Elliot's Mikvah

We had a Mikvah and naming ceremony for Elliot at the Temple we've been attending here in Boston. Basically, the mikvah was a formality. As Justeen is not Jewish, Elliot's identity would be in question to some lame people who care about such things. So, we went through the process so that there would be no confusion. It was actually a nice little thing - three rabbis came to a nice warm bath and Elliot got to play in the water.


The next day, we had the naming ceremony during friday night services. Here's what I wrote and what the rabbi read:

Elliot's hebrew name will be Eliyahu. The reason we named him Elliot, and the reason we would like his Hebrew name to reflect his English name, is because of our understanding of the significance of the prophet Elijah. We are both intrigued by this figure - his understated wisdom, his modesty, his deep sense of justice. We want our son to be successful - but we measure success not simply in economic terms, we measure success in his ability to be self-sufficient, and in his understanding that all actions of the self are situated in the actions of the community. Elijah understood that individuals only exist in societies, and individual actions are social actions. We want our son to have a deep respect for self, but an even deeper respect for the society he lives in and the communities that embrace him. We want our son to respect authority, but like Elijah, not to be afraid to question it when he knows its wrong. This is also the relationship we want him to have to Judaism. We want him to respect its traditions, but never blindly. We want him to take comfort and solace in its community; but never at the expense of his ability to think freely.

Finally, each year when we leave a cup for Elijah at the Seder table, we understand it as a symbol of hope - as the impossible pursuit of redemption. And the figure of Elijah reminds us each year that redemption isn't something that just shows up. It takes hard work and perseverance. The messiah will not come until peace and social justice are restored in the world, and it is we who must strive for and work towards creating a society that is fair and just for all. We give our son a name that is at once utopian and pragmatic. We give him a name that embodies our hope in him, our hope in the world, without burdening him with impossible expectations.