On Simchas Torah (in the Diaspora, the second day of Shmini Atzeres, the holiday that begins immediately after Sukkos), we celebrate completing a full year’s cycle of reading of the Torah and begin again with Genesis. Because this year, Shmini Atzeres falls out on Thursday, we have a “three day Yom Tov” with Shabbos a direct continuation of Yom Tov. The Torah portion we read that Shabbos is Parshas Beraishis, Genesis, in which we are introduced to the concept of Shabbos. Among the highlights of the Shabbos experience are the traditional Shabbos foods.
There is a famous question: What comes first, the chicken or the egg? To me, the answer is obvious; it is the chicken. How do I know? BECAUSE THE CHICKEN IS ON FRIDAY NIGHT, BUT THE EGG IS NOT UNTIL SHABBOS DAY. (Many people serve egg salad with onion– in Yiddish, eir mit tzveeble- by the Shabbos day meal.)
Why did the chicken stop eating?
BECAUSE IT WAS STUFFED.
There was once a fellow who had a very interesting custom. Every Friday night, he would take off his shoe and dip it into a pot of chicken soup. Someone asked him, “what are you doing?”
He answered, “I am trying to get CHICKEN SOUP FOR MY SOLE!”
If the English word for kishka is derma, what do you call a doctor that specializes in treating illnesses of the kishka?
A DERMATOLOGIST.
by Rabbi Yaakov Moskowitz
