Shabbat Spice

From the Talmud, Shabbat 119a, Genesis Rabah 11:4

Rabbi Judah HaNasi prepared a meal for the Roman Antoninus on Shabbat.

Cold dishes were set before him; he ate them and thought they were delicious. On another occasion, Rabbi Judah made a meal for him during the week, when hot dishes were set before him. Antoninus said to Rabbi Judah, ” I enjoyed those other dishes more. Why did they have such a fragrant odour?”

Rabbi Judah replied, “We have a certain spice called Shabbat, which we put into it. That is what gives it a fragrant odour?”

Antoninus requested,”Give me some of it, so that I may add it to the royal pantry.”

Rabbi Judah answered, “I am sorry, but this spice cannot be given away, it only works for those who keep Shabbat.”

What is the Shabbat spice? I think back to the ‘Shabbeses’ of my childhood. As I walked home from school on a Friday afternoon, overpowering the smell of chocolates- my home was almost adjacent to Neilson’s chocolate factory-was the smell of chicken soup and roasted or boiled chicken. It was always the same (my dad’s favourites) chicken and soup, one really overcooked green vegetable, some mashed potatoes and store-bought challah and a delicious strudel my mom would bake!

We lost my dad when I was 13, but the Shabbat meal remained the same. My mom would light the “shabbos” candles, the blessings would be said over the wine and challah, and my sister, mom and I would enjoy the spice of Shabbat, missing me dad so deeply.

As time passed, like many teens, I seemed to let Shabbat sometimes fall by the wayside- there were school events, parties, then there was university. Then the time came for me to make ” Shabbos” with my husband and our kids. But life is busy, and there were hockey games and school events and part time jobs, and once again Shabbos was not quite Shabbos.

And that brings me to the present. Life is still busy, but there is not only more time but a greater need to make Shabbat. And the shabbat spice is stronger than ever. As we gather, whichever of my kids, grandkids, friends, relatives, around the Shabbat table, the room is filled with that beautiful spice. It is a room filled with love, with support, with good natured bantering, and, for me, it is a room filled with the memories of my late parents and sister and two brothers, of my beloved husband Ron, of his parents, and 2 siblings who are also gone from us. I look around the room at my family, and I see our Jewish future. I see family together, and I thank God for the spice of Shabbat!

Filed under: Educator's Message

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