No, it’s not some mystical number comparable to forty-two, it’s just my age as of today.
I’ve adopted the custom of saying the particular chapter of Tehillim (Psalms) corresponding to one’s age, so that will change today.
Instead of reciting Tehillim 26, I’ll recite Tehillim 27.
It reads as follows:

1. Of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; from whom shall I be frightened?
2. When evildoers draw near to me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies against me-they stumbled and fell.
3. If a camp encamps against me, my heart shall not fear; if a war should rise up against me, in this I trust.
4. One [thing] I ask of the Lord, that I seek-that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to see the pleasantness of the Lord and
to visit His Temple every morning.
5. That He will hide me in His tabernacle on the day of calamity; He will conceal me in the secrecy of His tent; He will lift me up on a rock.
6. And now, my head will be raised over my enemies around me, and I will sacrifice in His tent sacrifices with joyous song; I will sing and chant praise
to the Lord.
7. Hearken, O Lord, to my voice [which] I call out, and be gracious to me and answer me.
8. On Your behalf, my heart says, “Seek My presence.” Your presence, O Lord, I will seek.
9. Do not hide Your presence from me; do not turn Your servant away with anger. You were my help; do not forsake me and do not abandon me, O God of my salvation.
10. For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord gathers me in.
11. Instruct me, O Lord, in Your way, and lead me in the straight path because of those who lie in wait for me.
12. Do not deliver me to the desires of my adversaries, for false witnesses and speakers of evil have risen against me.
13. Had I not believed in seeing the good of the Lord in the land of the living!
14. Hope for the Lord, be strong and He will give your heart courage, and hope for the Lord.
(The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)

I also plan to give some tzedakah.
And I’ll go to work, and most likely find out that this anxiously-awaited piece of information is just more smoke.
At any rate, I hope this year turns out to be better than the one that just ended.

One thought on “

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.