Rosh Hashanah Menu

I get so much inspiration reading other's favourite recipes.  I thought I would share the menu for the Three Day Yom Tov (2 Days of Rosh Hashanah and Shabbat).  It will be "just" us for the at home meals, so I tend to keep them simple.  

Wednesday Night Dinner:  Challah, Harvest Stew (first time making it) with rice and Roasted Green Beans (instead of snap peas, the tomatoes will be from out garden, I've made it before and it is excellent).  Symbolic foods (apples and honey, fish, leeks, beets, squash, carrots).  Honey Cake for Dessert

Thursday meals are out all day!  We will likely have a light early dinner since actual dinner is late.  We'll have the Veggie Pot Pies with some sauteed mushrooms.  

Friday Night:  Challah, Lasagna (from scratch, including the noodles) and salad, and apple crisp for dessert. 

Saturday Lunch - Cholent (beef stew) (and apple crisp or honey cake)

Seudat Shlishit (Third Meal) - Salad with "crab" cakes. (Also my first time making this).   

What are you making?  Any favourite recipes? 

28 Elul: Signed...sealed...delivered

I couldn't find a Torah quote that is appropriate to this theme (any suggestions?).

I remember my parents signing my reading homework as required by our teachers.  My parents signed notes explaining my absence from school.  I occasionally forged my parent's signature when I chose to be absent from school.

I signed leases and home ownership deeds.  I signed contracts for jobs.  I signed checks for debts that needed to be paid.  I signed the back of my credit card.

My University diploma is signed by the Dean of the Science Department.  Our portrait is signed by our aunt.

Each signature is a work of art.  There is a whole science around looking at the loops and lines of a signature and what it reveals about your personality.  I wonder what my messy signature says about me.

27 Elul: Book of Life

And it shall come to pass that every survivor shall be in Zion, and everyone who is left, in Jerusalem; "holy" shall be said of him, everyone inscribed for life in Jerusalem. - Isaiah Chapter 4

R. Kruspedai said in the name of R. Johanan: Three books are opened [in heaven] on New Year, 

one for the thoroughly wicked,24 one for the thoroughly righteous, and one for the intermediate. The 

thoroughly righteous are forthwith inscribed definitively in the book of life; the thoroughly wicked 

are forthwith inscribed definitively in the book of death;25 the  doom of the intermediate is suspended 

from New Year till the Day of Atonement; if they deserve well, they are inscribed in the book of life; 

if they do not deserve well, they are inscribed in the book of death. - Talmud, Rosh Hashanah, 16B

The whole idea of a Book of Life used to scare me as a child.  There was no way to know whether I've done enough Teshuvah or Mitzvot to deserve another year of life.  There is no way to know G-d's Ultimate Plan.  

The prayers of Rosh Hashanah does give us a formula to at least try to get us in the Book of Life:  Teshuvah (Repentance), Tefillah (Prayer) and Tzedakah (charity).  It is interesting that two of these requires us to connect with people in this world.  We can't do full Teshuvah unless we apologize to the people we've wronged.  By giving charity, we are obviously helping other people.  

The root of the world Tefillah, is Pallel - which refers to a self judgement.  While G-d is judging us, we are forced to take a real close look at ourselves.  

Building my Wardrobe - More lessons

I listed some of the things I am learning about my style preferences in a previous post.  As I look for some basic elements for my wardrobe, I am still learning.

• I think I may to have to give up on wearing boots for most of my outfits.  I just can't seem to make them work.  I bought these ones (and returned them).  They just seemed too long and didn't look right with any of the outfits I put together.  The shorter ankle boots make me look kind of stalky.  I really wanted a brown boot/shoe thing with a heel, since most of my shoes are black black and more black.  I am going to check out brown/cognac pumps and see how I feel with those.  

• I love the black and white striped skirts.  Love them.  They don't like me so much.  I've tried a couple of different widths of stripes, and as long as they are going horizontally across this body...so. not. forgiving.  (update - I bought a black and white striped skirt!  I couldn't take it anymore, I wanted one...I will make it work.  Spanx (or similar)...)

• I think I am going to aim for different coloured skirts with different textures rather than looking for patterns.  

• I am starting to like the leopard print that is in right now.  I don't think I would do a skirt or a blouse, but maybe ballet shoes or a belt.    

I am finding this whole thing really challenging.  I am trying to figure out my style, or maybe even redefine it.  I am also trying to figure out who I am spiritually and somehow these two need to link up or at least agree.  Or something.  

26 Elul: Psalm 27

Of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; from whom shall I be frightened? When evildoers draw near to me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies against me-they stumbled and fell. 

