Here’s a picture of a Jewish couple sit underneath the chuppah during their wedding in a synagogue in Paris, France, July 21, 2013.
It’s an Elul kind of picture, even though it was shot in Av. But we know that the name of the month of Av is an acronym for “Ba Elul,” Elul is coming.
My wife’s and my anniversary is on Elul 13. It’s a date with the fragrance of lazy summer fullness, rustling vineyards and perfectly blue skies, not a cloud in them. It has the rich taste of big, ripe, bright-green grapes you pop in your mouth and crush between your teeth.
It’s the height of summer and I so don’t want summer to go away yet. There’s so much we haven’t done yet. The jellyfish are gone from the Israeli beaches (they arrive for the three-weeks between the 17th of Tamuz and the 9th of Av, but this year they lingered an extra week). We need to go down to the beach (it’s a 4-minute walk from our house), spread a blanket and go jump in the warm, salty Mediterranean.
Elul is for couple things. That’s why the wedding picture in Paris is so appropriate on the eve of Elul. Go do couple things now, young people, because autumn is around the corner…