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Tu be Av - Israeli Valentine Day

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Bluenoemi's Specials #3

In This Issue...

Tu B'Av - The Jewish Valentine Day Coupon : "love" - for 5% discount at Bluenoemi site

About Amulets

Ptitim - Israeli pasta

Star of David

About the Pomegranate

Tu B'Av - The Jewish Valentine Day

Outside of Israel, Tu B'Av, the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Av, is the most minor of holidays. In Israel, almost everyone has heard of the holiday of Tu B'Av because it has been warmly embraced by the secular public as a kind of Valentine's Day since the holiday is also known as "the Day of Love."

What is this holiday of Tu B'Av?

A clear reference to the day is found in the Mishna, written almost 2,000 years ago. The Mishna speaks of Tu B'Av as a festive day upon which the "daughters of Jerusalem" would go out into the vineyards with white clothes that they had borrowed (so that no could tell who was rich or poor), and the girls would sing: "Boys, choose carefully. Don't look at appearances, but look at our families, for it is written, 'Grace is deceptive, Beauty is illusory. It is for her fear of the Lord that a woman is to be praised.'"

Here, therefore, is an original source for Tu B'Av as a Jewish "Day of Love."

Historical significance

There is no way to know exactly how early Tu B'Av began.

The fifteenth day of Ab was a popular holiday during the second Temple. The holiday celebrated the wood-offering brought in the temple.

The first mention of this date is in the Mishnah (compiled and edited in the end of the second century), where Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel is quoted saying, "There were no better (i.e. happier) days for the people of Israel than the Fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur, since on these days the daughters of Israel/Jerusalem go out dressed in white and dance in the vineyards. What were they saying: Young man, consider whom you choose (to be your wife)..."( Taanit, Chapter 4).

Unmarried girls would dress in simple white clothing (so that rich could not be distinguished from poor) and go out to sing and dance in the vineyards surrounding Jerusalem.

The Talmud states that there were no holy days as happy for the Jews as Tu B'Av and Yom Kippur.

Various reasons for celebrating on Tu b'Av as cited by the Talmud and its commentators:

While the Jews wandered in the desert for forty years, female orphans without brothers could only marry within their tribe, to prevent their father's inherited land in the Land of Israel from passing on to other tribes. On the fifteenth of Av of the fortieth year, this ban was lifted.

Tribes of Israel were permitted to mingle with each other," namely: to marry women from other tribes (Talmud, Taanit 30b). This Talmudic source probably is alluding to a story in the book of Judges (chapter 21): After a civil war between the tribe of Benjamin and other Israelite tribes, the tribes vowed not to intermarry with men of the tribe of Benjamin.

That same year, the last of the generation of the sin of the spies, which had been forbidden to enter the Promised Land, died out.

Cutting of the wood for the main altar in the Temple was completed for the year.

Tu B'Av is both an ancient and modern holiday.

Originally a post-biblical day of joy, it served as a matchmaking day for unmarried women in the second Temple period (before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 C.E). Tu B'Av was almost unnoticed in the Jewish calendar for many centuries but it has been rejuvenated in recent decades, especially in the modern state of Israel.

It is gradually becoming a Hebrew-Jewish Day of Love, slightly resembling Valentine's Day .

It should be noted that Tu B'Av, like several Jewish holidays (Passover, Sukkot, Tu Bishvat) begins on the night between the 14th and 15th day of the Hebrew month, since this is the night of a full moon in our lunar calendar.

Linking the night of a full moon with romance, love, and fertility is not uncommon in ancient cultures.

For almost 19 centuries--between the destruction of Jerusalem and the re-establishment of Jewish independence in the state of Israel in 1948--the only commemoration of Tu B'Av was that the morning prayer service did not include the penitence prayer (Tahanun).

In recent decades Israeli civil culture promotes festivals of singing and dancing on the night of Tu B'Av. The entertainment and beauty industries work overtime on this date. It has no formal legal status as a holiday-- it is a regular workday--nor has the Israeli rabbinate initiated any addition to the liturgy or called for the introduction of any ancient religious practices.

