A Kabbalah of Food: Stories, Teachings, Recipes

Rabbi Hecht, a former competitor on the Food Network show Chopped, combines his passion for Jewish teaching and food in this entertaining volume. He contends that “[c]ooking, sharing, and enjoying food... creates a dwelling place for God within us and allows us to elevate the spark of godliness within the physical world.” Through a mix of recipes, anecdotes from the kitchen, and spiritual musings, Hecht explores how cooking according to methods within the Kabbalah “allows us to elevate the spark of godliness within the physical world.” While Hecht explains Jewish religious law pertaining to kosher foods, many entries demonstrate that strict adherence to the law should not preempt common hospitality. For example, Hecht repeats the story of a husband chastised at a Shabbat dinner for not covering the challah before the wine blessing and argues the reprimand was counter to the spirit of the tradition. Hecht also provides dozens of recipes for the Sabbath and Jewish holidays, such as Sephardic chicken, pesto butter, and Moroccan salmon. This insightful, zesty work will serve as an easy entry point for those looking to understand the role of food in Judaism. (Nov.)