“A man comes home from work at the end of the day, very hungry. He sits down at the table, expecting his dinner. His wife appears and tells him that he should be patient because dinner is delayed. So he waits.
“After waiting for what seems like an eternity, she places a plate before him. He takes a look, and all he sees is a hard-boiled egg and a potato. Needless to say, he is quite perturbed. Here he waited patiently although he was so hungry, and all he gets is just plain old food, nothing special. Had he gotten something special, then he would have understood the delay. He leaves the table disappointed.
“Every morning, G‑d waits for His people to say their prayers” The diligent are quick to pray, aware of the immense privilege it is to be able to address the King above All kings.
“If one prays on time, then even if the prayers are not recited with the greatest concentration, the fact that they are recited on time makes them desirable to G‑d. When the prayers are said a bit late, but with great concentration, G‑d desires them as well, the extra devotion making it ‘worth the wait.’ However, if the prayers are late and without proper concentration, they are like the simple meal that the husband in the parable received. G‑d can be expected to look skeptically at such an offering!”
An old Jewish man who listened very carefully as the story was told. “With all due respect, holy rabbi,” he countered, “the husband’s reaction would be a harsh one if there wasn’t true harmony in the home. However, when a husband and wife really love each other, they understand when the other has a hard day. Perhaps the end of the parable should be that the husband graciously thanks his wife for the simple meal, and asks her to tell him about her day. In this way, G‑d is always ready to hear our prayers . . .”
Vegetable Kugel
Ingredients:
2 large onions, diced |
6 eggs |
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3-4 Tablespoons oil or shmaltz |
1 Tablespoon salt |
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4 stalks celery, diced |
½ Teaspoon ground black pepper |
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2 green peppers, diced |
1 Tablespoon of Italian spices |
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1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced or chopped (optional) |
1/8 – ¼ Teaspoon Cayenne pepper (optional) |
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4 carrots, shredded |
8 large potatoes (4-5 lbs.), grated |
Directions
1. |
Preheat oven to 375°. |
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2. |
Sauté the onions in oil until golden. Add the celery, peppers, mushrooms (if using), and carrots. Sauté until soft. |
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3. |
Place the eggs into a mixing bowl. Beat by hand and add salt and pepper to taste. |
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4. |
Continue beating and add spices. |
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5. |
In a food processor or by hand using a box grater, grate the potatoes using the fine shredder. Transfer to the egg mixture. Add the sautéed vegetables. Mix thoroughly. |
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6. |
Pour into a 9″x13″ pan. Bake for 40-60 minutes, until browned and crusty. |
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. (Joel 1:3)
