Simcha Sakura Challah

Make the strands for the five braid long for a simcha challah

Braiding this challah is actually simpler than some other braids, just three to the left, two strands to the right make the pattern of braiding

The pink Sakura paste makes a calligraphic stroke on the dough

Press into the five braid and then the three braid will go on top! That's how to make a simcha shaped challah

its like painting in pink!  If you love the color of cherry blossoms, you can't resist

Three braid over a five braid

Shabbat Shalom

You put joy into my heart
when their grain and wine show increase.

 נָתַתָּה שִׂמְחָה בְלִבִּי;    מֵעֵת דְּגָנָם וְתִירוֹשָׁם רָבּוּ
Psalm 4:8 (Hebrew)

The word in Pink is Simcha, it means Joy

There you have it!!
All of the parts of my journey in one Challah!!
Simcha is the Hebrew word for Joy.
Sakura (also pink!!)  is the Japanese word for Cherry Blossoms.
Challah is the special celebratory bread for Shabbat.

The occasion of this Shabbat was a joy and delight because it is Shabbat!

And it became extra full of simcha, as my daughter came home for the spring holiday on that Shabbat.

There is no greater joy for a mother than to hear her daughter say she can't stop eating the challah!!


So here is the start of a season of Cherry Blossoms!  Before seeing the blossoms, which open in another few weeks!, we can taste them by sprinkling cherry blossom flakes and filling cherry blossom paste in sweets, or in this case in a Cherry Blossom Challah.  To the writer of this blog, it is a taste of heaven,  a reminder of renewal and rebirth,  the spring feasts that are to come, resurrection and new life!!

Do you remember the Simcha challah? You can find a video for shaping one HERE.
Simcha Challah is made for celebratory occasions, like a wedding, Bar Mitzvah, holidays or all occasions of giving a special thanks to the LORD.

You make a simcha challah by placing a three braid challah on top of a five braid challah.

It is a Challah and Cherry Blossoms specialty to make a Sakura Simcha Challah.  The cherry blossom flakes sprinkled into the dough dissolve into the mix giving it a sublime sakura taste.  In the strands, fill with Cherry Blossoms paste, and decorate with sakura flowers and sprinkle some more flakes.

May you have much simcha in your days!

Love and blossoms and blessings,

♡

Shayndel

A great joy to break challah with someone you love on Shabbat!

PS Sweet celebratory sakura desserts to celebrate a Day for Girls (it was a holiday as such as well!)


For more Scriptures with the Hebrew Word Simcha, here is a good reference page! opan pan style="background-color: yellow;"> joy,
the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say, "Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, for the LORD is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting", and of those who bring a thank offering into the house of the LORD.  For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were at first', says the LORD.

Jeremiah 33:11