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Inspiring, mystical, and often surprising Chassidic tales combine with teachings and favorite Jewish recipes to nourish body and soul.
Stories and food have always been central to Jewish life, and in this book, they are uniquely tied together. Thirty-nine Chassidic tales, revolving around food and eating and accompanied by spiritual teachings, delve into the mysteries of the Kabbalah, the joy of the Chassidim, and the power of religious faith and acts (mitzvot). Sixty-three recipes highlight Kosher cooking and the special foods traditionally prepared for Shabbat and the major Jewish holidays, including such favorites as knishes, latkes, gefilte fish, brisket, kugel, bagels, and challah bread. Many of the recipes are suitable for children to learn to cook.
Contents
Introduction xiii
Part 1: Stories and Teachings
The Mystery of Kabbalah 3
The Mystical Cakes 5
The Mysterious City 10
Four Sons, the Feast, and the Godly Spark 16
The Tzaddik’s Evil Spirits 20
King David’s Psalms 23
The Three Worlds 28
A Seder without Spiritual Powers 30
The Miser’s Thirst 35
Coffee to Keep Me Awake 37
Drinking Medicine 41
The Yearlong Indulgence 43
The Shabbat Recipe 45
The Joy of the Chassidim 49
Why the Rebbe Laughed 51
A Taste of Eden 55
A Gift for the Rebbe 57
Sitting in My Plate of Food 60
Bringing Healing through Food 62
Stale Bread and Water 65
Herschel the Goat Lover 67
Bring the Tea 70
Dancing with the Food 72
The Greatest Seder 75
The Substituted Matzah 77
The Power of Religious Faith 81
The Sukkah Guest 83
The Tutor, the Prince, and the Bagel 87
Kosher Matzah for Passover in the Ukraine 91
A L’Chaim to God 93
A Glutton for God 95
The Choicest Pieces 99
But This Meat Isn’t Kosher! 101
Chofetz Chaim and the Challah 105
The Prodigy and the Butcher 107
But Is This Food Kosher? 110
Food Comes from Heaven 112
The Untouched Whiskey Distillery 115
Mitzvot! 117
The Bread in the Ark 119
The Holy Drunk 122
The Hungry Neighbor 127
Feeding the Poor 129
When Fasting Is Not Holy 131
The Loan That Led to Spiritual Delight 134
The Vinegar-Flavored Cholent 136
Is It Better to Eat a Little or a Lot? 139
A Messy Mensch 141
Part 2: Recipes
Cooking (and Eating) to Connect to God 145
The Jewish Holidays at a Glance 150
Shabbat 153
Passover 175
Shavuot 181
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur 185
Sukkot and Simchat Torah 190
Chanukah 192
Tu B'Shevat 196
Purim 199
Breakfast Dishes 202
Dips and Salads 208
Desserts 219
Year-Round Family Favorites 223
Recipes Index 231
A Glossary of Jewish and Chassidic Terms 233
Acknowledgments 237