9/23/2011 Shabbat

This is my first shabbat since starting to write about mitzvot, and my first thought is I've got this one covered as I am going to temple tonight. It is the 90th birthday of a congregant and her twin sister...how cool is that, plus the cookies will be awesome. Also today is Selichot, which until a few seconds ago I didn't know how to spell or that it was the recitation of repentance prayers....ok so maybe not such a party, but clearly a good thing to do and get my mind in line for the big holidays coming up. I have also decided to have a sort of real shabbat at home, the sort of coming from eating leftovers, not having challah or kosher wine, driving to temple, using lights, cooking, cleaning or whatever. I am 100% Jewish but my practice is more like 10%. So a few small steps, plan to polish the silver candlesticks I got from my grandmother who did celebrate shabbat every week, probably even when she was hiding from the Nazis and even when they were new immigrants with next to nothing. Growing up it was all the beautiful silver in her cabinet that entranced me, kiddush cups, candlesticks and spice boxes. I know now that adding beauty to the rituals is a mitzvah in itself (although I can't find it in the list of 613 commandments of which there is a long list of sexual no-nos such as sleeping with your sister which I would have hoped was a no brainer). So despite all the other circumstances, the things I lack, the empty house, the not so traditional leftovers, I will spend a few minutes polishing candles and putting flowers on the dining room table say the blessings and then go to temple, ready to repent, repent, repent.