My grandfather Phillip died on my 2nd birthday, November 2, 1961. So my birthday marks his yartziet.
Nov 2nd also happens to be "All Souls Day," a Catholic holiday for "remembering the dead." Tradition has it to light a candle. We can do that for Phillip and my birthday.
Tradition for All Souls Day and a birthday has it to write a memorial in some way. Check. For every year since he died, Phillip's yartziet has been remembered in my Temple's calendar. And I'm sure to get one birthday card.
Tradition also calls for a meal in rememberance. It so happens we have birthday dinner plans with our daughter Sarah and her family. 😉
As it turns out, the customs for a yartziet seem to mirror those for a birthday. How about that?
The coincidences don't stop there for me.
My grandfather's name Philip (Greek spelling) means "horse-loving." I love horses. So much so that my wife and children surprised me with a horse for my Jubilee (50th) birthday. That's him and me in the photo.
King Philip of Macedon was the father of Alexander the Great, who was friend of the Jews. We named our son Alexander, who is great. Alex was born on Yom Kippur when Jews read the Book of Jonah.
All Souls Day falls just after Halloween. The word "Halloween" comes from All Hallows' Eve, which is the evening before 'All Saints' (or All Hallows') Day. It initiates the season of Allhallowtide, which lasts three days and concludes with All Souls' Day.
On Halloween this year, my family was at my daughter Sarah's house. While the family was all playing, I spent a good portion of the evening laying on the floor with her dog "Angel" who was dying.
Angel lived 18 years, "double chai." In Judaism double chai signifies 'Life.' The family described Angel as the devil because she killed so many animals including neighbor's chickens and cats. Angel, the devil, was always getting in trouble. This summer she went down into a storm sewer and we had to call for help to rescue her.
So Angel, the devil, who lived double chai, died on All Hallows eve. And tonight I will light birthday candles with my Catholic wife, Mary Theresa, as we celebrate my birthday and I remember my grandfather Phillip, Angel and my horse.
There is one tradition for Old Souls Day that we can't do for my birthday yet. That is to visit my grave.
They say "coincidence" isn't a kosher word.
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Epilogue: This night I had tumultuous dreams. Before Day break I wrote another related blog post. DUST TO DUST.
