Mahane Yehuda
Mahane Yehuda
If you really want to get the feel for Jerusalem, Mahane Yehuda is the
place to go. In this market place you can meet people of all
nationalities, religions and ages. You can see foods and fruits of all
colors, sizes and shapes. You name it you can probably find it here
and generally at a price that can’t be beat.
Friday at Mahane Yehuda is an extra special treat. Here you can sense
that Shabbat is in the air. There is an added urgency to the shopping
frenzy as shoppers look for the nicest and freshest in honor of the
Sabbath. things that you can be sure to see in people’s baskets are
challot, wine, fruit, fish, and even aromatic leaves to be used in the
Havdala ceremony at the end of Shabbat.
It was said that everything that Shamai the Elder ate during his entire
life was eaten in honor of the Shabbat. If he came across a good
piece of meat, he would say: "This will be for Shabbat." If he then
came across a better piece of meat, he would set it aside for Shabbat
and use the inferior piece to satisfy his weekday hunger. In this
manner, even the food that Shamai ate during the week was eaten in
honor of the Shabbat!
-Talmud, Tractate Beitza
There is probably just one thing that you are not going to be able to buy
at Mahane Yehuda:
The Emperor asked Rabbi Joshua b. Hananniah “ What gives your
Sabbath - meat such an aroma?” He replied, “We have a spice called
Sabbath, which is put in the cooking of the meat, and this gives it its
aroma. The Emperor said “ Give me some of this spice.” He replied, “
For him who keeps the Sabbath the spice works, for him who does not
keep it, it does not work.”
-Talmud, Sabbath 119a
Pictures by: Pinhas Baraq