RFCJ RECIPE ARCHIVE
Posted by : Karen Selwyn Ceremonial Foods - "Yehi Ratson"
THE SEPHARDIC COOKBOOK by Rabbi R. Sternberg has a fascinating discussion about a special ceremony during the Rosh Hashanna meal where prayers are said over foods with symbolic value. One could construct a very appropriate menu for the holiday based on the foods of the "Yehi Ratson ("May it be Your Will") ceremony. The foods and their symbolism are as follows: Apples and honey: "may we be sent a sweet and fruitful year" Dates: the Hebrew word for date (tamar) is close in spelling to the word "tamah, meaning "cause a sense of wonder and amazement; the prayer speaks about causing a sense of wonder in the eyes of enemies and making them acknowledge G-d's Greatness as Sovereign of the World" Pomegranates: "year be rich and replete with blessings as the pomegranate is rich with seeds" Black-eyed peas: alternative to pomegranates based on is similarity to the Hebrew word "rabah" for "many" Pumpkin: "stern decree be torn up and we be remembered for the many good deeds we did last year" from the Hebrew word for gourd which is close in spelling and pronunciation to another Hebrew word which means "ripped away" Leeks: Hebrew word for leek is a pun on another Hebrew word which means "to be cut off" -- "our enemies will be cut off" Beets: Hebrew word for beet (selek) is a pun on another word (saluk) which means "to remove" or "to take away" -- "our enemies will be taken away" Stuffed Vegetables: "hope for a full year filled with blessings and prosperity" Stuffed Roasted Poultry: a meat alternative to stuffed vegetables which has the same symbolic meaning Karen Selwyn
