Lechem Ba'ajin

 

Bill and I first made this during our three-month stay in Israel in 2011. “Lechem Ba’ajin” means “Meat Pastry.” We found this recipe in a cookbook called Simply Israel by Gila Levine. Of course, we altered it somewhat, but it is still the same basic recipe. It is easy and fast to prepare and the blend of spices makes for a mouthwatering dish. 

“Tie-eem!” (That is Hebrew for “Delicious!”)

3 large onions, chopped

2 T olive oil

1/2 lb white ground turkey

1/2 lb dark ground turkey

1/2 lb ground beef

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp paprika

4 Pita Breads

Sautee onions in olive oil until translucent. Add meat and spices. Cook until meat is done, stirring often. Stir in pine nuts. 

Place meat mixture on top of pita breads, distributing evenly. Place pita breads on baking sheet and bake in preheated 350° oven for about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Overkill?

Every few days, I check out the Jerusalem Post and Jordan Times online. An article in the Jerusalem Post caught my attention today. Haredi Jewish men (what outsiders term "Ultra-Orthodox) were successful in getting permission to move their father's body moved from its original burial plot. Their father died eight years ago. According to the article, when the men visited their father's grave, '"they suddenly saw that next to their father were buried people [who were] possibly Sabbath-observant but certainly not strict in [observing religious] commandments."'

"Elyashiv responded that they should rebury him in a different plot, apparently basing his decision on the laws of burial as codified in the Shulhan Aruch – which rules that a righteous man should not be buried next to an evil man, nor even a man of average righteousness."

"According to the family, their father, who died at a young age, was renowned for his acts of charity and modesty. They exhumed and reburied him late last Thursday night on the Mount of Olives next to his own father, who died last year."

This probably seems like a case of severe overkill to most of us, but - to a degree - it does reflect the biblical importance of burials and death-related issues. Consider Joseph's bones being carried from Egypt to the Promised Land. The designated mourning period that followed a death. The shame of not having a proper burial. However, to my knowledge, the Bible never gives guidelines regarding who one's neighbors should be in a cemetery. Haredi Jews have gleaned this custom from their own religious laws, not from the written Torah. 

According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah will appear on the Mount of Olives, where there is a Jewish burial ground, which, I might add, is a very expensive place to be buried. 

Quotes and photo copied from http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishFeatures/Article.aspx?id=280405