Pennsylvania wedding: Thanks, Rambam

Imagine  a couple getting married, but there is no minyan. Such was the call that came to Rambam Mesivta’s Rosh Mesivta, Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, from Rabbi Yagod of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, asking for a few students to spend Shabbos with him, make the minyan and to misamech the chatan and kallah.

Rabbi Friedman approached me, Aharon Goldblatt, Seth Marcus, Pinny Verstandig and David Fodiman with this offer, and we all eagerly accepted. Accompanied by Rabbi Yaacov Weisenberg, a rebbe from Rambam, and his wife, we headed to Pennsylvania for the experience of a lifetime.

After Mincha, Rabbi Yagod called us outside for a quick meeting. The words he said still ring in my head very clearly.

“I took you all outside at this time, so that we may enter Shabbos correctly. Take a look around, listen to the sounds. When one’s mind is at ease, then, and only then can one enter Shabbos.”

We didn’t really understand right away what Rabbi Yagod was saying. But then we all turned around. We saw the sun set like we had never seen it before. We heard the rustling of a willow tree as it moved with the wind. Our minds were eased, and we entered Shabbos.

After that experience, our whole Shabbos was uplifted. We were able to enjoy Shabbos to the fullest extent. If I talked about the meaningful tefilot, the sumptuous food, the joyous zemirot, and the astounding divrai torah, I would not be telling the half of it. A Shabbos like this cannot be put into words.

Sunday came, and so did the wedding. It was a very small wedding, but the spirit was FANTASTIC. We had the honor of holding the chupah for the chatan and kallah and some of us even were honored with reciting some of the Sheva Berachos.

The chatan and kallah were uplifted, and we, the ones who were supposed to bring joy to them, were brought to a new level of simcha.