answer that you're Jewish b/c of your beliefs, than what were you when you were born? Before beliefs?

Regardless of country of origin, before belief, a Jew's Essence is that he or she is a Jew. That is my essence, my soul.
Being Jewish isn't what I HAVE - it's what I am.
But until I find my soul mate with my soul's shared mission in life, I am only half.

Happy hunting for that soul mate of yours - may it come speedily if you so wish! And may the re-union of souls usher the world closer to the ultimate marriage,
of God and His People, Speedily in our days!

Shabbat Shalom!

Daniel
~For more on marriage, see: Soulmates~