Multiplying `Chai` ~ Challah of Life

 

Multpiplying the word `CHAI`   חַי which means Life, on a heart-shaped challah

A new inspiration to make smaller `Chai` חַי Heart Challah, and multiply the `Chai` which means `LIFE`. First make the heart shape, and then roll out a thin strand to make the word `

חַי

 

I am the bread of life.

 אָנֹכִי הוּא לֶחֶם הַחַיִּים

Anochi Hu Lechem Ha-Chay-im 

John 6:35

`Chai` or חַי in Hebrew means `Life`.  

If you read the scriptures in Hebrew, you will recognize this word in the Bread of Life, Lechem Ha-chay-im (above)~ Yeshua is the Bread of Life.

Or in another life-giving verse,

I am the way, the Truth, and the Life.  John 14:6

אָנֹכִי הַדֶּרֶךְ וְהָאֱמֶת וְהַחַיִּים

Anochi ha-derech v`ha-emet v`ha-chayim

 And if you are following the Torah portions, you will surely recognize it as the root word from the last Torah portion in the book of Genesis, Vayechi, which we just read this past Shabbat.  It means, `And He lived`,  which refers to our patriarch Jacob at the end of his life.  Always in the Torah, `Life` is highlighted as the Torah is a Torah of Life! So even as Jacob is on his last days and blessing his sons and grandsons just before his passing on, the name of the Parsha (Torah Portion) emphasizes that He lived.  

 A few years ago I had the idea of this `Chai` Challah, a Challah of Life, to make for the Shabbat of `Vayechi`.  I started noticing in the last two Torah portions, even as the tribes were about to begin the Exodus in Egypt and a time of darkness, the word `life` is often used in the story of Joseph. Jacob`s favored son, Joseph tells his brothers that God sent him there to save `life` (lives) in an extraordinary deliverance.

But God sent me ahead of you to ensure a remnant in the land and to keep you alive for an extraordinary deliverance.  Genesis 45:7

 Even though they tried to kill him and threw him in a pit, he rose up to be the viceroy second to Pharoah and he became the saviour for the land of Egypt and for his family from Israel (Canaan at the time), and for all who lived in that time and who came to him for bread.  We see a picture of the Saviour, Yeshua, who like the Joseph we see in these readings, is still yet to reveal himself to his brothers.  LIke the story of Joseph, his Jewish bretheren do not any longer recognize him, and yet its happening before our eyes in this exciting time, that He is revealing Himself to them, and, like me, many are beginning to know our Messiah Lives!!

When I had the idea of `Chai` on a Challah, it seemed very fitting as Yeshua is the Bread of Life, and in this portion, Joseph at the time saved his brothers in a great deliverance through his storing up of grain. Bread features prominently in the salvations so what better way to express this life giving bread, then in a blossoming `Chai` Challah!  The variation this time is that I `multiplied` them and made several small Chai in the hearts challah.  Like the loaves that were multiplied by Yeshua, I pray that this bread will feed many and many will be nourished by the Word of God and find life in the Bread of Life, Yeshua!

`Chai` necklace, on Shayndel`s wishlist!

You may recognize this word from the celebratory toast at weddings or bar mitzvahs or other occasion, To Life,  which is `Le-chay-im`.  You may recognize it from the song of the same name in the musical, Fiddler on the Roof.  Or you may recognize it from the חַי chai neckaces that you can find in a Judaica shop. 

If you might like to try making a Chai Challah, I will direct you to my Challah-cast archives HERE , where you can find related posts and uploads that will show you how to make it!!

Let`s make a toast together for the New Year 2023, 

Le-chayim, To Life!

Love and blessings,

❤️

Shayndel

PS Notes*

*For more on Parsha Vayechi, Please find my AHAVA Weekly Prayer Sheet HERE to pray from your loved ones and for Israel with verses based on this parsha and themes of `LIFE` and blessing!

**Have you signed up yet for my weekly Parsha Newsletter?

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I hope it is a blessing to you.  Please feel free to let me know your thoughts comments, insights, d`var torah (word of Torah), or what else you might like to see in the weekly letters.

Vayechi Shabbat Shalom!