Preparations

It's that time of the year again. Even those of us who try to leave things for the last minute are getting started on their Pesach cleaning and/or preparations. In about 5 weeks, our homes must be chametz-free. 

(BTW, if you have not started yet, please don't feel bad. I personally know people who start their Pesach work half an hour before the first Seder, and they're the hosts. So you're fine. Really).

This week's parasha talks about the priests. Who are they to be, what will they wear, what sort of stuff will be used on the altar during their dedication as the first ever priests of Hashem. It reads almost as a report in the social pages "What will Aharon wear for the great ceremony? Who got an invite and who is out in the cold? what will be served at the banquet?". 

And, of course, it is that last piece that caught my eye. What does G-d wish for us to put on His altar? Most people know about the animal sacrifice and indeed there are detailed instructions on which animals, how many, which parts of the animal and how to use each part during the sacrifice ceremony. 

But G-d also asks for bread. And here is an interesting thing. Every other sacrifice we are instructed to bring to G-d is usually described as the best that we have. Which makes sense because how else will it be a sacrifice? But the breads that the priests are to bring before G-d are described as flat breads. They are actually called "matzoh". There are 3 types of flour products in this week's parasha: bread, challah and crackers. And the word "matzoh" is used as an adjective for all three. 

Matzoh? G-d wants matzoh as a sacrifice? I don't know about you but giving up matzoh does not sound like a sacrifice to me. What is G-d trying to point out to us here?

Matzoh is the bread of affliction. The bread of poor people who don't have time or money to make their bread rise. On a spiritual level, matzoh is the symbol of being humble, of not being full of yourself, of not putting on airs. Without the yeast to fill it with air and puff it up, matzoh-type bread is humble. It's not pushy or showoff-y or trying always to be the center of attention. Why in the world did G-d choose this kind of bread for His altar?

Maybe because, when one makes such bread, one will have to think about exactly this sort of thing. Like the matzoh bread (and the matzoh challah and matzoh crackers), one will be forced to leave all "airs" behind and approach G-d without arrogance, without self importance, without grandeur. Stripped of our titles and social standing, we approach Him as simple and innocent as children, with only our "basic ingredients".

This week, when you start (Or continue. Or plan.) your Pesach preparations, along with the pieces of chametz, toss out the leavening of your soul. Everything that makes us think too much of ourselves, that makes us impatient with others because we are so important that we "deserve better", that makes us angry or annoyed with our loved ones who "failed to appreciate us". Let us clear these chametz pieces from our souls and from our relationships and let us be humble before G-d and His creation. Let us be like matzoh so we will be worthy of appearing before G-d.

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, we start getting rid of physical chametz. Here is a recipe for Israeli style pita-bread that will help speed the process by using up not only flour but yeast, as well. And, just to tie it in to the parasha some more, this is so delicious simply dipped in olive oil, the kind mentioned at the very beginning of the parasha.

Best pita ever

1 Tablespoonful dry yeast
1 Tbs sugar
4 cups less one tablespoon flour
1 1/2  less one tablespoon warm water
2 tsp salt


1. Dissolve sugar in half a cup of the water. Sprinkle yeast and let rise for 10-15 minutes. Yeast should foam.

2. In a mixer, mix flour, the rest of the water and the yeast for one minute.

3. Add salt. Knead 5 minutes until a soft, smooth, non-sticky dough forms (you can add a little more flour or water if necessary).

4. Cover with plastic wrap, then with towel. Let rise for an hour in a warm place. (I wrap mine in an electric blanket set at its lowest setting).

5. Heat oven to 530F (this is not a typo - five hundred and thirty degrees!) and place oven rack at lowest possible position in the oven (closest to the oven's floor, but not actually on it).

6. Punch dough down. Divide into 10 balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball to a circle a quarter of an inch thick about the size and shape of an average pita (sort of like a small thick tortilla).

7. Place pita circles on a baking sheet lined with baking paper (or with aluminum foil sprinkled generously with cornmeal). Cover loosely with a moist paper towel, then with a kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes.

8. Bake pitas for 5 minutes. Some will puff up, some won't. It's OK. See discussion above about being filled with hot air.

9. Remove pitas from oven and immediately place in a large pot and cover tightly with the pot's lid. Leave them there for 5 minutes. Finish cooling on racks (otherwise the bottom side will turn soggy).


Makes 10 pitas


Note: These pitas freeze well, if we're not just before Pesach, when the point is to get rid of them. Defrost in microwave. They might dry out if defrosted on counter top or in fridge.

Serve with olive oil for dipping, chummus, baba ganoush, or anything you like.