Jewish Gifts and Knowledge

I attended a Bar Mitzvah this past Shabbos.

The boy is a Yeshiva day school student and was reading the entire Torah portion.

And that’s no small feat for anyone.

But this young man was presented with a very unique challenge.

In the middle of the Torah reading?

His nose started bleeding!

Amazingly, he didn’t lose it!

He read a little further, stopped, got the bleeding under control and read again.

And like just about every synagogue on Shabbos?

There was a doctor in the house!

He came up and did what was necessary to actually stop the bleeding

Everyone felt bad for the poor Bar Mitzvah boy.

And like many others, I wished I could think of something encouraging to say to the boy.

It was the doctor who came up with it, and he said to the Bar Mitzvah…

“Today, you personified the strength of the Jewish People…

Many times in our history we got “bloodied”…

But we kept on going!”

… And this really spoke to me!

I’m sure you remember my Uncle Jack.

As I told you recently, he grew up in Riga, Latvia.

He’s one of the very few survivors of the Riga ghetto.

And he spent his “teenage years” in more “camps” than I can remember

He’s also one of the very few who survived a concentration camp called Stutthof.

He was on a “death march” when the Russian Army liberated him on March 10th, 1945.

… Yesterday was an amazing day for him.

He celebrated a very special simcha (joyous occasion).

It was a bris, a circumcision.

Of his great grandson!

That’s something amazing for anyone to celebrate.

But for my Uncle Jack! A holocaust survivor!

It’s beyond comprehension!

… I just spoke to Uncle Jack and he told me something else amazing.

(Just about everything he tells me is amazing!)

He was coming back from the celebration with his son and with his grandchildren.

(The grandfather of the new baby and his kids.)

And what did his son do?

He took out a book of the Talmud and started reading.

And they all studied it together.

… My Uncle Jack suffered in ways we can’t imagine.

He was “bloodied”.

But like the doctor said to the Bar Mitzvah boy,

Uncle Jack kept on going. He rebuilt his life.

And like the Bar Mitzvah boy? He kept reading the Torah!

He just returned from the birth of a great grandchild.

With three generations learning Torah together!

All the best,

Rabbi Moshe Katz

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It’s been a long time since we celebrated a Passover Seder at my parent’s

home. My mother had changed the dishes, cleaned the refrigerator & stove,

used a feather and candle to be sure all of the chumetz were removed, and

we switched to “Kosher for Pesach” foods.

As our relatives and guests entered our home, they kissed the mezuzah,

which was on the doorpost of our house. We also had personalized

mezuzahs by our bedroom doors.

Our guests brought us beautiful Jewish gifts. We received candlesticks, matza

plates, Kiddish glasses, cute aprons, platters with Passover pictures

painted on them and many other Jewish gifts.

Each person was asked to recite a part of the Passover story from the

our beautifully illustrated Hagodahs, which were written in both English and Hebrew.

There were separate Hagodahs with easy-to-read text for the younger children.

Each year a different child asked the four questions as our family

continued to increase in number. As the child finished, his or her

parents would kvell with pride at the recitation.

After a couple of hours of prayers, we began to pass around the foods on

the beautiful Seder plate: haroses, matzoth, gefilte fish etc. We would open the door

for Elijah to be welcomed to the dinner. For the children, it was

exciting to think someone might mysteriously enter the house and join us.

Then the dinner began…from chicken soup with matzah balls to brisket to

potatoes. We also had mandrel brot, chocolate cake, sponge cake, and

cookies for dessert.

After dinner, with stomachs full and eyes getting droopy, we sang

songs… with some of the men pounding the table to the beat of the song.

Some of us had practiced the songs from recordings. The children went

to play with their Jewish holiday gifts as they waited for the dishes to be

cleared. Later, everyone kissed one another goodbye.

As a child, the Seder seemed to go on forever. Now, as an adult and with

my parents deceased, it is one of my favorite memories…those of my

father leading the prayers and my family participating in a very

ritualistic experience. During the Seder, we told the story of the

Egyptians and the Jews. It was a story of our history and made us proud for being Jewish. It also gave my extended family a

perfect time to spend a warm and friendly evening together.

by Susie Klein

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If you are invited to a special occasion and you are searching for Jewish gifts to offer up, then you have a lot of options to consider. Before you bring a Kosher gift, however, you may want to learn more about what Kosher exactly means.

In the last post, I explained what the basic laws of Kashrut are, different reasons for following them and why they are important. I also explained that the laws of Kashrut call for three separate categories: meat, dairy and pareve (neutral). In this post, for those who want a better explanation of what a Kosher gift is, I will dive down deeper into these essential categories.

