This might be a difficult concept to understand, but love is an obligation, a duty. This is contrary to the image created by popular culture, from Ancient Greeks and Romans, to Shakespeare, to romantic movies on Netflix.
The mythical Amur, or Cupid, is a cute mischievous child armed with bow and arrows who blindly shoots unsuspecting mortals through their hearts and laughs his curly head off when they fall in love. A wealth of world art has been inspired by this little prankster. However, Judaism perceives love as “the emotional pleasure a human being experiences when he understands and focuses on the virtues of another human being.” Rabbi Noah Weinberg, the dean and founder of the worldwide educational organization Aish HaTorah, explains that “love, therefore, is overwhelmingly dependent upon how one views another person. If we choose to focus on a person’s virtues, we will love them. If we choose to focus on their deficiencies, we will dislike them” (N. Weinberg and Y. Solomon, The Power of Love). An Italian American, Dr Leo Buscaglia, widely known and popular as “Dr Love,” is of the same opinion, quoting Mother Theresa.
Surprisingly, the famous dictum to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Devorim 19:18) is only part of the Biblical injunction. The full posuk (verse) reads: “You shall not take revenge and you shall not bear a grudge; you shall love your neighbor as yourself, I am G-d.” Thank you, Dr Love, for delivering this message, but why does the verse end by this mysterious phrase “I am G-d?” The following story may give us an answer.
Two young men had grown up together and become very close friends. They were living at a time when the Roman Empire was split into two parts – one half controlled by an emperor in Rome and the other half ruled by an emperor in Syria. After each of the friends married, one moved to Rome and the other moved to Syria. Together they started an import-export business, and though they lived far apart, they remained very close friends.
One time, when the fellow from Rome was visiting in Syria, someone accused him of being a spy for Rome and plotting against the emperor. He was an innocent man – it was just a vicious rumor. So, they brought him to the Syrian Emperor, and he was subsequently sentenced to death.
When he was being led out to his execution, he was asked if he had any last requests. The accused man pleaded: “Please, I’m an innocent man, but I can’t prove it. So, if I’m going to die, at least let me go back to Rome first, settle my affairs, and say goodbye to my family. They don’t know my business, like who owes me money, where all my goods are. Let me just go back to Rome, put my affairs in order, and then I’ll come back and you can execute me.”
The Emperor laughed at him. “What are you, crazy? You think we’d let you go? What possible guarantee will we have that you’re going to come back?”
The Jew said, “Wait. I have a friend here in Syria who will stand in for me. He’ll be my guarantor. If I don’t come back, you can kill him instead.”
The Emperor was intrigued. “This I’ve got to see. Okay, bring in your friend.”
The fellow from Syria was called in. Sure enough, he agreed without hesitation to take the Roman Jew’s place in prison, and to be killed in his stead if the friend did not return.
The Emperor was so startled by this arrangement that he agreed to let the Roman Jew go. “I’ll give you 60 days. Put your affairs in order. If you’re not back by the dawn of the 60th day, your friend is dead.”
Off went the Roman Jew, racing back to his family to say goodbye and to put his affairs in order. After a lot of tears and goodbyes, he started back in plenty of time before the 60 days were up.
These were the days of sailing galleys, and sometimes you could sit for days waiting for the right wind to come up. As luck would have it, there was no wind for several days, the sailboat was delayed, and by the time the Jew arrived in Syria, dawn of the 60th day was breaking.
As agreed, the jailers took out the fellow from Syria for the execution. In those days, an execution was a gala affair, and early in the morning the crowds began to gather. Finally, as they were just about to perform the execution, the fellow from Rome came running in. “Wait! Stop! I’m back. Don’t kill him. I’m the real prisoner!”
The executioner let the fellow from Syria go and was about to take the Jew from Rome in his place. “Wait a minute,” the reprieved guarantor argued. “You can’t kill him. His time limit was up. I’m the guarantor. You’ve got to kill me instead!”
The two friends were equally adamant. “Kill me instead!” “No, kill me!” The executioner didn’t know what to do. The crowd was in an uproar, watching them fight it out.
Finally, the Emperor stepped in. In wonder and amazement, he turned to the two of them and said, “I’ll let both of you go free on one condition. That you make me your third friend!” (http://www.aish.com/sp/f/48971341.html)
When we go out of our way to love our neighbors, regardless of their flaws, G-d Himself becomes our third friend!
Following my grandmother, I express my love in the kitchen. I have presented to you, Beautiful People, a Zoodles appetizer (please see here), a Soudles soup (please see here), and a Toodles main course (please see here). To complete our Zoodles feast, we need a dessert – Chocoodles (you didn’t think I’d make a dessert without chocolate, did you?).