If a camp encamps against me, my heart shall not fear; if a war should rise up against me, in this I trust. One [thing] I ask of the Lord, that I seek-that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to see the pleasantness of the Lord and to visit His Temple every morning. That He will hide me in His tabernacle on the day of calamity; He will conceal me in the secrecy of His tent; He will lift me up on a rock. And now, my head will be raised over my enemies around me, and I will sacrifice in His tent sacrifices with joyous song; I will sing and chant praise to the Lord. Hearken, O Lord, to my voice [which] I call out, and be gracious to me and answer me. On Your behalf, my heart says, "Seek My presence." Your presence, O Lord, I will seek. Do not hide Your presence from me; do not turn Your servant away with anger. You were my help; do not forsake me and do not abandon me, O God of my salvation. For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord gathers me in. Instruct me, O Lord, in Your way, and lead me in the straight path because of those who lie in wait for me. Do not deliver me to the desires of my adversaries, for false witnesses and speakers of evil have risen against me. Had I not believed in seeing the good of the Lord in the land of the living! Hope for the Lord, be strong and He will give your heart courage, and hope for the Lord.- Psalms Chapter 27

Every year I commit to saying the above Psalm every day from the first day of Elul until the end of Sukkot.  I don't know too much about it.  I think it is an appropriate Psalm for the time of year since it does have mentioned of the sounds of Truah (shofar sounds) and mentions dwelling in G-d's tent (i.e. like a Sukkah).  

I've never taken a deeper look at this Psalm, even though I spend so much time with it each year.  King David is asking for G-d's help from his adversaries, which is the content of many of the Psalms.  I find it interesting (now that I look at it), that he is also asking G-d to hide him, and again asking G-d not to be hidden (which to me seems to add another holiday in the Jewish calendar, that of Purim).  

My other question is that at the end, it seems King David is telling the reader to trust in G-d, but throughout he is asking for G-d's help, shouldn't he taken his own advice?  He even mentions that G-d helped him when even his parents abandoned him.  

Do you know why we read this Psalm daily and not any of the others?  Do you know any deeper meaning of the words?

25 Elul: Family

And the Lord God said, "It is not good that man is alone; I shall make him a helpmate opposite him." - Genesis Chapter 2

Honor your father and your mother, in order that your days be lengthened on the land that the Lord, your God, is giving you. - Exodus Chapter 20

Hearken, my son, to the discipline of your father, and do not forsake the instruction of your mother - Proverbs Chapter 1

Family is important in Jewish life.  Jewish spirituality isn't mean to be done in isolation.  Communal prayer is important as is having many children (I didn't add that quote in for many reasons).  

Over time I have learned a family is what you make family.  Family doesn't have to be one mom, one dad and a few kids.  Families can be one mom or two moms or two dads or no kids or no related DNA.  Family is the group with who you feel connected with, with whom you share values and learn from.  You can argue with family and no matter what they will always love you and accept you.  

From my family to yours, may the New Year be filled with Joy, Good Health, Peace and Prosperity.  

from http://alturl.com/hdgcn

30 for 30 Outfit Challenge - The mostly 30 Pieces

It took a few weeks to decide but I finally picked out my items for the 30 day challenge.  I choose to dress modestly, which means knees are mostly covered (appropriate length skirts are hard to find, I make do with what is available), elbows are covered and most of my collar bone (so shirts are probably not quite that, I am ok with that).  I also cover my hair.

Accessories and shoes are not included on the list.

So my items are:

1. grey dress 
2. grey skirt from Value Village (I love it)
3. black/white diagonal skirt from H&M (You may recall how much I wanted a striped skirt)
4. Brown corduroy skirt from Smart Set
5. beige straight skirt from Reitmans
6. Jean skirt from Value Village
7. Chevron maxi skirt from Old Navy 
8. Black Pencil skirt from Old Navy (they have since shortened the hemline...doh!)
9. Basic black skirt
10. Basic white blouse from Value Village
11. Basic blue blouse from Value Village
12. Chambray blouse from Old Navy
13. Green Blouse I am determined to make work
14. Red long sleeve top
15. Purple/black gasp PATTERN blouse from Sears.
16. Burgundy Corduroy Jacket
17. Grey military jacket from Le Chateau
18. Beige sweater thing - hand me down
19. Yellow v-neck sweater
20. grey button down sweater from The Gap 
21. Blue sweater (Lord and Taylor from The Bay, CRAZY sale price.  As similar as I could find here)
22. Burgundy T-shirt - Walmart
23. Turquoise (what is that colour exactly?) T-shirt - Walmart
24. Grey T-shirt - Suzy Shier
25. Striped long sleeve shirt (which shockingly meets all the requirements and doesn't need a shell!) from Value Village
26. Mustard long sleeve from Joe (Loblaws) (I like this colour and I want to experiment)
27. Brown cross top

...the question is, do I add shells to the 30 (one white, one beige and one black) or pick 3 other things?

Toes!