The Meal Offering
Everyone told me that finding ways to connect the Torah portion to a recipe and an interesting story or kid-based activity would get harder the further we got into the text. Sure, Genesis and Exodus are filled with interesting stories, but what about Leviticus? What was I going to do?
It’s true that as we move further into the text, we move further from the dynamic narratives that many of us grew up with: Abraham following God’s call and leaving his homeland, Joseph’s many-colored coat, baby Moses floating down the Nile etc. And I am sure that as we continue through the next three books of the Torah, there will be many weeks where I have to work harder to find a point of connection. But it kind of feels like this week’s Torah portion was meant for me: after all, it discusses the meal offering. What could be more perfect?
Upon their appointment to the priesthood, Aaron and his sons (the cohanim) are instructed that,
a tenth of an ephah of choice flour as a regular meal offering, half of it in the morning and half of it in the evening, shall be prepared with oil on a griddle. You shall bring it well soaked, and offer it as a meal offering of baked slices, of pleasing odor to Hashem (Lev. 6:13-14).
The idea of a meal offering is an interesting one. After all, does God eat? Rather, the Torah highlights the fact that God finds the smell of the sacrifices pleasing; the actual substance of the sacrifice is often consumed after the fact by the priests. So why does God want offerings?
I think this Torah portion helps us remember all the ways that food plays an important role in our lives beyond actual sustenance. We make someone else their favorite meal as a way of showing them that we love them. The smell of fresh baked bread or cookies feels cozy, or perhaps nostalgic, even if we never eat the bread and cookies themselves. Food is about memory, fun, and affection, even if (for humans) it is also about survival. The sacrifices are a way of showing devotion to God, and God finds them pleasing, even if God doesn’t need them.
This week, consider sharing with your children the idea that people used to offer God food, even though God does not eat, and the Torah suggests that made God happy. What are their favorite foods? How do they feel when someone makes that special meal for them? What do they like about the meal, besides it filling up their tummies when they are hungry? Do they like the way it looks or smells? Does it remind them of special occasions? This is a great chance to share with your kids about the foods you love too, and why you love them.
Homemade Naan
Recipe by Gimme Some Oven
Serves 8
The meal offering in this week’s parasha, Tzav, is described as flour prepared on an oiled griddle. The description immediately made me think of grilled or griddled flatbreads, like naan. While you can definitely buy naan at the store, it’s not that difficult to make it at home. It makes a great accompaniment to our favorite easy Indian-inspired recipe, a twist on butter chicken. While the original recipe calls for chicken meatballs, we use chickpeas to keep it kosher. This super easy main comes together in the instant pot in just minutes; throw it all in the pot, fry up your naan, and with a little prep (making the naan dough in advance), you can have a delicious, homemade meal ready in 30 minutes. Add a quick an easy vegetable side to round it out; we like peas.
Ingredients
1 cup warm water (about 110°F)
2 tablespoons honey
1 (0.25 ounce) package active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg
Instructions
In advance (make the dough)
Activate the yeast: Briefly stir together the warm water and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and give it a quick stir, then let the mixture rest for 5-10 minutes until the yeast is foamy. If it doesn’t foam, stop and try again with new yeast. This is why you “proof” the yeast first: you are testing to make sure it is still alive and active.
Mix the dough: Add the flour, yogurt, salt, baking powder, and egg. Using the dough attachment, mix the dough on medium-low speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth. (The dough will still be slightly sticky, but should form into a ball that pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl. If it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour.)
Let the dough rise. Remove dough from the mixing bowl and use your hands to shape it into a ball. Grease the mixing bowl lightly with cooking spray, then place the dough ball back in the bowl and cover it with a damp towel. Place the bowl in a warm location and let it rise for 1 hour until the dough has nearly doubled in size. Note: if you want to make your dough further in advance, put it in the fridge to slow down the rise. I often do this with my dough, and let it rise in the fridge all day. Depending on how much it rises, you may need to take it out of the fridge a bit early and let it finish rising on the counter before you start cooking.
Once you are ready to cook:
Roll out the dough. On a floured workspace, shape the dough into a circle and cut it into eight wedges of approximately the same size. Shape each wedge into a ball. Roll the first wedge out into a flat oval approximately 1/4 inch thick. (Don’t worry about the shape too much).
Cook the dough. Heat a large heavy non-stick pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat until it is nice and hot. Add a piece of the rolled-out dough to the pan and cook for 1 minute, or until the top of the dough begins to bubble and the bottom turns lightly golden. While it is cooking, roll out your next ball of dough. Flip the dough and cook on the second side for 30-60 seconds, or until the bottom is golden as well, then transfer the dough to a clean plate. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired, and the cover with a towel to keep the bread warm.
Repeat with the remaining dough. Adjust the heat on your skillet as needed to keep it nice and hot, but without burning the bread. Enjoy!
Want to gussy up your naan? See the original recipe at Gimme Some Oven, for ideas about how to make garlic-cilantro naan and other possible toppings. She also includes instructions to make the dough without a stand mixer.