Parshat Vayeitzei

At the beginning of this Parsha Yakov departs from Beersheva and travels to Haran. He spends the night on the way and has a dream in which a ladder extends from earth to heaven. Angels ascend and descend the ladder. God appears in the dream and promises that Yakov’s progeny will be a great nation.

Here’s a nice vort about these angels. According to the Sefat Emet, the ladder in the dream starts on earth and extends up to heaven. The foot of the ladder is in the physical world but rises to a totally spiritual one. In Pirkei Avot it says that worldly manners precedes Torah. The angels that rise and go down represent different angels. The ones that accompanied Yakov in Israel weren’t the same ones that traveled with him outside Israel. Angels that accompanied Yaakov in Eretz Yisrael are not the same as those outside Israel, just as Shabbat angels differ from those of weekdays. On Friday night we sing Shalom Aleichem, which refers to the changing of the angels.

 

Genesis 28:12 12. And he dreamed, and behold! a ladder set up on the ground and its top reached to heaven; and behold, angels of God were ascending and descending upon it.

This week’s recipe is about dreams. My mom used to make ‘dream’ squares which I thought would be a fine idea. When I looked for recipes for Yaakov’s dream I discovered a whole array of dream desserts: dream cookies, dream cups, dream bars, and dream puddings. I have no idea why. This one seemed yummy and it really is. This recipe comes straight from the Nestle’s website.

Double Chocolate Chip Dream Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (12-oz pkg) chocolate chips

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.COMBINE flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs for about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.BAKE for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are puffed. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

B’tayavon and have a great Shabbos!

Parshat Toldot

In this Parsha, Esau comes from the field and he is faint. Rashi says that he was faint from committing murder: כי עיפה נפשי להורגים (Jeremiah 4:31). He tells Yakov to pour him some of the red pottage because he is faint. Yakov was cooking red lentils because his grandfather Avraham had died that day. Rashi explains that Avraham’s life was shortened by five years so that שלא יראה את עשו בן בנו יוצא לתרבות רעה  — he would not have the grief of seeing his grandson falling into bad ways. But then he asks – why lentils? Rashi explains that they are round like a wheel and mourning “is like a wheel revolving in the world.” He also explains that lentils do not have a mouth or opening like other beans do. The mourner is like without a mouth as he is prohibited from speaking. That’s where the custom to feed mourner eggs comes from – they are round and have no mouth. From Mo’ed Katan (21b), it states that for the first three days of the mourning period, the person should not respond or initiate greetings. From the third to seventh days he can respond but not greet.

This week’s recipe is so obvious but how can I resist? Think of all those challenging Parshas about the Mishkan (tabernacle) that I struggled to find recipes for last year. Once in a while a recipe just calls out to you from the Chumash! So here it is…

UPDATE: Update: I tried a new lentil recipe and it’s so awesome I have to post the recipe. It’s called Egyptian Lentil Soup and I found it at Food.com. I made it tonight and it’s just so delicious. Much better than the regular red lentil soup pictured below. My dh tried this tonight and said, ‘this is restaurant soup!’

Egyptian Lentil Soup

• 5 cups vegetable broth or 5 cups water
• 1 cup dried red lentils
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 2 cups chopped potatoes
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 3 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• salt and pepper

Directions:

• Add the first 5 ingredients to a large pot; cover and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat and simmer 15-20 minutes or until the lentils and veggies are tender.
• Take pot from stove burner and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, add the oil; warm over low heat until the oil is hot but not smoking.
• Add in the cumin, turmeric, and salt; cook and stir constantly for for 2-3 minutes or until the cumin has released its fragrance (be careful not to scorch the spices).
• Set spice mixture aside for 1 minute to cool.
• Stir spice mixture into the lentil mixture; add cilantro, stir to combine.
• You can puree the soup, in batches, in a blender OR you can use an immersion blender and blend to desired texture (I like to leave it a little chunky).
• Add in lemon juice; stir to combine.
• Rewarm soup in soup pot; season if needed with salt/pepper.

Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/egyptian-red-lentil-soup-94673#?oc=linkback

Genesis 25:34 And Jacob gave Esau bread and a pottage of lentils, and he ate and drank and arose and left.

