Shabbat Shalom!.
Shabbat Shalom!.
Ki Tisa Exodus 30:11-34:35
Torah Reading for Week of Feb 28-Mar 6,2010
Adar 14-20 5770
Parsha Ki Tisa continues with the building of the mishkan and
Hashem commanding Moshe to count the Jewish people. When
Moses who has been up the mountain does not return when expect-
ed, the people make a Golden Calf and worship it. This unthinkable act from a generation of people who had actually witnessed first hand the revelation at Mt. Sinai,. and have been told numerous times not to worship idols, is certainly difficult to comprehend . Moses descends from the mountain carrying the Tablets engraved with the Ten Commandments and seeing the people dancing around the idol, he breaks the Tablets, destroys the Golden Calf and has to convince G-d not to destroy the jewish nation. Moshe speaks on their behalf
"If You do not forgive them, blot me out from the book that You have written."
G-d forgives, but says that the effect of their sin will be felt for many generations to come. Moshe prays that the Divine Presence will remain in the midst of the people, and eventually Hashem renews His covenant.After the sin of the Golden Calf, HaShem commanded Moshe to take a census of the Israelites. The name of the parsha Ki Tisa means accounting of. We often feel that if Hashem would only reveal Himself to us, just once, it would be so easy for us to be motivated. This parsha clearly disproves this by the events of the building of this idol. Perhaps we need to take heed of one of the most important teachings that is also reiterated in this parsha, and that is the commandment of observing Shabbos. This was previously mentioned in the ten commandments, and now once again we are reminded, and commanded to keep the shabbos.
“V’shomru Bnei Yisroel es haShabbos la’asos es haShabbos l’dorosom bris olam
And the children of Israel shall observe the Shabbos, to make the Shabbos
for all generations as an eternal covenant. [31:16]”
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you labor, and do all your work; but the seventh this a Sabbath to the lord your G-d…”
Shabbat has been a vital part of Judaism throughout history and it appears that with all the time spent on “important obligations” perhaps now might be a good time to start thinking about just cultivating family ties and renewing spiritual values. Shabbos is an everlasting sign of unity between G-d and the Jewish nation. The Hebrew word for Shabbat, comes from the word shevet which means to sit or rest. Shabbat begins before sundown on Friday and last 25 hours until Saturday evening. In the Gemara it says that Hashem told Moshe
“I have a magnificent gift in my treasure house, called Shabbos, and I want to give it to the Jewish people. Go and let them know that they are about to receive this splendid gift”
On shabbos we restrain from doing that which we do the 6 other days of the week. There are 39 classifications of work that we are not allowed to do, this number comes from 39 types of labor used in the construction of the sanctuary in the desert. By abstaining from doing this “work” we affirm our commitment to our creator. Some of the more familiar laws that are prohibited are cooking, driving, handling money, telephones, lights, writing or tearing. We stop creating to realize who the true creator of the universe is.
Shabbos gives us the opportunity to stop and to realize the importance of family, good friends and of course don’t forget some great shabbos food. Jews have a holiday we can look forward to every week! There is an expectation of Jewish song and ritual which promotes a feeling of warmth generated from past generations. It is knowing that the Jewish community in all places around the world are celebrating Shabbat. Meals should be conducted in an appropriate manner with the shabbos table in and of itself considered a “seudas mitzvah” . We are directed to light candles, drink wine and eat challah as part of the Shabbat experience. At our shabbos table we discuss the portion of the week and we relate it to our life in the present. Many times we have guests. My favorite time is when my husband sings Aishe Chayill which is a poem from the final chapter of King Solomons book of proverbs ;it addresses the virtues of an ideal Jewish woman ; he then blesses our children, giving each one a special personalized prayer in addition to the traditional ones.
There are 3 obligatory meals we should eat on shabbos. Friday night dinner, Shabbos lunch, and Seudah shlishit which is referred to as the third meal, which is served before sundown.
