For what I did wrong

"I'm sorry for what I did wrong" sing the pre-K kids this week. It is a time for recalling our deeds of the previous year and apologizing for the wrong ones. Then concentrating on atonement during Yom Kippur itself. Meanwhile, everyone wishes everyone else "Easy fast".  Well if it is to be easy, what sort of atonement is that?

For the confused, the fast is not to atone for our sins. It is to concentrate our attention on nothing but our thoughts and prayers. If you recall last week, services were probably interrupted by thinking about the lunch to come. Granted, we're supposed to pay close attention to the liturgy, but let's be frank here, now and then the thought of the brisket slipped in. 

Not so on Yom Kippur. There is no food to think about (although many people talk of nothing else on Yom Kippur) so you can safely pray with all your heart and all your mind and all your soul.

But before that, we still need to eat the Se'uda Mafseket. The meal before the fast. Can we make that meal appropriate for the day ahead? Let's see. The theme of the day is being sorry for things we did wrong. Well I don't know about you, my friends, but I did a lot of wrong things in regards to food this year. Here's an incomplete list:

I'm sorry, Oh Lord, for every extra slice of pizza I had.
For the times I gave in and had chocolate.
For the days I just had to have cheese and more cheese.
For all the pitas I had in Israel.
Not to mention the burekas.
I'm sorry, oh Lord, for the third helping of non vegetable items (and please, Lord, if you don't mind too much, can we just forget about the fourth helping?)
For ice cream and cake and chips of all kind.
For anything fried.
Or smothered with cheese.
Or butter.
For candy I took from kids (my own kids, but still...)
For every time I could have had a salad but chose fries instead.
For the nuts (my one big downfall).
Forgive me, Lord, please overlook my overindulgence.


So there's a lot to be sorry for, as you can see. Now, about that meal.

Many years ago, my brother in law and his dad got caught up in New York traffic and arrived home with only minutes to spare before the beginning of Yom Kippur. My mother in law was besides herself "They did not have anything to eat before the fast. How will they survive? They will surely faint from hunger and have a very hard time." To this day, my brother in law Andy fondly recalls that Yom Kippur as the easiest fast he's ever had. All experts agree with him. Before a fast, we tend to over eat in order to over compensate for the upcoming deprivation. There is no need. Especially in my case, as the above list shows. Believe me when I tell you that healthy people have plenty of reserves to fast for days. 

Fine. So what should we have this Friday afternoon? I asked my family what they want and they said:

Whatever. (Hubby is so sweet, isn't he?)
Chicken (Thank G-d she did not say steak)
Soup (A vegetarian soup, of course)


Soup's a great idea. It has none of the foods on my 'sin list' and it's filled with liquids. But which soup? Back to the family.

Whatever.
I hate soup.
Minestrone. 

(Guess who said what).


Minestrone is sort of like chicken soup but in Italian. What I mean is: there are endless variations and each mama thinks hers is THE one. Basically we're talking a vegetable soup with beans and pasta. All recommended by nutrition experts for pre-fast meals. 


Atonement Minestrone


2 Tbs oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups diced squash (zucchini or yellow squash)
2 stalks of celery, diced.
1/2 cup diced carrots
2 1/2 cups diced potatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
Salt to taste
6 cups water
1 cup cooked small beans (you can used canned or leftovers)
A handful of small pasta (shells, elbows, orzo, whatever)
A handful of chopped fresh basil leaves
3 branches thyme (or 1/4 tsp dried thyme)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley



Saute onion and garlic in oil over medium heat for five minutes.
Add next 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 10-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Add the rest of the ingredients and keep cooking for another 5-7 minutes or until pasta is cooked.
Serve hot.

Serves 6.





Have an easy fast. Why not? With this soup to start you on Yom Kippur, the fast part will be easy. The sins/atonement/apologizing/praying/not repeating your sins during the coming year - that will be difficult. Especially the pizza part.