The cultural gap between Israeli secular society and the Orthodox rabbinate makes it unlikely that these two will find a common denominator in the celebration of this ancient/modern holiday in the foreseeable future.

The way that modern Israel celebrates this holiday, however, is a little different from the way it was celebrated in the days of old.

On Tu B'Av in Israel, restaurants as well as music, dance, and theater festivals all try to capitalize on this romantic holiday by promoting events for lovers.

Love Gifts

Israeli Love Songs:

Geula Gil sings: Daber elai bi frahim ahuvi

Verses of Love:

Matzati et she ahava nafshi - I have found the one my soul loves

Eshet Hail mi Imtza - who will find a woman of valour

Maim Rabim lo iehabu et ha ahava -

Multitude of Waters cannot extinguish Love

Ani le Dodi ve dodi lee - Me to my Beloved and my Beloved for me

About Amulets

From Wikipedia:

An amulet (from Latin amuletum; earliest extant use in Pliny's Natural History, meaning "an object that protects a person from trouble"), a close cousin of the talisman , consists of any object intended to bring good luck and/or protection to its owner.

Potential amulets include: gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants, animals, etc.; even words said in certain occasions--for example: vade retro satana--(Latin, "go back, Satan"), to repel evil or bad luck.

Talismans in the Abrahamic religions

A Crucifix, considered in Christian tradition as a defense against demons, as the holy sign of Christ's victory over every evil.

In antiquity and the Middle Ages, most Jews, Christians and Muslims in the Orient believed in the protective and healing power of amulets or blessed objects. Talismans used by these peoples can be broken down into three main categories.

The first are the types carried or worn on the body.

The second version of a talisman is one which is hung upon or above the bed of an infirm person.

The last classification of talisman is one with medicinal qualities. This latter category of item can be further divided into external and internal. In the former, one could, for example, place an amulet in a bath. The power of the amulet would be understood to be transmitted to the water, and thus to the bather. In the latter, inscriptions would be written or inscribed onto food, which was then boiled. The resulting broth, when consumed, was assumed to transfer the healing qualities engraved on the food into the consumer.

Jews, Christians, and Muslims have also at times used their holy books in a talisman-like manner in grave situations.

For example, a bed-ridden and seriously ill person would have a holy book placed under part of the bed or cushion.

Judaism

Amulets are plentiful in the Jewish tradition, with examples of Solomon era amulets existing in many museums. Due to proscription of idols, Jewish amulets emphasize text and names--the shape, material or color of an amulet makes no difference. See also Khamsa.

The Jewish tallis (Yiddish-Hebrew form; plural is tallitot), the prayer shawl with fringed corners and knotted tassels at each corner, is perhaps one of the world's oldest and most used talismanic objects. Some believe it was intended to distinguish the Jews from pagans, as well as to remind them of God and Heaven. An incorrect conjugation of the plural form (with Ashkenazi pronunciation), "tallisim," is very close to the term "talisman;" however, this is an incorrect etymology as the word talisman is of Greek origin.

A little-known but well-worn amulet in the Jewish tradition is the kimiyah or "angel text." This consists of names of angels or Torah passages written on parchment squares by rabbinical scribes. The parchment is then placed in an

Christianity

Back of the Catholic Saint Benedict Medal with the Vade Retro Satana abbreviation: "Step back, Satan."

The Catholic Church, and Christian authorities in general, have always been wary of amulets and other talismans. However, the legitimate use of sacramentals, as long as one has the proper disposition, is encouraged in traditional Christianity. For example, the crucifix is considered a powerful apotropaic against demons and fallen spirits, and rosaries or St. Christopher medals are frequently hung on rear-view mirrors of vehicles in Christian cultures as a way of invoking God's protection during travel.

Lay Catholics are not permitted to perform exorcisms but they can use Holy water, blessed salt and other sacramentals such as the Saint Benedict Medal or the Crucifix for warding off evil.

