This week's Torah portion is best known for the containing the story of the Golden Calf. A number of years ago, I asked a jeweller to share the story through his lens. After reading the parasha and many commentaries along with tremendous research he asked me how big I thought this golden calf would have been. He then went on to convince me that I have the Charlton Heston Ten Commandments version in my head and ruling my vision. Instead, he assured me, this golden calf could not have been much bigger than a hand or two by the time only a small amount of gold was melted down and formed. While the object might have been small, the impact of the story remains huge. To this day, the only kosher animal with horns deemed unacceptable for a shofar is a cow. One might even say that in the Jewish tradition, this incident stands as Original Sin.
And so, while some might choose to have Shabbat food that is anything other than beef or golden, we will forgo the beef and stick with the golden. I should note here, that the Torah says: My anger may blaze forth against them (32:10) as one might expect and much of the rest of the parasha is spent in this beautiful negotiation between Moses and God. The Hebrew (וְיִֽחַר־אַפִּ֥י) I have long understood along the lines of flaring nostrils as I envision the steam emitted from a fiery dragon's nose. All of this put together of course leads one to say: Aha! fire roasted, golden corn on the cob!!! Or if you are like me and not paying crazy prices for produce in the improper season, I might suggest one of our family favourites from Susie Fishbein's popcorn cauliflower. By the way, it is kosher for Passover. In fact, I bought the cookbook for this recipe alone and yet use the cookbook all year round! Other considerations were fire roasted peppers (in the form of a yummy matbucha which seems to have become a staple lately) or oven-roasted tomatoes which we slice in half to have two long halves, spritz with olive oil, salt and herbs of choice before baking for 3 hours on 300 F.
I imagine that most of us know the basics of the story. The people convince Aaron to make this golden calf, Moses comes running down the mountain with the Ten Commandments and upon seeing the craziness, he smashes the commandments! YIKES! Having said this, growing up my brother Brian always called mashed potatoes, smashed potatoes. Being younger than he, I too, cannot really think of these yummy carbs without remembering this. And so, in tribute to the smashed tablets, our Shabbat table will of course, have smashed potatoes this week!
My last inspiration comes from my favourite image of the parasha -- when God and Moses negotiate being in one another's presence. Moses begs,“הַרְאֵ֥נִי נָ֖א אֶת־כְּבֹדֶֽךָ׃ - Oh, let me behold Your Presence!” To which God responds, "הִנֵּ֥ה מָק֖וֹם אִתִּ֑י וְנִצַּבְתָּ֖ עַל־הַצּֽוּר׃ - See, there is a place near Me. Station yourself on the rock and, וְהָיָה֙ בַּעֲבֹ֣ר כְּבֹדִ֔י וְשַׂמְתִּ֖יךָ בְּנִקְרַ֣ת הַצּ֑וּר וְשַׂכֹּתִ֥י כַפִּ֛י עָלֶ֖יךָ עַד־עָבְרִֽי׃ - as My Presence passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and shield you with My hand until I have passed by." I thought about making the ever magical rock candy for my girls. As a kid, I almost felt as if, when I beheld rock candy, surely God exists! Yes, of course this should have been all the more of a reason to make it and maybe, just maybe, we will make it after Shabbat and watch it grow over the week. OR I could just make one of Harry Potter's all-time favourites (which that alone seems to make it magical enough) Rock Cakes. Seems like the perfect way to use flour and left over dried fruit from Purim! And in my family, I get bonus points for connecting Harry Potter to Torah!
In short, here is my Ki Tissa menu for the week:
Challah (nothing fancy today)
golden baked chicken (good ole' Shake n' Bake)
smashed potatoes
vegetarian cigars (because I have them and they can represent the smoke)
popcorn cauliflower
matbucha
rock cakes for breakfast!
Enjoy and B'tayavon!
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