Birthday Traditions


Birthdays are special here. They always have been and always will be. And yet I still like to change things up.

So with my birthday this year, I added a new tradition for our family. I was inspired by a little tagline our rabbi says to the children on the bima when they come up to get their birthday buttons, "May you do one more mitzvot in the coming year that you were not able to do the year before."

I talked to my husband about my thoughts for awhile before my birthday because I needed him to accept the idea and want it or it would not work for the family. Froggy is still little and learning and doing new mitzvot all the time. But for the grownups it means something more and different.

At my birthday dinner, I reminded Froggy of the rabbi's comment and explained the new tradition to her. and I announced the new mitzvot I wanted to keep this year. I want to seperate Challah according to Halachic law. Since Froggy was born, we have been keeping Shabbat and making Challah from scratch when home. But still this mitzvah seemed to big and foreign and scary to me. Yet now I want to embrace it.

So today properly armed with the blessing taped inside my cabinet above the mixer, I go off to make and separate Challah for the very first time.

Shabbat Shalom - May your Sabbath rest bring peace to you and yours.

Comments

  1. Jennifer in MamaLandJuly 9, 2010 at 3:35 PM

    What a lovely tradition! May you continue to grow and grow...

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownJuly 9, 2010 at 3:41 PM

    Happy birthday!

    So where does "Do not separate challah:
    When using less than 1,230 grams (2 lbs. 11.4 oz.) of flour.

    All flour used when preparing the dough, such as flour used when rolling the dough, should be included in the calculations."

    come in?

    also, any idea the reason behind separating challah?

    ReplyDelete
  3. FairionJuly 9, 2010 at 5:42 PM

    Val - the theory is if there is not enough dough to separate and make a "reasonable" offering one does not separate. The reason behind separating comes directly from Torah and is explicitly commanded therein. It was used to feed the Kohenim.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Natalie PlanetSmartyJuly 9, 2010 at 7:35 PM

    Happy birthday! I hope you enjoy this special day!

    ReplyDelete
  5. JendeisJuly 11, 2010 at 5:12 PM

    Happy birthday!!

    ReplyDelete

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