What is this all about? It is said that Jews lost first temple because of their inability to understand and relate with God. God, however, understood that He’s very esoteric and difficult to comprehend and gave Jews a second chance. The Jews lost second temple when they started in fighting and weren’t able to relate to one another. This was inexcusable and led to current exile and Diaspora.

The Song of Songs describes relationship between God and humanity much like that of relationship between two lovers. If we connect two ideas we can gather that loss of second temple, leading to current exile was and is much like a lovers’ quarrel. God was and is extremely frustrated with us and threw up his arms and is not giving us ‘silent treatment’. He’s giving us space, or forcing us to take space, for us to come to terms with ourselves much like when sometimes, lovers spend time apart to allow one or other to come to terms with certain things. My guess is that God is extremely frustrated and has lost his faith in us to be his partner in love and discovery.

I imagine that He’s desperately hoping that we are able to come closer to each other and spread love and understanding across this planet. Each human has a piece of God as we were made in his image. (Baruch Spinoza may have been excommunicated for this notion, but that excommunication was posthumously recanted.) Thus, more people we love and more we explore our love with one special person, more pieces of God we come to terms with. One could suppose that God was extremely frustrated with us, but understood that his love was too intense for us to bear. Thus, he sought to set upon us a task which would allow us to come towards him in steps. The more we love, move we are love and more we increase love, more we approach notion of God. If we spread love across this planet, God and humanity will be able to leave our respective wombs and take a leap of faith together into wonders that lie beyond.

Appendix – Kierkegaard’s Engagement Source: http://www.meta-religion.com/Philosophy/Biography/Aabye_Kierkegaard/aabye_kierkegaard.htm

Assuming Kierkegaard’s diaries and his confessions to his friends are honest, engagement to Regine was most difficult year of his life. Kierkegaard seems to have been torn between idea of a marriage and his need for solitude. After a year, Kierkegaard broke engagement. Regine attempted to appease Kierkegaard and win his heart, even after his unusual treatment of her, but he rebuffed her advances.

Kierkegaard claimed he wanted to force Regine away from him, so she would marry another man. It is possible he did not think himself worthy. It is also possible he did not want to deal with emotions associated with romance. Regardless, he tried to be ‘indifferent’ and drive Regine out of his life. In later years, Kierkegaard called his destruction of relationship a “self-inflicted wound” that caused him a great deal of misery. If he cared for Regine, as many believe Kierkegaard did, his need to avoid a relationship is not easily understood by most people. Intellectually brilliant, yet emotionally unwilling to deal with ties to others, Kierkegaard wanted to be alone and isolated from much of society. Nothing would tie him to society more than marriage.

1. The server should first show you bottle BEFORE it’s opened. Inspect label and vintage to make sure it is in fact what you ordered. Sometimes restaurant will be out of specified vintage and will bring you a different one. Now is time for you to decide whether this is acceptable.

2. After opening, server will present you cork. Simply make sure it is not dried out and cracked. Note: Sometimes white wines will form white crystals on cork. This is normal and is not a sign of a fault.

3. Then server will pour a small amount in your glass. Check aroma to make sure there are no strong, offensive odors that you know shouldn't be there (such as vinegar and rotten eggs). If unsure, smell again or ask your server.

4. Now taste wine. If trying a new type of wine that you are not familiar with, I would be extra cautious and ask waiter his opinion before sending wine back. It is not my policy to send back a wine that I just don't like unless server notices my reaction and offers a replacement.

5. Once you have tasted wine and feel it is not faulty, a simple nod or a “it’s fine” will inform server to start filling glasses. The server will now decant wine if necessary and then fill guest’s glasses first and finish with your glass.

Maintaining Your Glass

• In most fine dining establishments, server will refill your glasses as needed.

• If your glass runs empty, feel free to pour more yourself.

• Pour only to lower one-third glass. This lets air in and leaves you room to swirl — both of which enhance enjoyment of your wines.

Advice on Rejecting a Bottle

A good restaurant should be more than happy to exchange a bottle of wine for any reason but especially if there is reasonable doubt (a dried and cracked cork is good proof).

A good patron should give restaurant benefit of doubt if you are unsure, but do not let waiter bully your decision. If they give you a hard time, I would let tip reflect disappointment and advise manager on way out.

My advice:

Be firm, but polite. Return if necessary. But do not let a bad waiter or lousy management ruin evening for your group. You always have choice of taking your business to a restaurant who knows how to do business (Please customer!)

In Conclusion:

Ordering wine doesn’t have to be an ordeal, nor does it have to be scary or intimidating. Just remember these basics. Once you’ve gone through motions of choosing and accepting bottle with a sniff and a sip, you’ll be a real wine ordering pro.