Parsha from The AFL-CIO

I have been doing this blog for nearly 8 months. I am always surprising myself by the source of inspiration (and the things I "lift") for my blog. That being said, I never thought that I would find souch a great D'var Torah for this Shabbat before Labor Day from The American Federation of Labor - Congress of Industrial Organizations. It was written by Brian Fink a student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
The challah cover is the work of Malka Dubrawsky.
ברוך אתה יי אלהינו מלך
העולם, המוציא לחם מן הארץ

Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, the One who brings forth
bread from the earth.This blessing, the “motzi”, the prayer that one says over bread at the beginning of a meal, is one of the most widely known prayers within the Jewish tradition. Every time we eat, and especially during Shabbat and other holidays, we are reminded of the ultimate source of our food. We bless God, the One who brings forth bread from the earth.It is very easy to take this prayer for granted, and/or ascribe this “bringing forth of bread from the earth” entirely to God. But then, when we start to think about it, it is wheat –
and not bread – that is the naturally cultivated product. Why then do we say a prayer of thanks directed towards the “One who brings forth bread?”
Zooming in, there are many steps involved in the “bringing forth of bread from the
earth.” Farmers plant the wheat, tend the crops and then harvest their produce. Once
harvested, threshing (beating the stalks, in order to remove the seeds or grains from the stalk) and winnowing (separating the fallen usable seeds from the fallen unusable chaff) needs to take place before the grain can be ground into flour. The flour is mixed with water and a leavening agent, forming dough, which is kneaded, and then finally baked. It is only after all of these steps that bread has actually come forth from the earth. By giving thanks for bread, the finished product, and not wheat, the raw ingredient, we recognize the partnership that exists between God and humanity in creating the bread that sustains us.
In the beginning of the Torah portion, Ki Tavo (Deuteronomy 26:1 - 29:8), which is read during the Shabbat of Labor Day weekend, we encounter a description of the First Fruits Ceremony, a biblical rite that sanctifies the divine-human partnership necessary for crops to flourish.
Each year, every farmer takes a representative sample of his “first fruits of the soil” up to the priest serving at the Temple in Jerusalem. At the Temple, the farmer recites a formula, recognizing God’s role in his successful yield and acknowledging the factors beyond his control that contributed to the success of his harvest.
However, at the same time that God’s role is highlighted in the recitation, it is the actual farmer, the specific person who tended these crops to maturity, who is required to take these first fruits up to the priest. In Deuteronomy 26:2, he is specified as the one who:
מראשית כל פרי האדמה אשר תביא מארצך אשר יהוה אלהיך נתן לך ולקחת
“… brought them forth from your land, which the Lord your God gave to you.”
As this phrase uses similar language to what would later find its way into the Motzi, I
would argue that in addition to the farmer giving thanks to God, this ceremony also
allows the community to thank and recognize the farmer for his role in contributing to the sustenance of the people.
Psalm 104:14 takes this concept a step further. Here, the psalmist describes God as the one who:
הארץ.-מן לחם,להוציא ;האדםועשב, לעבדת חציר, לבהמה,מצמיח
“… makes the grass grow for the cattle, and herbage for man’s labor; bringing
forth bread from the earth.”
In this psalm, God’s making the grass grow, combined with man’s labor, makes it
possible for bread to be brought forth from the earth.
On this Labor Day, and at every meal for which we recite the Motzi, may we remember
that it is only through the interplay between God and humanity that our food is able to come forth from the earth and arrive on our table. May we always remember to give
thanks. May we continue to strive toward a world in which all our labors are valued, especially the labors of those who contribute toward our food; from the farm-workers to the checkout clerks in the grocery store and everyone in-between. May we receive a living wage, treating each other with justice, human dignity and respect.
Shabbat Shalom.

Washing of the Hands and Breaking Bread

Traditionally, a ritual washing of the hands precedes the blessing of the bread. This washing is not for hygiene (which should be done first) but rather to help elevate ourselves spiritually through ritual purity and to help transform the Shabbat meal into a holy event. Using a special two-handled cup, water is poured over each hand three times, and the hands are raised up while the blessing is recited.

After reciting the blessing, it is customary to remain silent until the words of the Motzi - the blessing over the bread - are spoken. Our silence links these two devotional acts and helps invoke the presence of the Divine at our meal.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְווֹתָיו וְצִוָנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדַיִים:
Baruch ata Adonai eloheinu melech ha’olam asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al n’tilat yada’yim.
Blessed are You, our Eternal God, Ruler of the universe, Who sanctifies us with the mitzvot, and commands us to elevate our hands.

Just prior to the blessing, the cover is removed from the two loaves of challah, the special golden Shabbat bread, which is usually braided. The two whole loaves are placed on the Shabbat table to remind us of the double portion of manna that God provided every Friday while the Israelites wandered in the desert, in preparation for the day of rest, when no manna appeared (Exodus 16:22). Also, in the days of the Temple, the sacrificial ritual included two meal offerings on Shabbat, along with salt. In remembrance of that Temple ritual, some sprinkle salt on the challah prior to eating it. The loaves are lifted (in some homes everyone reaches to touch the bread) while reciting the blessing. The challah is then ripped into pieces or sliced and passed around the table, so that each person may have a piece.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ:
Baruch ata Adonai eloheinu melech ha’olam hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.
Blessed are You, our Eternal God, Ruler of the universe, Who brings forth bread from the earth.
The bread is shared and the Shabbat meal is served.

From Avi Biran, this natlah made of sterling silver and semi precious stones. I love that Avi uses so much humor is in his work which remains halachically correct!

Challah for life

"From the first of your kneading bowl, you shall lift up a dough offering (challah) to G-d." (Numbers 15:20)
The mitzvah of "challah" is to separate a portion of dough each time we mix flour and water to make bread. In the time of the Temple, this dough would be given to one of the priests. Today, this small portion is burnt and may not be eaten by anyone. Although both men and women may perform the mitzvah of taking challah, women have traditionally been responsible for carrying out this mitzvah and it is considered one of their special mitzvot because they are so intuitively connected to its underlying message.
By "lifting up a dough offering to G-d" we direct our physical foods, needs and urges to a spiritual purpose. The very dough takes on a new "life"--one that becomes consecrated for holiness, directed and hallowed for a greater purpose.

We are thereby accomplishing a merger of the physical with the spiritual.The mitzvah of challah teaches that Judaism does not confine G-d to the realm of spirit. Mitzvot involving physical activities make G-dliness the focal point of our lives. Challah reminds us that even within the world of the material, even while kneading together the most basic bread of physical life, we must suffuse creation with its G-dly mission of making our physical world into G-d's divine home.
By separating the small piece of raw dough, we negate the basis of the spies' mistake and we are reminded of the message of Sarah's life, attesting that there is no corner of earth devoid of G-d's presence.

From Iris Quilts, these lovely challah covers for your Shabbat table. Good Shabbos to you and yours.