“There are rules,” writes Suzanne Somers – yes, that Suzanne Somers of Three’s Company and THE THIGH MASTER and occasionally both at the same time – in her book of poetry Touch Me: The Poetry of Suzanne Somers, “there are rules for beautiful girls.” It is actually a poignant unfolding of how lonely fame and beauty, especially in combination, can be for women. There are strict rules governing how the beautiful and famous must interact in and with the world, and veering from these rules can cause startling upsets.
The same is true for rabbis: there are rules, even when the rabbi isn’t beautiful. Customs and some denominations drive these rules: what a rabbi may or may not do, where they may go or must go or are prohibited from going. What and where we can eat, how we dress, when and how we may sing – even expectations for our spouses.
Many of these rules are based on solid sense and Jewish law, to wit:
A rabbi is harboring a secret — she has always wanted to try pork. One night she drives across town to the furthest restaurant from her shul and orders an entire suckling pig. Just as the waiter sets down the full roast pig with an apple in its mouth, she sees a group of her congregants has walked in and is watching her, mouths open. The rabbi widens her eyes, “So nu, what kind of place is this?” she says. “You order an apple and look how it’s served!” (This version is from The Forward)
Photo credit: Dave Weidner