Regular Red Lentil Soup

• 2 cup dried red lentils
• 3 zuchinni, peeled
• 3 carrots, peeled
• 2  chopped onions
• 1 chopped potato
• 4 chopped cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• salt and pepper
• water to 2″ above vegetables

Cook 40 minutes and puree.

Parshat Chayei Sarah

This week’s Parsha offers the story of Avraham’s servant Eliyahu searching for a ‘shidduch’ for Yitzchak. Eliezer asks God for a sign that Yitzchak’s intended should display chessed by offering him to drink. As soon as Elizer arrives in Nachor, he immediately meets Rivka, whose kindness and modesty goes above and beyond his test. They return to Rivka’s house and by the next morning, the deal is sealed and he begins his journey with Rivka back to Avraham.

The story is not a long one but is told in tremendous detail – 67 p’sukim to be exact. Chazal were puzzled by the amount of space devoted to this interaction, given that the wording of the Torah is usually so economical. One of the answers is found in Breishit Rabbah 60:

“The conversation of the patriarch’s servants is superior to the Torah of the descendants” 

That poses a further question though. Is the everyday conversation of the Avot actually more significant than the Torah and its law? Rav Kook answers this.

These ‘conversations’ of the Avot (patriarchs) were also a form of Torah. This Torah was more elevated than the later Torah of their descendants, as it reflected the extraordinary holiness and nobility of these spiritual giants. Rav Kook explains that the reason Chazal referred to their words as ‘conversations’ was because that’s a term that refers to natural speech. He writes that

“the Torah of the Avot was like a conversation, flowing naturally from the inner sanctity of their lives and aspirations. Holy ideals permeated the day-to-day world of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to such a degree that these ideals were manifest even in the everyday discourse of their servants.”

The Torah of their descendants, on the other hand, lacks this natural spontaneity. It is a more conscious process that’s dependent on law to control all aspects of our lives. So the words and deeds of the Avot and Imahot are like living Torah, inspirational, and beloved by Hashem.

This week’s recipe is related to Eliezer’s deed in relation to negotiating for Rivkah’s hand in marriage. It says in Genesis  24:53. And the servant took out silver articles and golden articles and garments, and he gave [them] to Rebecca, and he gave delicacies to her brother and to her mother.

This was clearly a disappointment to Lavan, Rivkah’s brother. According to Rashi these delicacies refer to sweet fruits (מְגָדִים), that Eliezer had brought with him from the Land of Israel.

Since the most well-known fruit export from Israel is the orange I’ve chosen a recipe incorporating oranges.

Genesis 24:53 And the servant took out silver articles and golden articles and garments, and he gave them to Rivka, and he gave delicacies (fruit) to her brother and to her mother.

Citrus Spinach Salad

• spinach
• red onion, sliced
• sliced oranges or canned mandarins
• handful of soy nuts

Dressing:

• 3/4 cup oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons Dijon salad
• 3 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix and dress salad right before serving.

B’tayavon and have a great Shabbos!

Parshat Vayeira

The famous story of Lot, Avraham’s nephew takes place in this week’s Parsha. Threatened by the evil people of Sodom, Lot tries to appease them, but it only serves to stoke their anger. This incident takes place right after Avraham welcomes the three angels to his tent and offers a stark contrast between Avraham’s hospitality and generosity to the Sodomites barbaric cruelty.

Rav Kook has a beautiful vort on the salt of Sodom. He points out the Talmud’s connecting of Sodom and the ritual to wash one’s hands at meals. Washing hands before eating is a is a D’Rabanan mitzvah “similar to partial immersion in a mikveh (ritual bath).”

Mayim Achronim (washing before bentching) however in Talmud Chulin is for the purpose of removing the salt of Sodom that can blind the eyes. Rav Kook explains that the people of Sodom had a single-minded obsession with their physical self-gratification, to the point that there was no energy left over for kindness.

There is a certain danger in any meal we eat, in the sense that the physical pleasure we attain increases the “value we assign to such activities, and decreases the importance of spiritual activities.” Washing before eating is a reminder of the Kohanim eating from the Trumah and elevates the act of eating and it imbues it with holiness. To negate the physicality of eating we ritually cleanse after the meal to wash away the salt of Sodom,

…the residue of selfish preoccupation in sensual pleasures. This dangerous salt, which can blind our eyes to the needs of others, is rendered harmless through the purifying ritual of mayim acharonim.

