Last night I was given a lovely compliment by someone who said he enjoys reading my weekly posts about the parsha with #parshainspiredmenus. He asked me how I long I've been doing it and while I began doing this project with Parshat Toldot in 2023, I realized that this week is the first parsha that I blogged! So, here we got with Parsha Inspired Menus #3 for B'Shallach.
This Shabbat is also known as Shabbat Shirah - the Shabbat of Song, as the people break into song after they cross the final hurdle in their path to freedom - the destruction of the Eygptians who were chasing them. In that moment our Torah tells us "...the people feared יהוה; they had faith in יהוה and in God’s servant Moses." The song they sing is one of triumph and redemption. And it hits differently for me this year. I have watched (and re-watched and re-watched) the videos of our freed hostages being reunited with family and friends. They are heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once. But when I read B'Shallach this year I thought of a video I saw from this week's release of Agam Berger. Her sibings and the 4 other observers from Nahal Oz who had
been realeased a few days prior (Liri, Daniellea, Karina, and Naama) watch from the window of the hospital as the helicopter carrying Agam arrives. And they break into song - a current hit in Israel "Tamid Ohev Oti" (God Always Loves Me). You can check out the full translation here, but a key part of the lyrics are
G-d, who is blessed, always loves me; and there will always be only goodness
And things will be better
And even better
And even better
And even better
And even better
And even better
And there will always be only goodness
These siblings and friends are also singing from a place of triumph in the face of terrible circumstances and relief of redemption. This year, Shabbat Shirah hits different.
So, in honor of Shabbat Shirah I wanted to highlight singing and recommend Microphone
Cupcakes for dessert. There are a few different ways to make these - including baking the batter right in the sugar cones, or making regular cupcakes and setting it in the cone, or making a cake, crumbling it and mixing with icing and then roll into balls and smoosh in the cone. Go with whatever you like best. Then ice and cover with silver sugar.
We are also introduced to manna in this parsha. Rashi, quoting Sifri, says that manna tasted like any food. In Exodus Rabba 5:9 it says that the manna descended with a taste varying according to the needs of individual Israelites. Everyone got the taste they needed. However, the original description of manna in our parsha is "The house of Israel named it manna; it was like coriander seed, white, and
it tasted like wafers in honey." Let's make something with coriander and honey! Check out this chicken dish or tofu dish (both based on a dish from Disney World.) Or if you're looking for a side dish - these roasted carrots look awesome.
If you want even more ideas, you can take a look back at the last 2 years of B'Shallach - 2023 and 2024.
Shabbat Shalom & B'Tayavon!
Comments