At morning minyan, it is a Sinai Temple tradition for a congregant to give a little singing solo into the concluding words of Aleinu. Every Shabbat, I watch another congregant touch her loved one’s yahrzeit plaque as if she is saying hello. On Pesach, it doesn’t feel like Pesach unless we eat my grandmother’s apricot jelly chicken. In other words, it’s the little things, small acts that often define the greatness of a moment.
As Cher famously sang with Sonny, “Cause it’s the little things that mean a lot….”
Meaning, we notice when the wet towels have mysteriously been laundered and put away without asking; it pleases us when a loved one adds our favorite treat to the grocery list; we can’t help but sing along when the Cantor chants the melody that our grandparents used to hum; it feels nostalgic when the Haggadah comes out from the basement and still has wine stains from the Passover the year before. It’s the little things that trigger memories; it’s the little things that make us feel loved, reminding us of who we are and where we belong.
For our family—it’s apricot chicken on Passover, singing the Kiddush with loved ones in mind, sitting in the back of the synagogue during Shabbat morning services, and choosing the same two restaurants for our family nights out.
What are your little things? The little things that add up to the whole of who you are?
May your little things always mean a lot.
Shabbat Shalom