Crucifix

The Crucifix is one of the key sacramentals used by Catholics and has been used to ward off evil for centuries. The imperial cross of Conrad II (1024-1039) referred to the power of the cross against evil.[7] Many of the early theologians of the Catholic Church made reference to use of the sign of the Cross by Christians to bless and to ward off demonic influences.

The crucifix is still widely used as a talismanic sacramental by Christians. In Christian culture, it is considered to be one of the most effective means of averting or opposing demons, as stated by many exorcists, including the famous exorcist of the Vatican, Father Gabriele Amorth.

Medals

A well-known amulet among Catholic Christians is the Saint Benedict Medal which includes the Vade Retro Satana formula to ward off Satan. This medal has been in use at least since the 18th century and in 1742 it received the approval of Pope Benedict XIV. It later became part of the Roman Catholic ritual.

Scapulars

Some Catholic sacramentals are believed to defend against evil, by virtue of their association with a specific saint or archangel. The Scapular of St. Michael the Archangel is a Roman Catholic devotional scapular associated with Archangel Michael, the chief enemy of Satan. Pope Pius IX gave this scapular his blessing, but it was first formally approved under Pope Leo XIII.

The form of this scapular is somewhat distinct, in that the two segments of cloth that constitute it have the form of a small shield; one is made of blue and the other of black cloth, and one of the bands likewise is blue and the other black. Both portions of the scapular bear the well-known representation of the Archangel St. Michael slaying the dragon and the inscription "Quis ut Deus?" meaning Who is like God?.

Holy water

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (number 301) specifically refers to the use of Holy water for "protection from the powers of darkness."[11] Catholic saints have written about the power of Holy water as a force that repels evil. Saint Teresa of Avila, a Doctor of the Church who reported visions of Jesus and Mary, was a strong believer in the power of Holy water and wrote that she used it with success to repel evil and temptations.

Islam

Muslims also wear such amulets, called Ta'wiz, with chosen text from the Qur'an. The text is generally chosen depending on the situation for which the amulet is intended. Generally however, usage of amulets and other talismans is considered superstitious among more mainstream Muslims.

About Israeli Ptitim

Ptitim, is a staple of the Israeli school lunch menu, the steady side dish .

This Israeli toasted pasta now comes in many shapes, including stars, loops and hearts, but originally was shaped like grains of rice.

In any case, ptitim are now known as Israeli couscous -- and this lunchroom fave has since been rediscovered as a versatile carb that can be boiled like pasta or first fried with onions and then cooked in boiling water or stock.

Ptitim (Hebrew: Ptitim Afuyim, "baked flakes", commonly ptitim) is wheat-based baked pasta, originally produced in the shape of elongated rice grains and today mostly in the shape of round pearls. Nicknamed "Ben Gurion's Rice" in Israel, it is known as Israeli couscous or Jerusalem couscous in the United States and elsewhere and is one of the foods considered to be a unique Israeli culinary contribution.

Ptitim was invented during the austerity period in Israel, when rice was scarce and in order to provide the needs of the Mizrahi immigrants, whose diets were largely made up of rice and couscous.

Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, asked Eugen Propper, one of the founders of the Osem food company, to quickly devise a wheat-based substitute to rice. Consequently, it was nicknamed "Ben-Gurion's Rice" by the people.

The company agreed to the challenge and developed ptitim, which is made of hard wheat flour and roasted in an oven. The product was instantly a success and not too long after ptitim made in the shape of small, dense balls (which the company termed "couscous") was added to the original rice-shaped ptitim.

Ptitim is generally considered as a food for children, who sometimes have them plain, and other times with bit of fried onion, tomato paste, some spices for flavour and some vegetables. It is often served as a side dish to children along with schnitzel or another main course. About a decade ago, because of the young target audience of ptitim, ptitim was produced in the shape of rings and stars as well.

In addition, special limited-editions are offered, such as heart-shaped ptitim. Due to health conscious consumers, ptitim is now also sold made of whole-wheat flour or even spelt flour.

While considered a children's food in Israel, elsewhere in the world Israeli couscous is treated as an ingredient for "trendy delicacies". In the United States, it can be found on the menus of contemporary American chefs and can be bought in gourmet markets.