This week’s recipes are salt-oriented.

First is Delish Fish.

(Bereishit 19:26) And his wife looked from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

This fish is sooooo good. It’s adapted from a recipe from Food.com.

Salt and Vinegar Potato Chip Fish

• 1 lb sole filets
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• mayonnaise
• coarsely crushed salt and vinegar potato chips

Directions:

• Arrange fish on pan. (Either line with parchment paper or spray with Pam.)
• Spread thin layer of mayonnaise on top of each filet.
• Cover with crushed chips, pushed into mayo.
• Bake at 400 degrees until fish flakes with a fork.

Recipe #2: Sweet baked potatoes with basil salt.

Sweet Potatoes with Basil Salt

• 3 sweet potatoes, cut into fry shapes
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped basil leaves (fresh)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

• Toss the sweet potatoes with oil and place on foil-lined baking sheet.
• Bake approximately 45 minutes at 400 degrees.
• After baking potatoes, remove from oven and toss with basil, salt and pepper.

B’tayavon and have a great Shabbos.

 

Parshat Lech Lecha

In Chapter 15 of Bereishit (Genesis) God tells Avram that his reward will be ‘exceedingly great.’ Avram responds with his concern — what is the point if he has no one to inherit his lot? Hashem responds in Pasuk 5:

And He took him outside, and He said, “Please look heavenward and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So will be your seed.”

Rav Eliezer Chrysler explains that the Gematriah (numerical value) of the Hebrew word ‘Koh’ (“so”) is twenty-five. ‘Kaf’ is twenty and ‘Heh’ is five. This served as a hint that Avram’s son Yitzchak would be born in twenty-five years. Avram was seventy-five at the this time and Yitzchak was born when he was a hundred years old. And of course Yitzchak is also the father of the future Klal Yisrael.

Speaking of stars, Rabbi Feigenbaum mentioned something that Rav Pam had said about the subject. All stars give off light but some light needs more time to travel as they’re farther away. He used this to explain that children develop at their own pace and their light sometimes develop at a later and different stage. The most important thing to remember, Rabbi Feigenbaum said, is patience.

In honour of looking heavenward and counting the stars…

And He took him outside, and He said, “Please look heavenward and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So will be your seed.”

Star Cookies

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• dash salt

Directions:

• Mix margarine, sugar, vanilla, and egg. Place flour on top. Sprinkle baking soda, baking powder on flour and gently stir flour. Add salt and mix the batter together.
• Bake at 375 for eight minutes.
• When cooled pour melted chocolate chips and white chocolate on top.

B’tayavon and have a great Shabbos!

Parshat Noach

This week’s Parsha includes an accounting of the story of Noach and the flood. The Parsha also tells us about the ‘Keshet B’Anan’ – the bow in the cloud. The rainbow acts as a sign of God’s promise – He will not destroy the world again. There are some questions concerning the rainbow though…

If rainbows are a natural phenomenon resulting from the reflection of light in water droplets in the  Earth’s atmosphere, than surely this would have occurred before the flood. If that’s the case – than how could the rainbow suddenly become a sign?

There is some disagreement about this issue among the commentaries. The Ibn Ezra holds that God only created the rainbow after the flood. The Ramban holds that the rainbows existed before the flood but was only assigned as a sign of God’s promise not to destroy the world after the Mabul. According to the Kli Yakar, rainbows did indeed exist before the Mabul (flood) but they weren’t really noticed very much. After the Mabul however, the rainbow assumed  critical significance because they understood the consequences of their sinning. So when they did Aveiros (sins) they were reassured by the rainbow that God wouldn’t destroy the world.

It does seem interesting that this Parsha comes so close to the Yamim Noraim (High Holydays) when God invites us to return to Him and assures us that any step toward Teshuvah will be welcomed. It’s a sign of reassurance in a time of reassurance.

In honour of the ‘Keshet B’Anan’ – the rainbow – I’ve done two rainbow recipes:

9:13 My rainbow I have placed in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Myself and the earth.

 

Bereishit 9:14 And it shall come to pass, when I cause clouds to come upon the earth, that the rainbow will appear

 

Here’s another one – I used 1 1’2 tubs of vanilla yogurt mixed with gel colours. Place each layer in the freezer for ten minutes before pouring on the next one. It’s a bit labour-intensive but isn’t this gorgeous!

