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UNION FOR REFORM JUDAISM • DEPARTMENT OF LIFELONG JEWISH LEARNING •1 Shavuot— 6 Sivan The Jewish Parent Page is a publication of the Union for Reform Judaism and is written by Barbara Binder Kadden, RJE, [email protected]. Each issue of Volume IX of The Jewish Parent Page will focus on b’rachot, the blessings of Jewish life, that are connected thematically to the Jewish holidays. For more information on the holidays and how to celebrate them, access past volumes of The Jewish Parent Page at urj.org/educate/parent. The Blessing After Meals VOL. IX, NO.VII • SHAVUOT ewish The Parent Page “You shall eat and be satisfied and bless Adonai your God.” —Deuteronomy 8:10 Connections Shavuot celebrates two events:the revelation of Torah at Mount Sinai and the harvest of the first fruits. It also marks the wheat harve s t , 50 days after the barley ripens on Pesach. In addition to this agricultural connection to Pesach, there is a historical linkage because the revelation marks the climax of our dessert wanderings that began with the exodus that is celebrated on Pesach. On Shavuot we read the book of Ruth, the inspiring story of a Moabite woman who follows her mother-in-law,Naomi, back to her homeland of Canaan and adopts her ways and people as her own.A significant portion of this biblical tale takes place during the wheat harvest in the land of Canaan. Ruth gleans wheat in a field owned by Boaz, a relative of Naomi. Ultimately, Boaz and Ruth marry, and one of their descendents is David, King of Israel. Pirkei Avot reminds us of the connection between physical and spiritual or intellectual sustenance:“Where there is no bread,there will be no Torah.Where there is no Torah, there will be no bread.” (Pirkei Avot 3:17) The Torah tells us that when we have eaten and are satisfied we should bless God (Deuteronomy 8:10). In this issue of The Jewish Parent Page, in connection with the time of year when we celebrate both a successful wheat harvest and the monumental event when God gave the Torah to us,we focus on the blessing that thanks God for the food that sustains us.
Transcript of ewish The Parent Page - The Temple | Nashville,...
UNION FOR REFORM JUDAISM • DEPARTMENT OF LIFELONG JEWISH LEARNING • 1
Shavuot—
6 Sivan
The Jewish Parent Page is a publication of the Union for Reform Judaism and is written byBarbara Binder Kadden, RJE, [email protected].
Each issue of Volume IX of The Jewish Parent Pagewill focus on b’rachot, theblessings of Jewish life, that are connected thematicallyto the Jewish holidays. Formore information on the holidays and how to celebratethem, access past volumes of The Jewish Parent Pageat urj.org/educate/parent.
The Blessing After MealsVOL. IX, NO.VII • SHAVUOT
ewishThe
Parent Page
“You shall eat
and be
satisfied
and bless
Adonai
your God.”
—Deuteronomy 8:10
Connections Shavuot celebrates two events: the revelation of Torah at Mount Sinai and the harvest of the firstf r u i t s . It also marks the wheat harve s t , 50 days after the barley ripens on Pe s a c h .In addition to this agricultural connection to Pesach, there is a historical linkage because the revelation marks the climax of our dessert wanderings that began with the exodus that is celebrated on Pesach.
On Shavuot we read the book of Ruth, the inspiring story of a Moabite woman who follows her mother-in-law, Naomi, back to her homeland of Canaan and adopts her ways and people asher own.A significant portion of this biblical tale takes place during the wheat harvest in the landof Canaan. Ruth gleans wheat in a field owned by Boaz, a relative of Naomi. Ultimately, Boaz andRuth marry, and one of their descendents is David, King of Israel.
P i r kei Av o t reminds us of the connection between physical and spiritual or intellectual sustenance:“Where there is no bread, there will be no Torah.Where there is no Torah,there will be no bread.” (Pirkei Avot 3:17) The Torah tells us that when we have eaten and aresatisfied we should bless God (Deuteronomy 8:10). In this issue of The Jewish Parent Page, in connection with the time of year when we celebrate both a successful wheat harvest and the monumental event when God gave the Torah to us, we focus on the blessing thatthanks God for the food that sustains us.
2 • UNION FOR REFORM JUDAISM • DEPARTMENT OF LIFELONG JEWISH LEARNING
Recipe Corner
B’rachot, Blessings:Their Meaning and MessageBirkat HaMazon is made up of four primary blessings. The first blessing praises God for sustaining all creatures. The second blessing expresses gratitude to God for all God has done for us: the good land, deliverance from slavery, the covenant and theTorah.The third blessing asks God to have mercy on Israel, to restore both the Temple in Jerusalem and the monarchy of theHouse of David.The fourth blessing thanks God for God’s compassion and requests specific blessings, such as for the homewhere we ate, for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and to grant us blessings as our ancestors were blessed.