Many of the shabbos recipes are perfect examples of how not only our traditions are passed down, but so to are fantastic recipes. I have given you some recipes which are typically used on shabbos. The challah recipe is from my friend nancy’s Bubbbe who lived with Nancy’s family when her husband passed away. Nancy remembers waking up on Friday morning and finding her house filled with the delicious fragrance of baking Challah.. Since no cooking is permitted on Shabbat, a traditional dish cholent(stew) is prepared in advance and stays warm over a low flame or a slow cooker all night. The cholent recipe is from my son-in-law whose mom used to make it and when she passed away it was handed down to him, since he was the only one of his brothers who liked to hang out in the kitchen and watch his mom cook. One of the best smells of the house is waking up on shabbos morning and smelling the cholent, whose flavors deepen as it warms overnight. The third recipe is a salad which is nice to have as part of the third meal.
The Gemara tells us to “Remember the shabbos day to keep it holy”
So enjoy your shabbos and may it be free of work and rich in rewards!
Shabbat Shalom,
Miriam
Nancy’s Bubbe’s Challah
(Makes 2 challahs)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 (1/4 ounce) packages dry yeast 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 tablespoon salt 1/2 cup sugar 2 tbl. honey2 cups warm water (80 -90) Glaze
1 egg, beaten poppy seed or sesame seed (optional) Directions
Mix 1 tablespoon of the sugar & combine it with the yeast& warm water
When yeast dissolves and becomes foamy add to the sugar, salt & 3 1/2 cups flour
Add eggs & oil.
Gradually mix in most of the remaining 3 1/2 cups of flour.
The dough will become thick and somewhat sticky
When the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, turn it onto a floured surface& knead for approximately 10 minutes. Add only enough additional flour to make dough manageable.
Place dough into a large oiled bowl turning the dough once so its oiled on all sides.
Cover with a damp towel & let rise in a warm place for 2 hours
After the 2 hours, turn your dough onto your working surface. cut the dough in half.
Roll and braid. Let rise about ½ hour.
Prepare your baking sheet lining it with parchment paper.
Preheat oven to 350.
After the challah has risen gently glaze with beaten egg & add poppy seed or sesame if you wish.
Put in preheated oven & let bake for 25-30 minutes!
Coca Cola Beef Brisket
Coca-cola was made kosher in 1935 and since then many of us have used it in our brisket recipes my good friend Shani makes brisket with coke and it is delicious.
3 - 4 lb. fresh whole beef brisket
2 tbl olive oil
12 oz. jar Heinz chili sauce
1 env. Lipton onion soup mix
12 oz. can Coca Cola Classic
1 ½ cup chopped onion
1 ½ cup sliced celery
2 carrots sliced
1 tbl paprika
2 cloves crushed garlic
Coat both sides of the brisket with the olive oil. Mix the onion soup with the chili sauce and then add the Coca Cola. Score the fat side of the brisket. Put brisket in roasting pan and pour sauce on top. Add the onion,celery,garlic,carrots and sprinkle paprika over top. Cover and cook in a slow oven (325 degrees) for 3 to 4 hours until meat is fork tender. Serves 4 to 6.
Red Onion and Sugar Pea Salad
2 cups romaine lettuce
1 1/2 cup bok choy thinly sliced
4 oz. sugar snap peas
1/2 red onion thinly sliced
3 vine ripened tomatoes
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tbs. white wine vinegar
1 tbs. lemon juice
hot pepper sauce(optional)
1/4 tsp. salt
In a large bowl toss together all ingredients
Allen’s Moms(Eli) Cholent
2 tbl olive oil
1 large onion sliced into 1/8th
4 cloves chopped Garlic
½ cup of barley
½ cup of rice
1 teasp. Black pepper
1 Tbl. Salt
3 Tbl. Paprika
2-3 potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
1 teasp. Oregano
1-2 lb. shabbos meat
Sauté the meat ,onion and garlic in olive oil and add to crock pot with other ingredients. Cover with water just about 1 inch over ingredients, can add raw eggs on top. Cook all night on low.ENJOY!
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Shabbat Shalom
