From the sources

“וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים תַּֽדְשֵׁ֤א הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ דֶּ֔שֶׁא עֵ֚שֶׂב מַזְרִ֣יעַ זֶ֔רַע עֵ֣ץ פְּרִ֞י עֹ֤שֶׂה פְּרִי֙ לְמִינ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃” (Bereishit א:יא)

“And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation: seed-bearing plants, fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so.” (Bereishit 1:11)

Rashi, on the words עֵ֣ץ פְּרִ֞י (fruit trees), says that originally the trees were commanded to come into existence so that any part of the tree could be eaten: the bark, the leaves and so on. The Midrash relates that the trees reasoned that if the whole tree were edible, then people would eat the whole tree and therefore the tree would be destroyed. So they grew themselves to be trees where only the fruit was edible. Originally every tree was edible, but as a punishment for the trees disobeying His command, Hashem made many trees that do not bear fruit at all.

How to eat it

In memory of the fact that THE WHOLE OF EVERY TREE was supposed to be edible, I thought it would be nice to use some “non-fruit” parts of trees for food. For example:

-cinnamon sticks: use in warm apple juice to make a delicious warming beverage, or be sure to sprinkle some cinnamon into the apple pie (see below)

-maple syrup: serve over ice cream or pancakes

-bay leaves: add to soup                                      

-tea: while you are sipping your tea this Shabbat, remember it is made from leaves of a tree

From the sources

“וַיְבָ֧רֶךְ אֹתָ֛ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר פְּר֣וּ וּרְב֗וּ וּמִלְא֤וּ אֶת־הַמַּ֙יִם֙ בַּיַּמִּ֔ים וְהָע֖וֹף יִ֥רֶב בָּאָֽרֶץ׃” (ּBereishit א:כב)

“God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.”” (ּBereishit 1:22)

The birds and fish were given a special blessing that they be fruitful and multiply. This is also a blessing to people as the birds and fish fulfil human needs and desires (when they are eaten). So when man kills birds and fish for food, they are blessed to multiply so they will not die out through human consumption. Because of the sin of the snake, animals were not given the same blessing.

How to Eat it

This is a good week to serve fish and chicken rather than red meat. Here are some suggestions:

-a whole fish baked in the oven

-chicken stuffed with onion and etrog (left from Sukkot) and roasted in the oven.

-chicken soup (add bay leaves as an example of a “non-fruit” edible portion from a tree)

Alternatively, you could have a vegetarian Shabbat – see below concerning the fact that Adam HaRishon was not allowed to eat meat.

From the sources

 (א:כט Bereishit) ” וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹתָם֮ אֱלֹהִים֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָהֶ֜ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֛וּ וּמִלְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְכִבְשֻׁ֑הָ וּרְד֞וּ בִּדְגַ֤ת הַיָּם֙ וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּבְכָל־חַיָּ֖ה הָֽרֹמֶ֥שֶׂת עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים הִנֵּה֩ נָתַ֨תִּי לָכֶ֜ם אֶת־כָּל־עֵ֣שֶׂב ׀ זֹרֵ֣עַ זֶ֗רַע אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאֶת־כָּל־הָעֵ֛ץ אֲשֶׁר־בּ֥וֹ פְרִי־עֵ֖ץ זֹרֵ֣עַ זָ֑רַע לָכֶ֥ם יִֽהְיֶ֖ה לְאָכְלָֽה׃”

“God blessed them and God said to them, “Be fertile and increase, fill the earth and master it; and rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and all the living things that creep on earth.” God said, “See, I give you every seed-bearing plant that is upon all the earth, and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit; they shall be yours for food.”” (Bereishit 1:28-29)

Adam HaRishon is told that he can eat any vegetables, grasses or fruits, but not meat. Sanhedrin 59b states that birds and fish were included in this prohibition. For more information see http://www.yeshiva.co/ask/?id=97, which discusses the Talmud’s view on what Adam HaRishon was allowed to eat at this time.

