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.]
