L'Chaim

Surely you have seen the 1964 musical Fiddler on the Roof, in which the Jewish people of the Russian town Anatevka sing L’Chaim! To Life! It is a joyous phrase used on many occasions, mostly while toasting over a celebration such as a happy couple becoming engaged, or when drinking with a friend whom you haven’t seen in many years. The term is at least 2,000 years old, when Rabbi Akiva used the toast “wine and life to the mouths of the rabbis” at his son’s wedding.  We know that alcohol can lead to bad things, especially as emotions come out and secrets are revealed. So we toast L’Chaim that the wine we are drinking should be “To Life”. The Hassidim have a custom when one says L’Chaim to respond with L’Chaim V’l’vracha!, “To life and blessing”.  The simplest explanation is bestowing blessings upon each other. ˆ∫L’Chaim!   No. 99 Mulling Spices A fresh, warm-spicy, dry-woody fragrance with a slight touch of refreshing bitterness. L’chaim is a toast to life, for all things we celebrate.