Setting my trusty spiralizer on Angel Hair, I make a pile of airy (unpeeled!) courgetti (thank you, dear Osyth, for this word – go visit her blog, Beautiful People; she is an awesome writer!). Put them aside for now.
You need to mix your dry ingredients first: spelt or GF flour with unsweetened cocoa, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Now you have two bowls waiting on the side for you to cream Smart Balance with brown sugar, incorporate prostokvasha (for recipe, please click here) or Greek yogurt, if you want to go dairy, and add some olive oil and vanilla extract. In yet another bowl (are you keeping count?) whisk aquafaba or eggs and combine it with the wet ingredients. Gradually mix dry ingredients into the wet, and finally, mix it all with your courgetti.
I wouldn’t be myself, if I didn’t abide by my own Rules of Dessert, and Rule #2 clearly states: The more chocolate, the better! Before you put your Chocoodles cake into the oven, liberally sprinkle it with crushed walnuts and chocolate chips. While it’s baking, you can watch Golde, of the “Fiddler on the Roof” discover the meaning of love. She is flabbergasted when her husband of many years, Tevye, poses a simple question:
Brought up on the positive commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” she has lived her life satisfying this requirement. Looking back at twenty years poor in material goods, but oh! so rich in emotional fulfillment, she finally comes to a realization, “Yes I love you!”
Super-moist, extra-chocolaty, and bursting with love, my Chocoodles cake makes the Zoodles series complete.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups white spelt or GF flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 cup Smart Balance, room temperature
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- ¾ cup aquafaba or 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup prostokvasha (clabbered milk) or Greek yogurt
- 2 medium or 3 small unpeeled zucchini, spiralized on Angel Hair setting or grated
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
PROCEDURE
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray baking pan with oil.
- Mix dry ingredients. Put aside.
- Cream Smart Balance with sugar, add prostokvasha, olive oil, vanilla extract. Put aside.
- Whisk aquafaba or eggs, incorporate into wet ingredients, whisk together.
- Gradually add dry ingredients. Mix well. Fold in zucchini, transfer to baking pan.
- Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and chocolate chips.
- Bake at 325 F for 1 1/2 hour, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool on rack.
Enjoy!
Reblogged this on The Militant Negro™.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you for reblogging.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As always, my pleasure to reblog your recipes. 😊🌼🌹🌻🤗😎
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on All About Writing and more.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you for reblogging.
LikeLike
You are welcome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a wonderful explaination! Thank you very much! But i hope next will not be “poodles” (grilled dogs chinese style) LOL. Have a great weekend ahead, Dolly. 😉 Michael
LikeLiked by 2 people
LOL No dogs or cats, other than live ones helping me in the kitchen! 😸 Have a great weekend!
LikeLike
OK, i consent in advance: A very bad joke. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
It wasn’t so bad, Michael, don’t worry! Got me to chuckle!
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you for reblogging.
LikeLike
What a cute story. Made me smile 🙂 I could be a fourth to the happy three. Osyth introduces me to new words btw from time to time. So I am not surprised by gourgetti 😉 That cake looks delicious. Does not look at all like courgettes have gone into its making! xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, darling; I am so glad you like it! It may not look, but it’s courgettes that make it super-moist, so it doesn’t need any filling or frosting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved your story about friendship and love. Tasty looking cake too. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much! I gave about a third of it to my husband to bring to work. He tells me they were fighting for it! 😸
LikeLiked by 2 people
This looks good.
Oh, the memories your film clip evoked. I clicked on and listened to several others from that wonderful musical. Thank you for the recipe and the memories.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for your lovely comment, dear! I also love this musical, and years ago I was fortunate to have seen it on stage with Zero Mostel – incredible!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are so very welcome!
Oh, wow! That would have been a dream come true for me. I loved the musical!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A few years ago, my granddaughter got to play both Tevye and Golde during the same season: one in her middle school production, and the other one in Sunday school. We were teasing her about the danger of mixing up the songs while on stage!
LikeLiked by 2 people
How awesome!
I think I would have mixed up the songs!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
She didn’t – kids nowadays are so much “with it” than we give them credit for!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad!