What is Kosher meat?

There are different tiers of Kosher meat and it starts off with a Kosher animal. The book of Leviticus says, “Whatsoever parted the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud… that ye eat.”

This line is outlining the animals that Jewish people are allowed to eat. In simple English, any animal that has a split hoof and chews its food twice after sent up from its first stomach. The animals must have both of these qualities to be considered Kosher. The following are examples of Kosher animals:

• Cow
• Sheep
• Deer
• Goat

The following animals are NOT Kosher:

• Pig
• Rabbit
• Squirrel
• Horse
• Camel
• Bear

The quality of the animal and, thus, the meat you eat is of very high standard in the Jewish religion. For that reason, no animals of scavenger or predatory status are allowed. Furthermore, insects, worms, reptiles nor amphibians are deemed Kosher.

How to slaughter Kosher animals?

In order to remain Kosher, animals must be properly slaughtered. The general idea is to slaughter the animals in the most humane manner possible. That means the animal is under no fear and no stress.

A blade, which must be sharpened to a certain degree to ensure a swift and clean cut, is used to execute the animal. The blade must hit a specific artery in the throat of the animal to ensure a quick death that is as painless as possible. During this episode, a rabbi must be present to witness the event and ensure that the animal was slaughtered accordingly.

How to prepare the Kosher animal?

It is forbidden to consume blood in any manner. Therefore, specific steps must be taken to prepare an animal after slaughter. Immediately after the killing, the animal must be drained of the blood and soaked in salt water to ensure the evaporation of any remaining blood. In fact, those keeping Kosher must check all eggs for drops of blood and dispose of any eggs that contain blood.

There are certain parts of the animal that one is not allowed to consume. For example, any meat around the hide region is not allowed. Finally, in order for the meat to remain Kosher, it must continue to be prepared in a fully Kosher kitchen using only pots, dishes and utensils that are meant only for the meat products.

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When you give a Kosher gift to someone, it means that the kitchen in which the food was prepared observes all of the laws of Kashrut, or Kosher. It is only acceptable to bring food from one’s home to another’s home as a kosher gift if the two families are close enough to know that the other absolutely keeps all the laws of Kosher.

For the most part, religious families will not eat food from a person’s home that they don’t know well because of the chances that the person unknowingly breaks the laws of Kosher or in the case that one family keeps Kosher to a lesser degree than the other.

Kosher means ‘fit,’ or ‘proper’. In order to maintain a truthfully Kosher kitchen, many rules must be followed. All the rules may be confusing at first, but after some time the rules become second nature.

The main three categories to remember are dairy, meat and pareve. While dairy and meat can never be paired together (“Thou shall not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk,”), pareve foods can be paired with both dairy dishes and meat dishes.

In order to keep everything separate and maintain cleanliness, three different sets of pots, plates, utensils and everything kitchenware is needed. One set is to be used for dairy only, while another set is for meat only and the third set is for Passover only.

In strictly Kosher kitchens, and whenever the means are possible, Jewish families may have two different sinks for washing meat and dairy dishes and two different refrigerators for storing meat and dairy. If not in a residential home, this is certainly true in a Kosher caterer’s kitchen or a synagogues’ kitchen.

When you order a Kosher gift from a caterer or Kosher meals for certain individuals at your party, the package will come sealed with plastic and stickered with a label which lets the person(s) know that the food was prepared in a strictly Kosher kitchen that was overseen by a Rabbi.

Look for the next post which will more sufficiently break down the rules of Kosher, define the differences between Kosher and non-Kosher animals and explain the meaning of pareve.

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There are always the classic gifts to consider when you are invited to a Jewish wedding ceremony. If the couple is religious, it is sometimes risky to stray too far from the ordinary. So, if you receive an invitation to attend a Jewish wedding, consider these Jewish wedding gifts to give:

• Candle stick holders: in a religious home, these will be used every Friday and Saturday, so a good pair is essential. However, you can make the Sabbath extra special for the soon-to-be wedded couple if you find a pair of candle stick holders that have extra flare, elegance or design. Ones covered in sparkles or gems may be beautiful, or others that feature a colorful pattern. You can also go very simply and elegance with sterling silver holders that stand tall and stylish. Traditionally, the mizvot of lighting the candles on the Sabbath is the mother’s responsibility, so it is just fine if the candle stick holders you find have a bit of a girly design.
• Mezuzah: every Jewish home must have a mezuzah on their front door post, if not on every door in the house. You can find unique mezuzahs with fun prints and designs on them, or elegance ones with abstract designs that can sometimes take up six to 10 inches on one’s wall! Find one that can be engraved with the couple’s wedding date and names or find a simple one that speaks of elegance and happy occasions. The couple can never have too many of these, since religious couples need one for every room in the house.
• Menorah: the eight- tiered candle holder for Hanukah is a popular gift because everyone celebrates this holiday and everyone needs a menorah in order to do so. The styles of menorahs that are available today are endless: fun cartoons, stylish sterling silver casings, tv themed menorahs, classic looking menorahs, artsy abstract menorahs and even personalized menorahs. Choose one that reminds you of the soon to be wedded couple so they can use it during that special time of year and keep it on display in home year round.

