Judaism, Thanksgiving, and Failing the Bar
Yes, Jews celebrate Thanksgiving. It's an American holiday, not a Christian holiday. There weren't Jews at the "first Thanksgiving" because the Pilgrims were all super-Christian, but there have been Jews in the New World since almost the very beginning. In fact, there's a rumor that Christopher Columbus' navigator was Jewish.
Anyway yes, Jews celebrate Thanksgiving. We also celebrate another holiday, Passover. You've probably heard of it; it commemorates the Exodus from Egypt. Incidentally, Catholics celebrate something called "Pascha" at around the same time; Pascha is from the Hebrew word for Passover. It's your Testament too.
How does this relate to failing the bar? Keep reading.
Passover is sometimes called the "Jewish Thanksgiving," because the themes are very similar to the American Thanksgiving: giving thanks for what we have, and being able to survive in a new land.
Near the end of the Passover ceremony is a prayer called "It Would Have Been Enough For Us" (Dayenu). We list each miracle connected with the Exodus and proclaim, "It would have been enough for us!"
If God had delivered us from our oppressors but not brought us out of the land of Egypt--it would have been enough for us!
If God had brought us out of the land of Egypt but not sustained us for 40 years in the wilderness--it would have been enough for us!
If God had sustained us for 40 years in the wilderness and not brought us to the Holy Land--it would have been enough for us!
Etc.
How does this all tie together, and what does it have to do with failing the bar? Well, a friend of mine who didn't pass the bar was saying today that he's going to find it hard to feel very thankful this Thanksgiving. Passing the bar would have been something to feel thankful for; not passing the bar, not so much.
My response: it's enough for me. American Jews love to channel a little bit of Thanksgiving during Passover, and now I'm going to channel a little bit of Passover during Thanksgiving:
If God had saved my grandparents from the Holocaust but not brought them to the New World--it would have been enough for me.
If God had brought my grandparents to the New World and not made them successful enough to instil the proper values in my parents--it would have been enough for me.
If my grandparents had instilled the proper values in my parents but I had not been raised as a white, middle class American with every opportunity--it would have been enough for me.
If I had been raised as a white, middle class American with every opportunity, but not born with enough intelligence to do well on the SAT's--it would have been enough for me.
If I had been born with enough intelligence to do well on the SAT's but had not been accepted into a top tier undergraduate university--it would have been enough for me.
If I had been accepted into a top tier undergraduate university and not also met my beautiful and supportive wife--it would have been enough for me.
If I had met my beautiful and supportive wife in undergrad but she and my family had not supported me enough to excel at the LSAT--it would have been enough for me.
If my beautiful wife and family had supported me enough to excel at the LSAT, but God hadn't given me the strength to survive a top tier law school--it would have been enough for me.
If God had given me the strength to survive a top tier law school and then not let me pass the bar--it would have been enough for me.
So that's how it all ties together. The truth is I have a lot to be grateful for that wasn't even mentioned in this list. But the point is that I really do have a lot to be grateful for. There has been a long string of miracles and I owe my thanks to God for every single one.
Do I wish I had passed the bar? Of course. Would I have been more thankful? Absolutely. But that list of wishes goes on forever: "If I had passed the bar but not won a million dollars--it would have been enough for me. If I had won a million dollars and not got a lap dance from Jessica Alba--it would have been enough for me." The fact that there are other things I want doesn't negate the fact that I've already got a lot.
What if God had nothing to do with it? Well that's possible. But the American Thanksgiving isn't really about thanking God anyway; it's simply about being thankful. And the truth is that I have a lot to be thankful for.
And that is the spirit in which I will give thanks this holiday.
J
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