Isn’t that the truth. They have so much vying for their attention!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I LOVE this recipe! Great post and stories as always – thank you very much! 😺💕xxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much , Samantha! 😻
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh how lovely you are gracing me with such compliments 🙂 Thank you so much for linking my little bundle of nonsense to your lovely piece. How I loved reading the story. Rather like the story of the two women and Solomon I think it should be compulsory reading. You know me by now – I do believe that love really IS all we need if we would only allow it. As for the recipe … oh how delicious. Courgetti Cake for le goûter (tomorrow when my husband arrives for a week and love really can take over my life!) Hugs to you Dolly. And love of course 🙂
LikeLike
But I love your bundles of whimsicality dressed in delightful language! I didn’t know that French also have an afternoon tea and even a special name for it, but then again, if there is a signified, there will be a signifier for it, says Jacques Lacan (whatever these concepts are called in French). Have a great and lovely romantic time with your husband! 😻
LikeLiked by 2 people
The cake is made … I was up at 5 – just SO excited 💕💕💕
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have a wonderful romantic time! 😺
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful!! Well summed up!! Food is love!!😎😎❤❤🍻🍷🍗🍛
LikeLiked by 1 person
Of course! Thank you so much! Are you familiar with the beautiful book and movie Como Aqua Para Chocolate?
LikeLike
Yep a bit. Some reviews I have read. Interesting the emotions food take on of people and people take on with food!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s one of the richest sensory experiences!
LikeLike
Which has a great impact on many things! 😃 Hope you’re having a nice weekend!!
LikeLike
Of course, and I hope the same for you! 😺
LikeLike
Big Smiles!!! Happy Monday!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yay! Happy and enjoyable week to you! 😻
LikeLike
I saw the movie in English: Like Water for Chocolate. Wonderful film.
xx,
mgh
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is, and so is the book.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll put the book on my TBR list – I’m sure I would love it.
xx,
mgh
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am sure you will – Latin existentialism at its best.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love thy neighbor.. and thy friend in the kitchen 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL Thank you for the chuckle – made my day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another magnificent post, a story to tell the kinder, and now, I must bake! ❤ ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much! The story is a Midrash. I hope the meidalach like the cake! Yesterday, I had eineklach baking with me, and we remade this cake recipe into muffins – yummy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I guess I’m going to have to bite the bullet and purchase one of those “spiralizer” gadgets – just as soon as I can figure out what to get rid of to have a place to put it in my small, storage-challenged rental kitchen. I barely have counter space. 😦
I *loved* the story, Dolly. As I often say, “love is a verb.” I’m sure you husband feels like the most loved man in the world every time he gets to taste one of your glorious recipes.
I did Tzeitel in Fiddler, many years ago, so the videos brought back many vivid memories. Thank you. I was not fortunate enough to see the stage version with Mostel – which would have thrilled me forever.
xx,
mgh
(Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMORE dot com)
ADD/EFD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder
“It takes a village to transform a world!”
LikeLiked by 1 person
PS. The source of the Buscaglia story, to which “have the courage to” was added. is *not* anonymous — it is “Do it ANYWAY,” written by Mother Teresa.
The original is short and can be found on my blog (I don’t want to take folks off your site with a link, but search for “When the Going Gets Tough” and scroll down just a bit in the article). You will LOVE how it ends, Dolly.
xx,
mgh
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just went and read it – amazing! It was Buscaglia who called it “anonymous,” but I will go back and add Mother Theresa’s authorship to the post. Thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are most welcome. I was a bit surprised to hear Buscaglia was unaware of the source – but it took YEARS before somebody shared the source for The Goose Story (on which I founded my entire company). I was so grateful to replace “source unknown” with Noyes.
xx,
mgh
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting how primary sources sometimes get lost in repetitions.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Unfortunately so.
xx,
mgh
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for a lovely comment and all the glowing compliments!
You don’t have to buy a big bulky spiralizer if you are space-challenged; there are little hand-held ones. I didn’t choose this one – it was my son’s choice.
How fortunate you were to play in that fabulous musical!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fiddler was a fabulous experience – one I will never forget. I can still recall all the songs – even tho’ Tzeitel didn’t get to sing all that many onstage.
Thanks – I’ll check out the hand-held versions. Your son clearly knows where his bread is buttered, so I’m sure he wanted to get you the one that was easiest to use, confident you’d figure out a place for it, especially in your remodeled kitchen.
xx,
mgh
LikeLiked by 1 person
To tell the truth, he consulted with an expert (my granddaughter who is on a healthy eating track right now), who advised him to look at the number of positive comments, in addition to looking at the rating. That’s how he made his choice. I am passing on this advice!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I usually do that too — even if I plan to buy at Sams or somewhere cheaper. First I decide what to buy, then I look for the cheapest source.
xx,
mgh
LikeLiked by 1 person
And I like to go through kitchen stores and see what’s new and interesting, but I haven’t done that in three years already.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I used to love that too – NYC has some amazing ones!
xx,
mgh
LikeLiked by 1 person
Same as all the outlet malls on the way from Miami to Boston. People spend hours at outlet malls shopping for clothes; I disappear into kitchen stores.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t go often, but when I do I spend the entire day – browsing them all!
xx,
mgh
LikeLiked by 1 person
I only hit them on car trips up North, and I only go to kitchen stores. I have no patience for clothing stores.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love ANY kind of store – but I am divesting, not acquiring these days. So window shopping is my only “retail therapy” anymore.
xx,
mgh
LikeLiked by 1 person
Whatever works for you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Food looks good.
