PARSHA:
Artscroll Pg 366
Living Torah Pg 320

HAFTORAH:
Artscroll Pg 1152
Living Torah Pg 1105

THE FORGOTTEN MEAL

The hilarious MAD magazine once featured an article describing and illustrating those items that are overrated and those that are underrated. “Coca Cola” proclaimed the article, “is overrated”, whereas “a glass of cold water is underrated.” The article offered humorous contrasts between the things we pay attention to and the things that we don’t. I have often thought that a similar article could be written about Judaism. In the overrated list would be, amongst others: the Pesach sedorim, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, chopped herring, family faribles, talleisim and candles on Friday night. In the underrated list one could include: Shavuot, Tisha B’Av, tefillin, mikveh, succah and havdalah. Western Jews have decided what precepts they feel are important or appealing, to the detriment of many wonderful and vital mitzvoth that are largely ignored except by the very observant. One of these is Shabbat lunch, the poorer sister of her more famous sibling, Friday night dinner. For decades Friday night dinner has been viewed and treated as the primary and principal Shabbat meal. The lady of the house prepares the finest delicacies for the meal and lights the Shabbat candles next to the table, which is set with the best crockery and cutlery. Father makes Kiddush over a shiny silver goblet and the entire family gathers together for a good meal, where the conversation is as plentiful as the food that emerges from the kitchen. Even in the most secular of homes, parents insist that their children are present at Friday night dinner and that any social arrangements be deferred to Saturday night. But that’s where it ends. For most Jews Shabbat is Friday night dinner and even those who are more traditional and attend Shabbat morning services will not have a formal lunch after the services.