Food Tourah – Vayigash

January 1, 2025 in Food Tourah

Because life so often happens around food, we’re spending the year exploring the weekly parshiot and finding connections to each week’s Shabbat menu.  Sarah, a seasoned Jewish educator, brings a wealth of knowledge to our discussions, while Alison, who loves creating dishes that bring people together, is excited to explore the weekly portions in greater depth. Each week we will give a brief overview of the parsha and then suggest ways to incorporate its themes into your Shabbat menu. This is our version of Julie and Julia – the charming movie in which a blogger challenges herself to make all 524 recipes from Julia Child’s 1961 classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking in just one year.  Lucky for us, we only have to cover 54 parshiot – 43 more to go!

Judah pleads with Joseph not to keep their youngest brother, Benjamin, as a slave. Judah expresses his fear of what the loss of another son would do to his elderly father. Judah offers himself up to serve in Benjamin’s place. Joseph, overcome with emotion, finally reveals his true identity that he had been hiding from his brothers until now. First Joseph, and then Pharaoh, invite the whole family to come and live in Egypt. The brothers return to Canaan and tell Jacob that Joseph has been alive all these years. Jacob confers with God in BeerSheva and God tells Jacob (also named Israel) to go to Egypt, where God will make them a great nation and eventually bring them back to Canaan. So, the entire family settles in the section of Egypt called Goshen where they are protected from the remaining years of the famine that is still rampant in the region.

The word bread is mentioned six times in this section, so if you are a bread maker, this is definitely the week for you to do your thing! I did not include a bread recipe, as I am personally intimidated by bread making, but don’t let that stop you from bringing that idea to your table. The themes this week are pleading, reconciliation, revelation, and tearful reunions. I chose these delicious looking Vegetarian (or Vegan) Chili and Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake recipes as both are typically served at family reunions.

B’tayavon and Shabbat Shalom,
Alison (Baraf) & Sarah (Roark)

To read past installments of Food Tourah – Click Here.

For a more in-depth look at this week’s parsha, visit Sefaria.com.