LikeLike
Thank you so much, dear, I am so glad you like it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your posts are always good and recipes help too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are so sweet! 😻
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. I try my best.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😻
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really love your story very inspiring. That is how love should be. And I always people who can create a variety of receipees in the kitchen… I should come to your cookery school 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, darling, I don’t have a cookery school! I am just a retired educator who loves cooking. A school I ran before retirement was a private school for children with special needs and severe emotional disabilities.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Anything is possible in case you still want to make room for a cookery school *wink -* But again I believe you already have students in your blog audience. I admire that you gave time to helping special needs children. I hope I can achieve the desire to volunteer at a special needs school soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wish you all kinds of luck fulfilling your desire – it is so much needed!
LikeLike
Oh yes!! That is definitely better than even a spiralizer, and zoodles!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! And last Sunday I got the youngest grandkids involved in remaking the same recipe into muffins! Will post soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Woo hoo!! Looking forward to that one!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What do you think, you are the only grandma with the cutest munchkins? I got them too! 😸
LikeLiked by 1 person
😉 Well, of course! All Jewish women make the best grandmas!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a myth! All good grandmothers make the best grandmothers! “All you need is love”!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So true!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Grandmothers of the world, unite!
LikeLiked by 1 person
YES!! Granny Power!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Meow to that! 😺
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love this! I love listening to Dr Leo Buscaglia, I also agree with how Judaism perceives love, wonderful post Dolly!!!! 😍
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, sweetheart! 😻
LikeLike
Verklempt! I got a little choked up at the end of your story. Beautiful! ♥️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, dear Mel, I cried buckets when I read that essay! Thank you so much for understanding! 😻
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is such a lovely post. I love Fiddler on the Roof and my favourite son is Matchmaker. My best friend is Jewish so we often get to enjoy Jewish cooking which is superb.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much! I am so glad you like it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, love with this chocolate recipe, looks so good! thanks for sharing, following :))
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for your kind comment and for following! I love your site, too, and will follow.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, my friend! Nice day :))
LikeLiked by 1 person
A great day to you as well, dear Alex!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on koolkosherkitchen and commented:
I am repeating one of my favorite posts in honor of the National Cake Day (https://foodimentary.com/november-holidays). Enjoy, Beautiful People!
LikeLike
A splendid, uplifting, tale
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Derrick
LikeLiked by 1 person
Intriguing pairing … chocolate and zucchini. I’ve made carrot cake but this may be a bridge too far for me. I DID enjoy the story of the two friends and the Roman emperor.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, dear friend. Chocolate and zucchini go very well together. Here is another one, using the same recipe: https://koolkosherkitchen.wordpress.com/2017/08/25/piano-kids-and-chocolate-zoodle-muffins/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful post, Dolly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, dear Rachel!
LikeLiked by 1 person
xoxo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Right back to you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do need to get myself a spiralizer one day soon…Chocolate and raspberries are my favourites…I really think after all these years the world should have changed and I wish someone would explain to me why the world is like it is with regards to differences in race and religion because it totally escapes me …It also offends me as I really do not care what religion or colour or creed anyone is I look at the person and their heart I also respect the differences and expect my differences to be accepted and respected t would be a funny old world if we were all the same …Our differences make us who we are … 🙂 xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think along the same lines, I always tell my students that people who say that they are color-blind and don’t see faces of different colors in their classrooms are hypocrites. I see colors, and shapes, and forms, and creeds, and I appreciate the colorful variety of human beings. If He wanted everyone to be uniform, He wouldn’t have created so many different variations!
I thank you for your compassion and understanding, dear Carol!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly, Dolly it just makes my heart weep …xxx
LikeLike
Yet another way to feed zucchini to my husband! Does this taste like a soft cake? I wonder if it would work with grated pumpkin also?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is quite moist and very soft, and before my great zoodles adventure, I used to make it my grandmother’s way, by grating zucchini. Certainly it will work with grated pumpkin, but you might want to add some moisture to it, as zucchini generates more moisture than pumpkin. I would add either rum or agave, or both.
LikeLiked by 1 person
… and questions: baking pan? Square? Rectangular? Or a cake pan?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I use a loaf pan, as it has high sides, but any pan with moderately high sides will do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
DO WE LOVE THIS…? OF COURSE! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for reblogging and a lovely introduction, dear friend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
DID MY BEST!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😻
LikeLiked by 1 person