There are many customs surrounding the reciting of Birkat HaMazon.There are those who leave some bread on the table whilethe blessings are said as a sign of hope that there always should be food available to eat. Another custom calls for the removalof the silverware from the table, especially the knives, for the table is considered to be a mikdash m’at—a small version of the altar found in the Temple of Jerusalem, a place that could not have any weapons associated with it.According to the Talmud(Sota 7:1), Birkat HaMazon may be recited in any language.
When more than three people eat together, Birkat HaMazon is recited as a call and response prayer. The leader, called the m’zuman, begins the blessings by inviting the diners to join in prayer by saying or chanting, “Friends let us praise God.” This isfollowed by a series of statements back and forth between the m’zuman and the diners and then a series of blessings said inunison. On Shabbat and holidays, additional blessings are incorporated into Birkat HaMazon.
Family Discussion• We are to say a blessing before we eat and a blessing after we eat. How does that show our appreciation for the food? • Who should we thank: the cook who prepared it, the person who bought it, the farmer who grew it? • Why do you think we thank God for the food we eat? • In your opinion, is after a meal a good time to pray? Why or why not?
Birkat HaMazon is said at meals that include bread. Spendsome time baking these easy breadsticks with your family.Enjoy!
Easy-Does-It Aleph-Bet Bread SticksIngredients:11-ounce can of refrigerated soft breadsticks1 tablespoon butter or margarine melted2 tablespoons sugar1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350°F. Unroll dough and separate to form8 dough strips. Form each strip into a Hebrew aleph-bet let-ter and place on an un-greased cookie sheet. Brush eachstrip with the melted butter or margarine. Combine thesugar and cinnamon and sprinkle the mixture over thealeph-bet letters.
Bake for 12 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Removefrom cookie sheets immediately and serve warm withmaple syrup or jam. Makes 8 servings.
Family Activities for Birkat HaMazon• Decorate and laminate copies of Birkat HaMazon for your kitchen and keep them handy.• Mazon:The Jewish Response to Hunger asks organizations to add 3 percent to the cost of every meal they serve and then
donate that money to help fight hunger. Consider doing the same by figuring 3 percent of your family’s grocery budget. Or,each time you go out to eat, put 3 percent of the bill in your family tzedakah box.
• Birkat HaMazon includes the following statement: “In Your great goodness we need never lack for food;You provide food enough for all.” Is this true? Do people lack for food? If it is true that God provides enough for all, what is our role as God’spartner to make it so? Generate ideas to fulfill your partnership with God in feeding the hungry. Choose one or two as a family and carry them out.
UNION FOR REFORM JUDAISM • DEPARTMENT OF LIFELONG JEWISH LEARNING • 3
Shiru Shir Chadash Sing a New Song“Tot Birkat HaMazon” by Judy Caplan Ginsburgh is available on My Jewish World: Kids’ Songs for Everyday Jewish Living. Go to urjpress.com and search for item number 950093.
A Birkat HaMazon recording can be found on Shaarei Shabbat: Songs and Blessings for Your Jewish Home, produced by Doug Cotler.The CD is item number 950001 at urjpress.com.
Birkat HaMazon concludes with Oseh Shalom. Listen to a recording by Steve Dropkin on the Ruach 5761: New Jewish Tunes CD,urjpress.com item number 950078.
A Jewish Family’sBookshelf Birkon Mikdash M’at: NFTY’s Bencher, edited byJeremy Gimbel, URJ Press, 2005.This small bookis the only bencher from the Reform Movementand is the result of a vision of one of our ownyouth leaders. Go to urjpress.com and enteritem number 571400 in the search window.
Living a Jewish Life: Jewish Traditions, Customs andValues for Today’s Families by Anita Diamant withHoward Cooper, Collins (Reissue edition), 1996.This guide contains a chapter on Shavuot andmaterial on Birkat HaMazon.
Entering Jewish Prayer: A Guide to Personal Devotionand the Worship Service by Reuven Hammer,Schocken (Reprint edition), 1995.This book aboutprayer includes an entire chapter on BirkatHaMazon.
To Life! L’Chaim! Prayers and Blessings for the JewishHome by Rabbi Michael Shire, Chronicle Books,2000.This beautifully illustrated book contains material on every day blessings, including BirkatHaMazon.
Get Woven Intothe Jewish WebDownload a two-page copy of Birkat HaMazon.Laminate it and keep it in your kitchen.www.hillel.org/hillel/NewHille.nsf/0/f1761b35e9eecc0f85256a80005093cf?OpenDocument
Sing along with Rabbi Mark Zimmerman byclicking on the MP3 files on the CongregationBeth Shalom Web site. Look under the heading“Miscellaneous.” www.bshalom.net/audio.htm
You can visit the Hunger Site daily. A simple clickhelps feed the hungry. Make this a family projectto do every day before you sit down to eat.www.thehungersite.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/CTDSites
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Blessing After Meals Birkat HaMazonHere we include an abbreviated form of the blessing, from pages 26 through 29 of Birkon Mikdash M’at. Start to incorporateprayer into your eating routine by reciting the blessing over bread before you start eating and by concluding with this prayer.
