Vayigash - Bread

 I missed blogging this week, ironic since I baked and took pictures on Thursday. On this early Shabbatot, Fridays simply disappear. 

This week I placed a lyre atop our cupcake challah. Midrash teaches that Serach, Asher’s daughter, was a singer and musician. When the time came for Joseph’s brothers too tell their father that Joseph was alive, Serach broke the news to him in song to lessen the shock. Serach is listed among those who go down to Egypt and among those who leave 400 years later. Her care of her grandfather merited her long (or eternal) life. Another midrash teaches that it was Serach who tells Moshe where the Joseph is buried so his bones can be taken back to Israel. 

Our challah was a lyre with Serach’s name above.

 

I also baked a little bread. Breishit 47: 1 says, 

וַיְכַלְכֵּל יוֹסֵף אֶת-אָבִיו וְאֶת-אֶחָיו, וְאֵת כָּל-בֵּית אָבִיו--לֶחֶם, לְפִי הַטָּף.

And Joseph nourished his father and his brothers and all of his father’s house — according to the needs of their children.

 

This little challah is shaped like a loaf of bread to sustain us all. And, because humans are not sustained by bread alone, I made a chocolate challah just for fun.

Until next week. 

Shavua tov.