Bereishit 9:16 And the rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will see it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and between every living creature among all flesh, which is on the earth

B’Tayavon and have a great Shabbos!

Parshat Bereishit

Happy new year. Or as my dad says, ‘you should have a good Kvittel.’

This week’s Parsha tells us about the beginning of our world. In 1905 Rav Kook was already dealing with the question of evolution, science, and the geological age of the world. His letter, written in Jaffa, appears in  Igrot HaRe’iyah and offers four basic arguments.

1. Prior to our counting of our era there were worlds that God had created and destroyed. (Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 3:7) The Zohar (Vayikra 10a) also states that other species existed beside Adam of the Torah.
2. Scientific theories are not absolute and subsequent research can result in their discrediting or disproving.
3. In Melachim Aleph 6:2 it refers to “the house that King Solomon built.” This does not include the process of  building the Beit Hamikdash whereby consultants, architects, designers, craftsmen, and workers actually put it together. As Rav Kook says: So too, if God created life via the laws of evolution, these are details irrelevant to the Torah’s central message, namely, the ethical teaching of a world formed and governed by an involved Creator.
4. The Torah reveals the story of creation in a way that is almost impossible to decipher. According to Rav Kook: Creation — which the mystics refer to as Ma’aseh Bereishit — clearly belongs to the esoteric part of Torah (see Chaggigah 11b).

Whether the six days of creation represent days, eras, or epochs, the unit of seven is a standard one in the organization of the world and of Torah. Seven days of the week correspond to seven  years of Shmittah and seven Shmittahs of the Yovel (Jubilee year.)

In honour of the number seven here’s a seven layered salad that would be perfect for Seudat Shlishi – the Third Meal.

B’tayavon and have a great Shabbos!

Genesis 2:2 And God completed on the seventh day His work that He did, and He abstained on the seventh day from all His work that He did.

Chag Samayach!

Many apologies for disappearing since Tisha B’Av.

I’ve been so busy taking care of other stuff. My professional writing has taken up more and more of my time so I’ve taken a bit of a hiatus and will resume blogging Parshas Bereishis. I hope. *fingers crossed*  I miss blogging Torah Portions because I loved being so incredibly connected to each week’s Torah reading through the development of my Parsha recipes. So please stay tuned and come back for the new cycle of Torah reading for Parsha insights and recipes.

In the meantime, have an awesome Chag Shukkot!

Tisha B’Av 5772

Watch this dreamy, beautiful video called ‘The Children are Ready,’ produced by the Temple Institute. It’s short (90 seconds) and combines great production values with a message of hope. The children are ready, but man, this entire world is in need of Mashiach– really soon.

(Devarim 3:22)

אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים וִירִשְׁתֶּם אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה הַזֹּאת

…and you will possess this good land.

Parshat Devarim – July 28, 2012

I want to quote something really beautiful that Rabbi Daniel Korobkin spoke about a few weeks ago when he talked about Moshe Rabbeinu’s punishment. Moshe wasn’t allowed into the land of Israel for the act of striking the rock (Bamidbar  20:11) for water. Rabbi Korobkin explained that this punishment actually resulted in a tremendous outcome for Moshe and for the Jewish people. What was this result?

Deuteronomy – Sefer Devarim.

If Moshe would have entered Eretz Yisrael with his people he would not have felt a pressing need to send them off with an inspirational charge that reviewed the Torah through his teaching. That’s a fifth of the Torah! All as a result of what must have felt at the time as a calamitous decree for Moshe.

In honour of their journey toward Eretz Yisrael I decided to do another olive recipe.

Olive Spread with Pine Nuts

Olive Spread

• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 -2 cup fresh parsley and/or basil
• 1-2 teaspoons fresh rosemary
• 1 cup pitted green olives
• 1.3 cup pine nuts
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

• In food process, process garlic, fresh herbs, and olive oil.
• Here’s the tricky part. If you don’t want to end up with a creamy consistency (which I got and wasn’t thrilled about – also it was too bright green) than add the olive, pine nuts, and peppers and pulse the food processor until coarsely chopped.
• Delicious on Challah or crackers.

B’tayavon!