Preparation

Similar to pasta, ptitim is filling, and can be used in many different types of dishes, both hot and cold. Since they're of a small shape, they take less time to cook than pasta, taking about 6 minutes. Also, due to their small surface area, they can have a lot of sauce on them. In addition, ptitim tend to retain their shape and texture even if kept warm for a while or reheated, as well, unlike traditional tiny grains of North African couscous, they don't clump together as much.

Commonly, ptitim is prepared, with sautéd onions or garlic (vegetables, meat, chicken or sausages can also be added), the ptitim is then added, and fried for a short time before adding water.[1] Ptitim can also be used as a substitute for pasta or rice. They can also go in soup, can be baked, can be served as a pie, or made as a risotto.

From Wikipedia

Today American chefs have been experimenting with this type of pasta since the early 1950s. Over the past few years there has been a sudden boom to explore this culinary favorite.

About the Star of David

The Star of David is known in Hebrew as the Shield of David or Magen David .

The Shield of David is a generally recognized symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism.

History of the Shield of David (from Wikipedia)

The Star of David in the oldest surviving complete copy of the Masoretic text, the Leningrad Codex, dated 1008. The Menorah on the Arch of Titus: notice the three stems on each side plus the central stem, totaling seven. Likewise the Shield of David came to be understood as seven, with two triangles of three points each united around a central point.

By modern times, the Shield of David hexagram has become a widely recognized symbol to represent the Jewish people. However the origins of this use are complex with obscure developments emerging since medieval times. Star of David pendant

Star of David necklace

Regarding the Jewish use of the hexagram symbol, early Jewish literature does not mention it.

The use of the hexagram in a Jewish context as a possibly meaningful symbol may occur as early as the 11th century, in the decoration of the carpet page of the famous Tanakh manuscript, the Leningrad Codex dated 1008. Similarly, the symbol illuminates a medieval Tanakh manuscript dated 1307 belonging to Rabbi Yosef bar Yehuda ben Marvas from Toledo, Spain.

The precise origin of the use of the hexagram as a Jewish symbol remains unknown, but it apparently emerged in the context of medieval Jewish protective amulets (segulot).

In the Renaissance Period, in the 16th-century Land of Israel, the book Ets Khayim conveys the Kabbalah of Ha-Ari (Rabbi Isaac Luria) who arranges the traditional items on the seder plate for Passover into two triangles, where they explicitly correspond to Jewish mystical concepts. The six sfirot of the masculine Zer Anpin correspond to the six items on the seder plate, while the seventh sfira being the feminine Malkhut corresponds to the plate itself.

With its establishment in 1948, the State of Israel adopted the Shield of David for the Flag of Israel.

Pomegranate

from Wikipedia Judaism

Exodus 28:33-34 directed that images of pomegranates be woven onto the hem of the me'il ("robe of the ephod"), a robe worn by the Hebrew High Priest.

Kings 7:13-22 describes pomegranates depicted on the capitals of the two pillars (Jachin and Boaz) which stood in front of the temple King Solomon built in Jerusalem.

It is said that Solomon designed his coronet based on the pomegranate's "crown" (calyx).

Jewish tradition teaches that the pomegranate is a symbol for righteousness, because it is said to have 613 seeds which corresponds with the 613 mitzvot or commandments of the Torah .

For this reason and others, many Jews eat pomegranates on Rosh Hashanah.

However, the actual number of seeds varies with individual fruits.

It is also a symbol of fruitfulness.

The pomegranate is one of the few images which appear on ancient coins of Judea as a holy symbol, and today many Torah scrolls are stored while not in use with a pair of decorative hollow silver "pomegranates" (rimmonim) placed over the two upper scroll handles.

Some Jewish scholars believe that it was the pomegranate that was the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden.

Pomegranate is one of the Seven Species (Hebrew: שבעת המינים, Shiv'at Ha-Minim), the types of fruits and grains enumerated in the Hebrew Bible (Deuteronomy 8:8) as being special products of the Land of Israel.