Rosh Hashana Rant: Stop The Focus on Food

This morning, I posted the following on my facebook page:

Am I the only one who can't psyche myself into RH cooking mode? I hate the focus on food rather than רוח spirit.

None of the replies so far got the real gist of my rant. I'm tired of being expected to plan menus and cook. At least my husband is willing and enjoys a lot of the shopping. I guess if I was rich enough I'd just order food ready-cooked. I'm really grateful for the invitations we get. For decades we were the default home for Holiday meals. I guess I'm rather burnt out from it all.

One thing I've always done has been to do all the Holiday cooking in advance, even though according to Jewish Law, one can cook on a Holiday. The Halachot, Jewish Laws, aren't the same as for Shabbat. The last thing I'd like on my plate on an important Jewish Holiday like Rosh Hashanah is cooking chores. It's really not right that the wife frequently finds herself missing dovening, because she's stuck in the kitchen. Hmmm... maybe that's why Yom Kippur is a fast day. 

When my children were little, I'd pack up a bunch of nosh bags, and we'd all sit together on my seat. When we first came to Shiloh, there would be organized childcare for which we'd take turns watching the youngsters.

I don't consider myself a classic Feminist, but I don't like that in most families the men can expect to be undisturbed in shul, while their wives have kitchen and kiddie duty.

I've been married forty-seven years, and for decades I did manage to "do it all" and enjoy the Holidays.  But now, with an empty house, I guess I'm pretty burnt out.

I hope you don't mind that this is so short. It's time to run down and do some shopping. Maybe the selection at the local store will inspire me to create some new recipes that will stay fresh and tasty for Shabbat as well as Rosh Hashanah.

Cakes baked with my granddaughter. Now that's fun.