Judaism

What is Torah?

In Hebrew, “torah” literally means teaching, so the term ‘torah’ on its own can be used in a lot of the different ways. When I refer to the Torah, however, I am talking about the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. In Judaism, these five books are known as the Torah (or Teaching) of Moses, or, simply, as the Torah.

What is a Torah portion, or parasha?

Jewish communities read through the entirety of the Torah on an annual cycle (or, in some communities, a triennial cycle). On Shabbat, as well as at weekday morning services on Mondays and Thursdays, passages from the Torah are read out loud. Specific portions are designated to be read each week, so that the whole community can complete the reading cycle at the same time. Walk into three different synagogues on Shabbat, and you’ll hear the same Torah portions being read out loud from the Torah scrolls in each one!

Each week, I will draw connections between the weekly Torah portion (or parasha) and a recipe. Hopefully, this will help your family find paths to connection and conversation over a delicious Shabbat meal.

What is Shabbat?

Shabbat, or the Sabbath, is a day of rest. It begins at sundown on Friday evening, and ends when three stars can be seen in the sky on Saturday night. In the story of creation, in the book of Genesis, God creates the world in six days, and on the seventh day, God rests. Shabbat is a time to imitate that rest. Some Jews refrain from specific activities, like cooking or using electricity, on Shabbat, because these activities have been categorized as “work” under Jewish law (halakhah) and are forbidden. Other Jews may not follow those specific restrictions, but may try to spend time on Shabbat doing things they find restful or enjoyable. For many Jews, Shabbat is a time for special meals, spending time with family, attending synagogue, and/or taking a nap!

What is kashrut (keeping kosher)?

Kashrut, or keeping kosher, is a special dietary practice observed by some Jews. The Torah explicitly states that certain foods are forbidden for consumption. Later teachings by the leaders of Jewish communities, known as rabbis, clarify further how to prepare foods and which foods can or cannot be eaten. Many of the restrictions are connected to meat: certain animals cannot be consumed, and meat and dairy cannot be consumed at the same meal.

There are a lot of different ways of keeping kosher. Some people avoid certain foods or food combinations; others will only eat foods that carry a kosher certification, or hechsher, that attests that the food has been prepared in accordance with dietary law (this pertains not only to meat, but to prepared foods, like boxed macaroni and cheese). You might see symbols on food packaging, which show that a specific Jewish organization has certified the food is kosher.

Because my family keeps kosher, none of the recipes on this site will contain non-kosher meat products (like pork) or mix meat and dairy. Recipes will be designated as either dairy, meat, or pareve. Because pareve foods do not contain meat or dairy, they can be served with either one.

Some products are also difficult to find with a hechsher, especially if you do not live near a grocery store that specializes in kosher foods. In these cases, I try to recommend possible substitutions in the recipe notes.