The world was created in the article. This is how the Jewish story is told. Words are a creative force, not just agreed-upon signs that allow us to chat, gossip and roll small talk. On Rosh Hashanah, Jews celebrate the birthday of the creation of the world, so words are at the center of the ceremony.
So, with electrifying simplicity, I was taught from an early age. All year round we throw out words. Spout clichés. We release pages of messages into the air, and we don't mean almost a word that comes out of our mouths. But on Rosh Hashanah, oh, on Rosh Hashanah we literally eat the words. Break them down into syllables, remove thick layers of habit and tartar and play with them, and then eat them again.
Just look what we do to the word "head"! Once a year we return it to its original meaning. Basic. Neither "first" nor "most important". Neither the Prime Minister nor the Speaker. We just place it in the middle of the table. And another head of carp. Or, as in my family, a delicious stew made of cheek meat, and another bowl for vegetarians with a head of cabbage and a head of celery. Dip challah in sauce and eat your head. Literally.
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The success of this holiday table places it close to the popularity of the Seder, and not just because of the advantage applied to matzo. The people of Israel throughout the ages are quite fond of the concept. But what to do, most of the ideas that make up the Rosh Hashanah table were formulated during difficult and bitter years of exile. Between decree and pogrom, between Fritz and Cossack and between fear and terror.
The unfortunate result is familiar to most of us, and it is expressed in a fairly limited range of wishes and wishes surrounding this colorful and lovely ceremony. For years, the more cynical guys around the table have been around the table – and who doesn't have them in the family? - Make comments about the over-presence of "our persecutors, our haters and all those who seek our lives." Once we eat beets, and ask them to go away. Biting a date, and asking them to be orphaned. Then I cut down, that is, a leek, and ask them to be cut down, or to be devoured by a shark. And this, gentlemen, is neither very festive nor very mature.
Moreover, in this year, from which and its curses we will part without sorrow, we have proven to ourselves beyond a reasonable doubt that in order to make death for ourselves, we do not need outsourcing. Neither exile nor persecution, neither Cossack nor Fritz. We are a sovereign nation, and we know how to dismantle the home ourselves better than any enemy. Therefore, it may be time to let go of the obsessive presence of our enemies, persecutors and evil seekers, and invite up-to-date foods to the New Year's table that will correspond with more current troubles.
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True, this column does not pretend to be a cooking section, or to compete with the celebrated chefs who write later in the supplement, but as the holiday approaches, and as a public service, I am honored to offer several directions of thought. There is no doubt that each and every one of you can take them to creative, and perhaps even edible, places. I will never forget how much talent and effort my late mother put into trying to turn spinach patties (called "beets" on Rosh Hashanah) into something children can put in their mouths. And if it succeeds, we all have room to aspire.
For example, it is quite easy to assemble a dairy holiday feast, which will fit like a glove to the proponents of the separation plan. These amiable people finally gave up, they say. There is no common denominator, no trust and no future, but there are holidays and a table needs to be arranged, so here:
Pasta in Alfredo sauce will do the trick. Pasta, against "we closed the stall". And Alfredo - should it be said out loud? Not only will he wrap the dish in a white cloak, but will also close the corner for us with two requested puns - both the separation plan and the statements made by Mr. Pardo, the former Mossad chief, that something unclear has been going on recently.
To this beautiful dish I would add butter, which would correspond with the check, and French "shame" cheese. For dessert we will recommend Placinete, so that we will not forget for a moment the Hungarian lesson. And we didn't say a word about Strauss.
Happy holiday.
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Dropping enthusiasts will be able to feast hearty to sum up the past year. Government supporters will be happy to gobble up as much brilliance as possible and bite into the juicy sycamore fruit. The people of the education system will spread out nice chunks of quiche for themselves, and the corporate people will put tears on the fire. The hill boys will burn the shepherd's pie again. And all this will be accompanied by sparkling wine from the Chateau Distal Atabrian winery. Enjoy.
Come on, someone for whom the phrase "right over full" still does not evoke any irony, is not one to whom we can offer a dairy holiday meal. Our suggestion is to go for the full with all our might. Whole wheat rice is a matter of acquired taste, but whole wheat flour makes a pretty good quiche. And from whole wheat flour you can only guess what we'll get. Another word that starred in the past year was "internalize."
Ben-Gvir, Almog Cohen and other members slammed the media, the High Court of Justice, the Israeli public, the president of the United States, the universe and who doesn't. Indeed, over time it seems that we have all internalized. A stew of internal parts? Mixed Jerusalem?
Happy New Year
Apart from the holiday table, Rosh Hashanah is a day of soul-searching, but with us, everyone expects someone else to moderate, accept responsibility and show restraint. We are tired of speeches and demonstrations in which power-drunk personalities and vein apples call on everyone to show humility and recognize the limits of power.
The two words that celebrated our form this year were undoubtedly "democracy" and "dictatorship," and neither should be eaten. Both camps waved these two words, and they were a central and prominent element in each of the sides of the dispute. Each camp claims to be the true democrat, the authentic one according to the poet's intentions, and the even more original Abu Shukri of the democratic spirit. As in a game of mirrors, each camp responds with the same contempt to this claim. Yes of course... You're a Democrat, are you? You are giving democracy a bad name!
The same thing happens with the dictatorship. Everyone is sure that all the other wants is dictatorship. It screams "Supreme Court dictatorship," and it protests theocratic dictatorship.
There's good reason to believe them both, but they chuckle in response: "How can you even claim such a thing! I? Dictatorship?! A sweetheart like me, a beautiful and rooted Israeli, who served in the Nahal, Golani, 8200, the Air Force and checkpoints. Traditional like me, liberal, humanist, observant, secular but connected, moral and servant. How, for God's sake or the Big Bang, how can you claim to be in favor of dictatorship?!"
And the truth is that there is good reason to rejoice that many of us are determined to defend liberal values of liberty. But precisely for this reason, everyone, elected officials and judges and everyone in between, must embrace what they demand of everyone else. Recognition of the limitations of power. A drop of humility. A little less eternal and predatory behavior. These words are written at a time when it is not yet known what the High Court of Justice has decided. This hour will be a time of mercy and a time of will.
Happy New Year to us all.
shishabat@israelhayom.co.il
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