|
“A Cup of Coffee
&
A Quick Thought”
|
Spark Of Jewish Experience
Pinechas
July 14, 2011
5 Tammuz, 5771 |
|
| Dear Friends,
In appreciation to the staff of The Afikim Foundation for all their help, and to Torahanytime.com for giving us the mic. We will soon be starting to display business ads. Anyone who would like to submit a business ad, please email me.
In this issue, there is a recipe for delicious Rice Krispies treats.
With profound regret and sorrow, we mourn the loss of Leiby Kletzky, the boy who was murdered in Brooklyn.
|
| Pinechas |
The women of Midyan were on a special mission, as advised and encouraged by the wicked Bilam, to seduce the Jewish men, especially the high-ranking Israelite leaders. One of these leaders who fell victim was none other than the head prince of the tribe of Shimon, Zimri. He was so smitten by the seductress, Kozbi, where he showed a shocking display of brazenness, he brought her directly to Moshe and the elders at the entrance of the tent of Assembly, and sinned in public view. Moshe and the authorities were frozen, unable to make a decision, figuring that every effort was futile because of the heat of passion the Jewish men were subjected to, due to the Midyanite women. The quick-thinking Pinchas grabbed a spear and, with divine help, marched through 24,000 loyalists to Zimri and killed both Zimri and Kozbi in their act of sin.
Between the holidays of Pesach and Shavuot, we mourn the death of 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva because they did not show honor to one another. We are taught by the Ari z’l that these same 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva were the reincarnation of the 24,000 fellow comrades from the tribe of Shimon who sinned by having such a blind loyalty towards their leader Zimri. Tragically, the students who came back to fix the mistakes of their ancestors weren’t able to do so, showing the same bad traits as Zimri’s tribesmen showed. In both time periods, they succumbed to extremism, which resulted in their demise. It is important to show loyalty, but not blindly and not without thinking. The support of the fellow tribesmen of Zimri towards their leader brought a huge disgrace to G-d and the Jewish people. When they saw their leader sinning they should have stopped to think and weigh the concept of right and wrong and not follow him blindly towards destruction.
Apparently, the students of Rabbi Akiva weren’t able to control their appetite to be their competitive best. They pushed at the expense of their brothers. These were great tzadikim, Torah scholars, and the students of Rabbi Akiva, and yet they succumbed to ‘going overboard in their quest to succeed individually’.
In both incidences or I should say in both lifetimes, they had to control themselves, be level-headed, and not to go beyond the middle grounds; not go to ‘extremes’. The tribesmen had to realize their leader, Zimri’s, mistake and not blindly protect him. The students had to ease up on their drive to succeed and feel a little more compassion for their fellow Jew.
We learn from this Parsha a valuable lesson about life; one has to find a middle ground; everything in moderation. One cannot be too kind or too stingy, too nice or too snobby. The Torah teaches us, ‘Don’t add to what I commanded of you nor should you detract from it’. Don’t go to extremes, do what the Torah and its messengers, the Rabbis, command of you and nothing else. Otherwise, that would constitute a transgression.
|
| Breakfast Cereals: Gun Puffed Whole Grain (Part 2 of the 6 Categories) |
It’s a lot of fun when your learning partner has a wife that’s a great baker. When it wasn’t suitable to learn in Yeshiva, we would learn at his apartment and almost always, as proper etiquette permits, there would be a dessert or cold drinks offered. One time, something familiar was placed on the table where we were learning. I couldn’t quite place it; my chavrusa (learning partner) once again extended his hospitality and I gladly obliged and it was delicious!!!! It was Kellogg’s Rice Krispies treats. The familiar rice cereal that goes ‘snap, crackle, and pop’ was sweet in a cake form and had chocolate on top. Single life can be tough and grueling; at times, after a long day of work, one has to rush and travel long distances to go on a date with a complete stranger. On one occasion, I was waiting patiently for my blind date to make her entrance from her room, when her mother, who anticipated ‘the long getting ready time’ surprisingly, offered a plate of Rice Krispies treats. Perhaps she thought she would score brownie points for her daughter by presenting this heavenly food; the mother swore that the daughter baked it. Although it didn’t work out with that girl, I must say it was a pleasant surprise in a very tense part of my life of dating.
One day, early on in my marriage, I mentioned to my wife about Rice Krispies treats, describing the good positive attributes of the desert. Where soon thereafter, lo and behold, l’kavod Shabbat and all, there it was! My wife found the recipe and walla!! (Recipe will follow the article.)
Brachot and cereal is a complex business. Last week, we described ‘oven puffed crisp rice’ (Rice Krispies) and we said the bracha is Mezonot. Cereal is made differently from this process and the next category, which is ‘gun puffed whole grain’ (Sugar Crisp). It’s either made from wheat or rice. The bracha is ho’adama. In this process, whole grain kernels are sealed in a chamber (gun), which is heated and pressurized. When the kernels are released (shot) the pressure escaping from the kernels causes them to pop and puff.
Rabbi Avraham Sebrow of Yeshiva Chafetz Chaim points out that in this process, the grain is not processed enough to lose its identity; therefore, the bracha is Ha’odama. Wherein ‘oven puffed’, the bran is removed, resulting in losing that whole grain status; therefore, it’s mezonot.
How important is it to make the right brachot on foods? The zohar alludes to a concept that’s quite difficult to understand. As punishment for transgressions done in this world, the soul returns and is entrapped in various inanimate objects; and the only way to be released is if someone makes the right bracha on it.
We see another lesson of brachot and that is the importance of unity. We should help each other out, at whatever state. This is why it is important to be meticulous in this matter.
|
| Rice Krispies Treats Recipe |
Ingredients
6 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
7 ounce baking chocolate
Directions
In a pot, add corn syrup and sugar on low flame to a boil. As soon as the sugar melts, add the peanut butter. (Unless you like eating burnt tasting treats, when the sugar and peanut butter are added, make sure they don’t burn.) Once the peanut butter is melted and the mixture comes to a boil, immediately add the Rice Krispies. Make sure all the added ingredients are combined. Turn off your stove-top. Your 9 x 13 baking pan should be coated with Pam oil spray. Pour the mixture in to the pan and even out. Melt the chocolate on a low flame, using the double boiler technique or the microwave. Just don’t burn the chocolate! Sprinkle the hot melted chocolate on to the Rice Krispies treats. Cut the Rice Krispies treats in to serving sizes and eat. Bon Appétit!
|
|
|
Sincerely,
Rabbi Avi Matmon
Spark of Jewish Experience
|
|
|
|
Leave a Reply