In the last few days I have been asked multiple times, ‘What are you doing for New Year’s Eve?’ And the sad answer is probably not much. The perpetual foghorn of health advisories warns us to stay away from others. But one thing I and many others may do on New Year’s Eve is raise our glasses and say l’echaim – ‘to life’ — to one another virtually and in the company of our family.
Toasting is a prevalent custom throughout the alcohol-imbibing world, but I just learned that the particular Jewish twist of wishing for life whilst drinking is explained by one medieval sage as a ward against the fear that your drink was poisoned. But they conquered their fear and they drank. As I read that explanation, my eyes filled with tears, for this year that is indeed the reason we are drinking alone, because of the fear of infecting others with a deadly virus, and yet we drink.
The same medieval sages who warded off evil in this way had a more playful side to them and had a rich tradition of writing ditties about wine and love. And so before I wish everyone a happy New Year, I would like to share one of my haikus originally in Hebrew, which I say before drinking a smooth shot of single malt whisky: Golden fire water / whisks away inhibitions / lingers upon my tongue
[כוסית יי”ש וויסקי נושן / איך אוציא חדש מפני עשן / ובפי קיטור וכבשן]
L’echaim everyone and Happy New Year!