Shopping for Jewish gifts is not a difficult task, but finding the right piece that is truly unique may require a bit more time than usual. Just be sure to scout out all your options before making your choice. In the end, so long as you have put genuine thought into the mission, the lucky couple will be extremely grateful no matter what!

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Many modern brides spend countless hours picking out the perfect bridal gown for the big day. After the special gown has been chosen, the crowning glory is the perfect veil that sits atop her pristine hairdo and acts as the finishing touch to her bridal ensemble.

What many modern brides do not realize is that they have the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony to thank for that long veil and for adding to the eternal alluring mystery of the classic beautiful bride.

It is believed that the tradition of wearing the veil started when Jacob, son of Rebekah, went looking for his mother’s brother, Laban. Upon arrival, Jacob met Laban’s youngest daughter, Rachel, while she was tending to a lamb. The Torah describes Rachel to be “lovely in form and beautiful” and not long after meeting her, Jacob fell in love.

He then asked Laban for permission to marry Rachel. Laban then agreed to give his daughter’s hand in marriage in exchange for seven years of servitude. Jacob agreed and the Torah goes on to explain that he was so in love with Rachel that those seven years seemed like only days. When the Jewish wedding ceremony was finally upon them, Laban was up to a scheme.

He dressed his oldest daughter, Leah, in a wedding dress and covered her face with a veil. He then sent her to the chupah (wedding canopy) to marry Jacob. The next morning, Jacob woke up to realize the switch and was very angry with Laban, who rationalized the scheme by explaining the importance of the oldest daughter marrying first.

Jacob then negotiated to work for Laban for another seven years in exchange for Rachel’s hand in marriage. Laban agrees and Jacob delivers his end of the promise once more. In the end, Rachel and Jacob finally partake in the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony that united them together in their love for eternity.

The Torah tells us of a beautiful story about love and romance and deceit. In honor of Rachel, the tradition of covering a bride’s face with a veil was created and has lasted thousands of years to even grace the traditions of the modern bride. Although veils now range in every color, material and length, the concept got its roots in the Jewish religion.

Every time you see a bride and her veil, think of Jacob and Rachel, whose love was strong enough to withstand 14 years of simply waiting for one another and who is deemed as one of the most romantic couples of the Torah.

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When someone close to you moves into a new residence, one of the best Jewish gifts you can give is a mezuzah, which means doorpost in Hebrew. The mezuzah is a piece of parchment that is contained in a decorative case. The mezuzah is also inscribed with certain Hebrew verses from the Torah.

The mezuzah is one of the most important Jewish gifts that have religious significance for a newly married couple. Some people interpret Jewish law to require a mezuzah on every doorway in the home.

However, a mezuzah should not be put on doorways of bathrooms or closets that are too small to be considered an actual ‘room’.  Many Jewish people place a mezuzah only on the doorpost of the front door entrance to their home.

To ensure that the mezuzah is Kosher, the parchment should be prepared by a qualified scribe who checks the mezuzot parchments for defects. This is a very meticulous process and every detail of the parchment paper is examined. As a result, genuinely Kosher parchment paper is often sold for around $150 or more.

Let’s say you give your son or daughter a mezuzah, but what if they don’t know how to properly affix a mezuzah?

Here are the instructions according to Halakha (Jewish rules) on how to properly affix a mezuzah to your doorpost:

• The mezuzah should be placed on the right side of the door.

• Place the mezuzah in the upper third of the doorpost.

•  Jewish law requires that all mezuzot be attached within 30 days of moving into an abode outside of the state of Israel.

•  For a residence in Israel , the mezuzah is attached immediately upon moving in.

• Any Jewish person can recite the blessing if that person can understand the importance of the blessing. That means men, women and children are fair game.

• When attaching several mezuzot, you only have to say the blessing once after putting up the first mezuzah.

Many Jews throughout the world, even those who are not religiously observant, affix a mezuzah to their front doorposts. This is one of the most important of all the Jewish gifts you can give a person who is important to you.

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… Last Shabbat Jews all over the world read the Torah portion of ‘Kedoshim’.

