Food is, of course, central to Jewish life, but its role is to nourish us, not only from a nutritional point of view, but also from a spiritual and religious one.
Many of our festivals are now instantly associated with certain types of dishes – for example, cheesecake on Shavuot or apple cake on Rosh Hashanah. But what is the source of these symbolic links and how have they evolved?
The Torah itself contains no recipes, and food is rarely mentioned except in the context of the dietary laws and sacrifices. However, subsequent generations of Jews have created powerful and highly symbolic links to food, in order to assist with the celebration of key events.
In addition, the Gemara does discuss specific foods that it says are symbolic of a positive good attribute or have names that are linked to or sound similar to words that indicate some sort of good fortune.
As Rosh Hashanah approaches, I have chosen some foods with interesting symbolic connections to the festival for us to consider as we pray for and look forward to a new year full of health and prosperity.
Honey has an obvious link to the festival because of our desire for a sweet year, but there is a deeper, more meaningful link. In gematriah, the numerical value of the Hebrew word for honey is 306, and our sages link this to the number of the opening words in one of the main prayers said at this season: Av Harachamim – Father of Mercy.
In addition to eating honey cake, it is also customary, when making Hamotzi to dip the challah into the honey. I tend to go one step further and actually make the challah with honey for added sweetness and flavour.
One of the other common practices at Rosh Hashanah is to dip a piece of apple into honey. In Genesis, Jacob went to his elderly, blind father, Isaac, and claimed the birthright that was due to his older twin, Esau. Esau was a hunter and a “man of the field,” and on the instructions of his loving mother, Rebecca, Jacob dressed up in Esau’s hunting clothes. This was noted by Isaac, who commented that his son smelled like a field which HaShem had blessed, and went on to bless Jacob with wealth and power. Some commentators say that the “field, which HaShem has blessed” refers to an apple orchard, and the smell of that orchard was the smell of the Garden of Eden.
It is therefore fitting to eat an apple, a fruit whose smell is associated with the blessings of Jacob (and according to the Vilna Gaon, these were given on what is now Rosh Hashanah), as well as with the Garden of Eden, on the day on which we ourselves want blessings.
There are other less well-known symbolic foods.
Pumpkin or gourds have thick skins, and when we eat them or food made from them, we are expressing the hope that as this vegetable has been protected by a thick skin, God will protect us and gird us with strength.
Black-eyed peas: the Aramaic name for black-eyed peas, rubiya or lubiya, sounds similar to the Hebrew word “rabah,” which means to increase, and we therefore wish to increase our good deeds in the coming year.
Leeks in Hebrew are karti, a word that means to cut, and at Rosh Hashanah time, we wish that our enemies will be cut down.
Carrots: in Yiddish, the word for carrots is mehren, which also means “to increase.” For this reason, it has become the custom in many communities to eat carrots at the start of the New Year, in order to wish for a good and prosperous start.
We therefore say a Yehi Ratzon prayer that contains the request, “May… our merits increase.”
Pomegranates: it is claimed that the pomegranate contains 613 seeds. This is the same as the number of commandments in the Torah, although I have never had the patience to check this myself! It is also symbolic that everyone has some goodness inside them, and as we look inside a pomegranate, even though there may be some bad seeds, there are still some good ones, just as there is always some goodness inside of every person.
Fish is another example of a food eaten for prosperity and growth, so that we should multiply as a people and be as plentiful as the fish in the sea.
A fish head or sheep’s head is placed on the table in some traditions, but not eaten! It is again symbolic that on Rosh Hashanah, we should be seen as the “head” and not the “tail” among the nations. This is based on a verse in Deuteronomy, which reads, “And HaShem shall place you as a head and not a tail.” The sheep’s head is also a reminder of the story of the binding of Isaac, in which Isaac’s father, Abraham, is instructed to offer a ram in place of Isaac. We read this story on the second day of Rosh Hashanah.
One of the many traditions at Rosh Hashanah is to dip sliced apples into honey in the hope that the forthcoming year will be filled with sweetness. I decided that I would combine these two ingredients in a delicious cake that is ideal for both tea and dessert. The result is a cake that is subtly spiced and mouth-wateringly sweet. I also bake this in a round pan, symbolic of the hoped-for fullness in the New Year. This cake can be served not only on Rosh Hashanah but during the rest of the year as well.
I have used Orange blossom honey which is my favourite; this honey has exceptional taste and is great used in tea, spread on breads or biscuits, and any way you choose to use it – a great all-round honey! Orange blossom honey is often a combination of citrus sources, usually light in colour and mild in flavour with a fresh scent and light citrus taste. Orange blossom honey is produced in Florida, Southern California and parts of Texas.
1 1/2 cups orange blossom honey
1/4 cup apple juice
1 large orange – zest and juice
3 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup strong coffee
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
2 apples – peeled and roughly chopped
Grease and line a 10-in. round cake pan with non-stick parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350.
Whisk together the honey, apple juice, zest and juice of 1 orange, vegetable oil, coffee and eggs.
Place all the dry ingredients – flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon – in a separate bowl and then gradually add to the wet ingredients.
Stir in the chopped apple and raisins. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until set in the centre. Serves 8-10 people. Cake can be frozen.
To serve the stylish way: Invert the cake onto a plate and dust with confectioner’s sugar.