How to eat it

This could be a week to make a vegetarian Shabbat. You could make a big salad containing fruit, vegetables, “grass” (alfalfa sprouts or wheatgrass) and seeds to represent all of the foods that WERE permitted to Adam HaRishon.

From the sources

 וַיְצַו֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים עַל־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר מִכֹּ֥ל עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן אָכֹ֥ל תֹּאכֵֽל׃ וּמֵעֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֙עַת֙ ט֣וֹב וָרָ֔ע לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּ֗י בְּי֛וֹם אֲכָלְךָ֥ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת׃ (ב:טז–ב:יז Bereishit)

And the HaShem commanded the man [Adam HaRishon], saying, “Of every tree of the garden you are free to eat; but as for the tree of knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat of it; for as soon as you eat of it, you shall die.”

Adam HaRishon was allowed to eat from all of the trees in the garden, except for the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. What sort of tree was the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? The Torah leaves the identity of the tree unclear so that people would not come to say that this tree had caused the destruction of the whole world. However, our sages do offer explanations at to what the tree actually was:

-Rabbi Meir says that it was grapes (and therefore possibly refers to wine)
-Rabbi Nechemyah says it was a fig
-Rabbi Yehuda says it was wheat, and Rashi adds that before Adam ate from the tree, wheat grew on trees
-Bereishit Rabba together with Onkelos translates it as an “Etrog”
-Traditionally, it has often been referred to as an “apple”, although this probably mainly because the word “apple” simply meant any “fruit.”

How to Eat it

You could eat any of the above mentioned fruits separately, or try to combine them.  For example, use wheat to make a pie crust and make an apple, or apple and fig, pie. Garnish with grapes and candied etrog peel.

I googled and found this delicious-looking Apple and Fig Tart:

From the sources

וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אַ֚ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃

Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild beasts that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say: You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?”

וַתֹּ֥אמֶר הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־הַנָּחָ֑שׁ מִפְּרִ֥י עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן נֹאכֵֽל׃

The woman replied to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the other trees of the garden.

 וּמִפְּרִ֣י הָעֵץ֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּתוֹךְ־הַגָּן֒ אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים לֹ֤א תֹֽאכְלוּ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְלֹ֥א תִגְּע֖וּ בּ֑וֹ פֶּן־תְּמֻתֽוּן׃

It is only about fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said: ‘You shall not eat of it or touch it, lest you die.’”

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַנָּחָ֖שׁ אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה לֹֽא־מ֖וֹת תְּמֻתֽוּן׃

And the serpent said to the woman, “You are not going to die,

 כִּ֚י יֹדֵ֣עַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים כִּ֗י בְּיוֹם֙ אֲכָלְכֶ֣ם מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְנִפְקְח֖וּ עֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם וִהְיִיתֶם֙ כֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים יֹדְעֵ֖י ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע׃

but God knows that as soon as you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like divine beings who know good and bad.”

וַתֵּ֣רֶא הָֽאִשָּׁ֡ה כִּ֣י טוֹב֩ הָעֵ֨ץ לְמַאֲכָ֜ל וְכִ֧י תַֽאֲוָה־ה֣וּא לָעֵינַ֗יִם וְנֶחְמָ֤ד הָעֵץ֙ לְהַשְׂכִּ֔יל וַתִּקַּ֥ח מִפִּרְי֖וֹ וַתֹּאכַ֑ל וַתִּתֵּ֧ן גַּם־לְאִישָׁ֛הּ עִמָּ֖הּ וַיֹּאכַֽל׃

When the woman saw that the tree was good for eating and a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable as a source of wisdom, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, and he ate. (Bereishit 3:1-6)

In chapter 3, we learn that the snake enticed Chava to eat from the Eitz HaDaat, the tree of knowledge of good and evil. She in turn gave it to Adam HaRishon, who ate as well.

How to eat it

My kids are always looking for ways to include lollies (candy/sweets) in the parsha food. So this is an easy week for them: Jelly Snakes for dessert, anyone?