Master Chef. 

It is the eponymous title that is given to the winner of the competitive cooking reality television show. 

This evening JWCAtlanta was proud to introduce 

The Great Big Challah Bake Presents...Bring it Home, Shabbat Shalom. 

The program was a great success as winner of MasterChef Israel, Tom Franz, demonstrated three beautiful recipes which will enhance our Shabbat tables. 

At the end of his presentation, Tom shared some details of his personal journey. He was born a Catholic German who had very little connection to his religion. Through a series of events he traveled to Israel and became enamored of the country and its people. Despite some interest he was firmly rooted in Germany with family, friends and profession but he felt a connection to Israel he could not deny. Eventually Tom decided to convert to Judaism and made a life for himself in Israel. He married, and his wife, who recognized his culinary talents, convinced him to try out for MasterChef. 

Now Tom is an accomplished chef, author of cookbooks and has made his mark in the food world. His love of food was clearly evident as was his passion to use food to help celebrate Shabbat and create meaningful opportunities for family and friends to gather and have meaningful Jewish experiences. 

Perhaps most moving was Tom’s description of his family’s acceptance of his transformation. They were initially shocked by his decision to leave his family and career. But after his MasterChef win, numerous articles appeared in the German press detailing not only his accomplishments but also sharing his life’s journey.  The publicity created a groundswell of support and Tom’s parents were approached time and again by people who had read the story and were moved and impressed. This opened the door to allow his parents to embrace Tom’s journey. The food became the conduit for communication and acceptance.

To the degree that when Tom’s mom passed away, his father asked Tom to recite Kaddish for her. 

Tom used this vignette to highlight the knowledge and acceptance his father has gained as a result of his son’s journey. He, a Catholic German, is asking his Jewish son to recite Kaddish. It is quite astonishing. Tom said his father knows more about Judaism than one could ever imagine. 

As Tom was sharing his story I could not help but marvel at the parallel to the story of our patriarch Abraham. 

In last weeks Torah portion, Abraham was told to leave his homeland, place of birth and the house of his father. He begins his Lech Lecha journey to himself, developing his character and fine honing his special attribute of Chessed, loving kindness to others. 

In this weeks Torah portion, Vaeira, we meet Abraham as he recovers from the first circumcision in history and is in conversation with Gd. Then in the distance Abraham sees some travelers and he asks Gd to excuse him for a moment while he takes care of these wayfarers. This would seem to be an egregious lack of etiquette in ignoring Gd to tend to guests. 

The Torah then begins a detailed description of Abraham’s food preparation. 

It seems Abraham himself was the first MasterChef Israel!

Tonight we were regaled with details regarding the preparation for a beautiful Shabbat meal. We needed the information to be able to replicate it ourselves. 

But we know the Torah is very circumspect with the choice of words. There is never a superfluous word. Each word and event told is pointing us towards a lesson which is timeless. The “stories” in the Torah have deep meanings and contemporary messages which can provide us with lessons to help us in our daily lives. The Torah is in fact called Torat Chaim the manual for living life. 

So why do we need to be regaled in such great detail regarding Abraham’s food preparation for a few random guests?

The Torah is teaching us how to do kindness properly. When one wants to care for another no detail should be left unattended. Abraham ran to tend to all the details himself. He was a wealthy man with staff at his disposal. But since this mitzva was so dear to him, he would leave no stone unturned and would make every effort himself to provide the most wonderful experience for his guests. 

Perhaps we would call it a 

3 star Michelin experience. 

By sparing no effort and giving of himself, Abraham was actually imitating Gd who is the ultimate giver. 

This explains why Abraham’s abrupt departure from his direct conversation with Gd to tend to his guests was not considered inappropriate. 

Because while talking to Gd is certainly on a high level, it is passive. 

But the feeding of his guests was putting the tenets of imitating Gd into action. 

In this way Abraham was not distancing himself from Gd at all. In that moment, all his giving activities were actually bringing him closer. And in those actions, Abraham sanctified Gd’s name. 

Sanctifying Gd’s name is something we all strive to do every day, often in perhaps the most mundane of ways such as providing just the right meal to a person in need, who may even be our child. 

I am so grateful that Tom Franz shared his story. 

As a convert he is called a child of Abraham as Abraham is the father of all converts!  

Tom truly exemplifies the traits of Abraham as he uses his skills to enhance the Shabbat experience and bring joy to others, but also serves as a Kiddush Hashem, a sanctification of Gd’s name in his embrace and practice of Judaism. He did it in a way that allowed his parents to understand his journey and made them proud of his choices. 

Shabbat Shalom to you 

Tom Ben Avraham, Tom the son of Abraham, both of you MasterChefs who have revealed the ingredients to the recipe for lives of meaning and connection to Gd. 

Shabbat Shalom and so much love.