Commentary on Parashat Beha'alotcha, Numbers 8:1-12:16
Every week, Julie Seltzer, artist and Torah scribe, bakes a challah depicting an aspect of the week’s Torah portion.
But now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all; we have nothing save this man(na) to look to. (Numbers 11:6)
וְעַתָּה נַפְשֵׁנוּ יְבֵשָׁה, אֵין כּל–בִּלְתִּי, אֶל-הַמָּן עֵינֵינוּ
These challot are question marks, representing the two portions of manna received before Shabbat in the desert. The word “manna” comes from the Hebrew word “man,” meaning “what.” The manna gets its name because the people asked what this substance was.
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challah
Pronounced: KHAH-luh, Origin: Hebrew, ceremonial bread eaten on Shabbat and Jewish holidays.
Shabbat
Pronounced: shuh-BAHT or shah-BAHT, Origin: Hebrew, the Sabbath, from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.
Torah
Pronunced: TORE-uh, Origin: Hebrew, the Five Books of Moses.
