Food Torah – Beshalach

February 5, 2025 in Food Tourah

Because life so often happens around food, we’re spending the year exploring the weekly parshiot and finding connections to each week’s Shabbat menu.  Sarah, a seasoned Jewish educator, brings a wealth of knowledge to our discussions, while Alison, who loves creating dishes that bring people together, are excited to explore the weekly portions in greater depth. Each week we will give a brief overview of the parsha and then suggest ways to incorporate its themes into your Shabbat menu. This is our version of Julie and Julia – the charming movie in which a blogger challenges herself to make all 524 recipes from Julia Child’s 1961 classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking in just one year.  Lucky for us, we only have to cover 54 parshiot –  38 more to go

Beshalach recounts the dramatic splitting of the Red Sea as the Israelites’ finally are able to escape from Egypt following the tenth plague.  Fulfilling the promise to bury Joseph in Canaan, the Israelites bring his bones with them as a reminder of their destiny in the Promised Land. Meanwhile, G-d stiffens Pharaoh’s heart and he begins to pursue the Israelites. Fearing for their safety, the Israelites accuse Moses of taking them out of Israel just to die in the wilderness, but he assures them that G-d is with them.  G-d instructs Moses to lift up his rod parting the sea for the Israelites to cross on dry land. As the Israelites pass through the sea and the waters close behind them, Pharaoh’s entire army disappears into the sea. The Israelites celebrate this miraculous deliverance with the triumphant Song of the Sea.

Once free from Egypt’s yoke, the Israelites appreciation for God’s deliverance of them is short-lived, as they frequently complain about their plight in the desert.  In one such circumstance, the Israelites complain that they have only bitter water at Marah, prompting G-d to direct Moses to throw a piece of wood into the water, in order to make the water sweet. Following this brief respite, the Israelites’ trust falters again as they complain of hunger, accusing Moses of bringing them out of Egypt for a death by starvation. G-d again responds, this time bringing the miraculous manna from heaven, providing daily bread and a double portion on Shabbat.

With the wondrous splitting of the Red Sea on our minds, we discovered this Grilled Chicken Miracle Marinade Recipe.  It brings together simple ingredients for a tasty combination. But as we know the Isralites didn’t approach this crossing without fear – we imagine there was some trembling involved.  To reflect that sense of nervous anticipation, try this Shake ‘n Bake Mustard Dipped Salmon – because sometimes, a little bit of shaking yields a delicious outcome. And finally, recalling Moses’ act of turning bitter water sweet, we’re sharing a roundup of 8 Infused Water recipes along with a bonus recipe for Simple Syrup – it will add sweetness to drinks, desserts, and beyond.  After all, who doesn’t love a sweet Shabbat?

And speaking of divine gifts, why not end your meal with something inspired by manna itself? These light, flaky Manna Cookies are a whimsical nod to the miraculous food that sustained the Israelites in the wilderness.

B’tayavon and Shabbat Shalom,
Alison (Baraf) & Sarah (Roark)

To read past installments of Food Tourah – Click Here.

For a more in-depth look at this week’s parsha, visit Sefaria.com.