Someone was relating in a shiur how a bachur broke off an engagement. He said that the boy [a top bachur] left the girl [daughter of a gadol bi-yisrael] *at the altar*.
We are so contaminated by the Gentile culture in which we live we don't even realize it. [See - Sundays off, Christmas sales, giving our children names from the NT like Paul and Peter, or other Goyish names like "Allan Charles" רח"ל, Sunday after the sun god, Monday after the moon god etc. etc.].
We don't have an altar anymore [since the churban] and we never got married at one. The phrase originates from the medieval practice of leaving a wedding ring on the altar in a church as a sign of intention to marry, only to change one's mind and leave before the ceremony begins.
Some time ago I decided that I don't want to speak English anymore because why should I speak a Gentile language if I can speak a Jewish one [meaning Yiddish, of course]? But alas - the exigencies of my present situation don't allow me to completely carry out my plan [e.g. I want people to fully understand me when I speak. Especially in a shiur. And for some, Hebrew just doesn't accomplish that goal. Note: I am aware that Modern Hebrew is not Lashon Hakodesh and there are hundreds and hundreds of words that distort the original meaning and countless more that aren't original Hebrew at all but it is the CLOSEST language to Lashon Hakodesh of the Tanach and Mishna].
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[While on the topic: Why was "Mother Teresa" called that? Because [I am not joking] her real name was Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu.
A Scrabble grand slam!!]
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Mussar Haskel: Let us try to be as Jewish as possible!!:-)!!!:-)!!
And proudly so!!:-)