The traditional challah for the upcoming Jewish holiday, Rosh Hashanah, is round. But as this bakery demonstrates, other shapes offer symbolic meanings.
Challah is a rich, eggy bread baked every week for the Jewish sabbath, or shabbat. But for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year which starts tomorrow at sundown, it gets a few tweaks. There's a little extra honey or sugar, for a sweet new year. And instead of the usual long braid, it's shaped into a round.
Mimi Wilhelm bakes challah for her family every week, and teaches a challah-making class through Chabad Oregon. "The reason that we do the round challah, versus the braids, for Rosh Hashanah, is because the year is round, it represents that idea. This looks like a crown, for crowning God as king on Rosh Hashanah."
But crowns and braids aren't the only shapes around. Charles Levy grew up in Morocco, and is now the president of Congregation Ahavath Achim, Portland's Sephardic temple, which is largely made up of Jews of non Eastern European descent. Growing up, he saw Rosh Hashanah challahs in all sorts of forms. "Some of the people in Morocco will emulate animals. Like a swan, or often you'll have a head like lion, lion of David. Or gdi, which is like a gazelle, a very fine and good-looking animal," he says.
There are also traditional challahs shaped like ladders, keys, and birds. Like the round Rosh Hashanah challah, many of these shapes have symbolic meaning. They echo Bible verses, or represent things you want to get in the new year.
But they're also just meant to mark the holiday as something different something special.
According to Mimi Wilhelm, using challah to mark a sacred time is actually something that happens every Friday night when Jews celebrate the end of the week and the coming day of rest with Shabbat.
Although we call the whole loaf challah, Wilhelm tells her class that the word used to refer to just a small lump of dough. It would be pulled off before baking, and set aside as an offering to the priest. A special blessing is said, and then you hold the lump of dough in your hand. "And then you have this special time that you can think about whatever you want to ask God," Wilhelm says.
These days, people don't bring the lump of dough the temple they just burn it in the oven after they've baked their bread. But the idea of taking a moment holding the small bit of dough in your hands, and reflecting is still a part of the ritual. Willhelm says that it's especially important in our busy modern lives. "Three little children, running a preschool, I'm working all the time... There's not too many times in my day that I do that."
Simi Mishulovin, who helps run the challah class, is also a busy young mother. Like Wilhelm, Mishulovin uses her moment of reflection to think about blessings for her family, or friends that are sick, or just for appreciating all she has. Which, she says, is a pretty profound moment to come from flour and water.
"It's actually the most mundane of foods. It's a staple. And we use a staple of our life to connect to infinite," she says.
Mishulovin says that baking challah brings blessings upon the home, and helps transform the physical to the spiritual which, she notes, is one of our main jobs in the world. And she says we can do it whether the challah is braided or shaped like a crown, whether it's a regular Friday night or the beginning of a whole new year.
Mimi Wilhelm's Challah Recipe (via her sister-in law Chanal'e Wolosow)
yields about 5 large loaves
Bowl 1:
2 cups boiling water
2 cups cold water
5 tablespoons active dry yeast
cup sugar
Mix together the hot and cold water, then add the yeast and sugar. Stir, and set aside for the yeast to bubble while you prepare your dry ingredients.
Bowl 2:
5 pound bag of flour, minus 2 cups
2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoons salt
Mix dry ingredients together, then make a well in the center and add:
3 eggs
1 cups oil (Wilhelm uses a neutral oil, like vegetable)
Pour in the yeast mixture, and knead everything together until a smooth dough is formed. Cover, and let rise 1 hours, until nearly doubled (time may vary, depending upon the temperature of the room and ingredients).
When the challah has risen, turn it out and shape it into the braid or round of your choosing, and brush gently with a glaze made from an egg beaten with a few spoonfuls of water. Let the dough rise until puffy, about 45 minutes. When the rising has almost finished, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Give the dough another gentle brush of egg wash if you wish, then bake until fully cooked and richly browned, about 45 minutes.
Basic Christian: blog Bible Study Welcome To Basic Christian www.BasicChristian.org The Basics of Christianity ... and then some ... A Christian center with FREE Resources, Information and Links ... In the Media - News - Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters Chabad Lubavitch Official homepage for worldwide Chabad Lubavitch movement. Chabad Lubavitch is a philosophy, a movement, and an organization. Chabad is considered to ... Historical dictionary of sacred music - Upload & Share PowerPoint ... Historical dictionary of sacred music Document Transcript. HISTORICAL DICTIONARY OFSacredMusic JOSEPH P. SWAIN ; Historical Dictionary of Sacred Music ... The chef's companion,_third_3_ed_(manav)_ Flag as inappropriate. Select your reason for flagging this presentation as inappropriate. If needed, use the feedback form to let us know more details. United States of America travel guide - Wikitravel The United States of America is a large country in North America, often referred to as the "USA," the "U.S.," the "United States," "America," or simply "the States ... Sacred Mushroom of Visions: Teonancatl - Scribd Sacred Mushroom of Visions: Teonancatl - Read book online. VISIONARY PLANTS / ENTHEOGENS A compilation of scientific information, historical lore, and ... The Bread Baker's Apprentice; Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread The Bread Baker's Apprentice; Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread - Read book online. Co-founder of the legendary Brother Junipers Bakery, author of the ... Shofar Manuscript TABLE OF CONTENTS. FRONT MATERIAL. Title Page. Table of Contents About the Author. Endorsements Notices. Acknowledgements. Forward by Rabbi Dr. Zalman M ... OMEGA EMPIRE COMMUNICATIONZ - OEC - 2013 & AftaH blog on Myspace Feb 15, 2007 VALENTINES DAY! The REAL meaning Behind this evil satanic anti-YHWH PAGAN occult MYTH-DECEPTION. Current mood: busy. True Worshippers/Disciples The meaning of 11:11... Universal laws... Spiritual Laws ... If the symbolism of 11:11 is haunting you than this is a calling; for you are a Light worker... read...
No comments:
Post a Comment