The Torah tells us that we need to be holy. To live spiritual lives.

Which is not surprising.

After all, what’s a Bible without talking about holiness?

What religion doesn’t talk about spirituality?

But what is surprising?

What the Torah considers a holy life.

The portion starts by telling Moshe…

“Gather all the Jews together. And tell them to be holy.”

It’s making a point.

Who’s supposed to be holy? A select few?

No. Every single one of us!

And there’s another point.

When we talk about being holy?

There’s a great way to do it.

A monastery!

It’s pretty easy to be spiritual there!

Or you can go to the top of a mountain and meditate all day.

The Torah doesn’t consider that holiness. It considers it something else.

A cop out!

Because in Judaism spirituality isn’t about withdrawing from the world.

It’s about interacting with other people but living an elevated life.

About joining with other people to help make this a better world.

And it’s about how we deal with other people.

Some of the examples of holiness in this Torah portion?

Not speaking lashon harah, gossip.

Because being holy isn’t just about connecting to G-d.

It’s about seeing G-d in every human being.

About giving them respect and dignity. And not focusing on other people’s shortcomings.

Another example of holiness?

A farmer leaving the corner of his field for the poor.

Because you can’t connect to G-d if you don’t take care of His children!

… I visited a holy place recently.

No. I wasn’t in Israel. I didn’t go to the Western Wall.

And it wasn’t even a synagogue.

It was at the JCC in Northbrook!

I hope this rings a bell. That it reminds you of the e mail flyer you just got.

I was at the KJ Café.

It’s something very unique. And very holy!

KJ Café is staffed by young Jewish adults with special needs.

And it helps give them dignity and respect.

And I want to personally invite you to be part of it.

Please join me at the CTN Lunch, Learn & Mitzvah!

The food will be provided by KJ Café, and lunch will be followed by one of my favorite workshops, ‘Living Life to its Fullest’: Judaim’s powerful tools for getting greater pleasure and meaning out of life. (Click HERE for complete details and to register.)

I really hope you will join me for a great lunch, great learning and a great mitzvah!

All the best,

Rabbi Moshe Katz

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Passover is around the corner!

And I wanted to share one more thing about my Uncle Jack.

… At the Seder we celebrate our freedom.

But first we remember our suffering as a People.

Our slavery in Egypt and the many enemies who have tried to destroy us.

Why is it so important that we do that?

Because the Torah teaches that being persecuted does not give us rights.

It gives us responsibility.

To remember what it means to be persecuted.

And to always be sensitive to others who are in pain or in need.

… At our family Seder this was not just philosophy.

Not with Uncle Jack at the table!

After liberation my uncle studied radio mechanics at an Ort vocational school in Germany.

And he arrived in America all alone in November of 1947.

With seven dollars in his pocket!

He worked very hard and became a successful television and radio repairman.

(You’re probably too young to know what that was.

There was a time when if something broke?

You didn’t throw it out. You actually had it fixed!)

… When I was a kid my father was in the retail business.

At one point he needed to make a career change.

And he didn’t have any training in anything else.

What did my Uncle Jack do?

A man whose humanity the Nazis wanted to destroy?

And who they hoped would be reduced to an animal and think only of self preservation

He taught my father, his brother in law, the business!

His attitude was?

“There’s enough out there for both of us!”

Despite the fact that my Dad lived in the same neighborhood.

And would be serving the same pool of people!

… My Uncle Jack will be with his family for the Seder.

But I will always think of him at our Seder.

And I hope that you will too!

All the best,

Rabbi Moshe Katz

Director

Chicago Torah Network

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The holiday of Purim is behind us.

And as important as the celebration of a Jewish holiday is?

It’s also important that we take something with us.

That are lives are somehow different.

Here’s something I was thinking about on Purim.

And something I hope to think about every day as well.

… I mentioned in my last Torah Minute that G-d’s name is not in the Megillah.

Because G-d was there, but He was hidden.

There was no “splitting of the sea” like on Passover.

Purim is a day that we need to look deeper to see G-d.

To see that He was there pulling the strings.

… It’s one of the most fundamental Jewish teachings.

Every human being is created in the Image of G-d.

There is something G-dly in every person.

And with some people?

G-d’s presence is like the splitting of the sea!

You can’t miss it.

With others?

You need to look a bit closer to see it.

And sometimes we meet someone and…

“It just isn’t there.”

The holiday of Purim should remind us that the problem is with us.

That we need to look deeper. And deeper. To see beyond the external.

And if we do that with every person we meet?

We will find the Image of G-d!

All the best,

Moshe

Rabbi Moshe Katz

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