Every wonder why we dip the Challah into salt on Shabbat?
The truth is that it isn’t only Challah – but any bread. And it isn’t only Shabbat – but every day. In Jewish tradition every time we eat bread we should dip it in salt. Why?
This practice stems from a verse in this week’s parsha Vayikra, which speaks of sacrifices offered in the Mishkan and Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple). The Torah mandates that, “You shall offer salt on all your sacrifices.”
Our table is considered an altar; our meal a sacrifice. Subsequently, we dip our food into salt. Since the Torah considers bread to be the staple of foods, we do so whenever we consume bread.
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Nowadays the Temple no longer stands in Jerusalem and offerings cannot be brought outside the Temple.
Does this mean that sacrifices are strictly a thing of the past? Not at all. Firstly, we pray every day for the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash and the opportunity to offer sacrifices again.
But sacrifices exist today as well – just not in physical form. We do not consecrate our lambs and pancakes (though we do eat them). The Talmud teaches that one who has studied the laws of the sacrifices is considered to have offered the sacrifice. Additionally, our daily prayers correspond to the daily offerings.
We do not have the physical offerings, but the spiritual dimension of the sacrifices remains as relevant as it was when we stood in line at the Temple with our sheep.
So if Torah study and prayer are our offerings, what is our salt?
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The great contribution of salt is flavor and preservation. In a spiritual sense this represents the same.
We can pray. But if we are lacking kavanah and devotion, it is like flavorless food. If our prayers are offered only when we are “in the mood” or inspired, they can rot and spoil. It is the emotion and tenacity that we invest in our davening that brings it to life.
We can study Torah. But if we just skim the surface, our traditions remain devoid of meaning. To truly bring Torah to life we must study not only the stories and laws, but the deeper mysteries of the Torah. It is specifically through the lens of Chassidus that our studies are flavored and preserved. And then we must review it – again and again – to ensure it will last forever.
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Salt may not be the main course. But its necessity and zest is ever-present.
We pray and study. Now it’s time to spice it up.