Dei'ah veDibur - Information & Insight
  

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4 Sivan 5759, May 19, 1999 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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Letters, Eitzes, Feedback

Dear Editor,

I was very hurt by the intonation of the last paragraph in "What's Cooking - Friday Morning Challos" (Yated, 30 Nissan).

It is true that baking challos can contribute greatly to Fridays and Shabbos. The "smell of Shabbos" permeates the house on Friday, as the challos bake, welcoming home arriving cheder boys. I also bake them on occasion, reaping nachas, and I must admit, also enjoying the praise on Shabbos.

However, not everyone - not even every "spiritually sensitive" homemaker - can undertake baking challos every Friday. Some of us have jobs. Some women have large families with no help. There are mothers with sickly children or children with high-needs. Some women are dealing with colicky babies, multiple babies, or have chronic illnesses. Others regularly take in guests and prefer to concentrate more on food. Some women are busy doing work for the community. And many are dealing with two or three of the above.

Many of us are pressed just to finish minimal Shabbos preparations. Generally, I don't bake challos because my husband insists, correctly, that this is less important than finishing Shabbos preparations in a relaxed manner.

Sometimes, as nice as the baking is, other things can be more important. The bottom line is that we be guided by Torah values and Torah priorities when deciding what to do and what to omit.

Ruth

[And sometimes it takes more courage not to bake. Still, in all, perhaps the Shabbos preparations can be more staggered to allow for this family pleasure.]

 

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