Tell Me WhY

Hot Stuff

All about skoog, Barry Pincus,18-chai and Kellogg's inspiration.

places in the Tanach.
The word makes its first appear- 1
once in Genesis 3:20. Adam
Q: I recently made my first
renames his partner Chava, or
trip to Israel, and I ate
Eve, which means "life giver."
1 and I ate and I ate falafel.
Until then she's been called isha,
Delicious! At a number of
or woman, The word chai also is I
restaurants, I was
used for a description of God,
offered a terribly hot
when Jeremiah calls Him a "well
sauce (usually green
of living waters." (While it is most
1 or orange-red) in
frequently translated as "life,"
addition to the usual
chai also means "living.") But the
tehina and hummus.
place in the Torah where you'll
I What was it? •
find the greatest use of the word
I A: That, my friend, was
is in the story of Joseph, where it
iskoog — feisty, snappy and
appears seven times (Genesis
yes, very hot. You can find
43:7, 43:27, 43:28, 45:3,
lit for sale at a handful of
45:26, 45:28, 46:30), and
kosher and specialty shops
always at critical points.
,
in the United States, but
As you no doubt know, Hebrew
mostly it's an Israeli delica-
Words also contain numerical val-
:
Icy, brought to the country
ues. In the case of chai, it is, of
by Sephardic_ Jews.
course, 18. What's so significant
Skoog is a mixture of
about 18?
ingredients, usually involv-
The Tanach is literally filled with 1
ing garlic and always
references
to the number. Some of I
Barry Manilow
including hot peppers. To
the few: Benjamin was 18 when 1
lmake your own, try grating
he wed; 18 men (including Abra-
about three hot peppers (wear
ham, Jacob, Moses and Joshua)
isn't sure why the change came
gloves and be careful not to get
were known as the "servants of
about, but I'll be glad to research
pepper juice in your eyes; it will
God;" King David fought 18 bat-
it if you're craving more Barry
'burn), mixing this with two garlic
info (and really, isn't everyone?). ' ties. And in Jewish liturgy, there
'cloves and a dash of cumin and
Q: Whenever I have to sit j are 18 benedictions in the
'olive oil. Refrigerate at least 24
Amida, or Shmona Esrei.
through one of those fund-
hours.
Kabbalists will be happy to pro-
raising drives at my con-
And remember, a little skoog
gregation, I hear countless f vide you with many more interpre-
goes a long, long way.
tations about the mysterious •
members pledging chai,
Q: Please, can't someone
i
power
of chai and 18. Usually
I
know
the
word
$18.
1 send Barry Manilow to
cited in the same breath as the
means "life," but what is
1 another planet? My wife
story of Joseph, these touch upon
the significance of 18 and
1 listens to his music day
such weighty topics as the divine
why is the symbol so pop-
and night. Just the thought
1
names for God, sexual fulfillment,
ular?
of "Mandy" makes my
Perhaps
the
most
prevalent
A:
inside the inner chamber of the
symbol of Judaism (next to the
skin crawl. But to my
Holy Temple and angels.
Mogen David), chai is indeed
question ... my wife insists
Q: Is it true that John Har-
everywhere — with good reason.
"Manilow" is not his real
vey Kellogg, Mr. Cereal
It is replete with mystical mean-
name. Could it be that he's
ings and can be found in many
himself, was inspired in

I Elizabeth Applebaum
1 AppleTree Editor

actually not Jewish and
changed it to sound more
Jewish? (Please say "yes"
•••)
A: Sorry. Manilow is indeed
Jewish, but he was actually
named Barry Pincus. Tell Me Why

his work by a Jew?
A: No. This is an understandable
rumor, though. Kellogg (1 852-
1943) was obsessed with well-
ness and not only created new
breakfast foods, he invented exer-
cise machines.
One of his greatest concerns
was improving "colon hygiene,"
an area in which he was indeed
following in the footsteps of
another: Elie Metchnikoff (1845-
1916). Metchnikoff, of the Pas-
teur Institute in Paris, received the
Nobel Prize for immunology in
1908. He believed the body
absorbed toxins produced by
bacteria from decomposing food
in the large intestine. Kellogg con-
curred, which is why he began
making cereal (he believed cereal
would help push out those toxins).
Metchnikoff was the son of a gen-
tile mother and a Jewish father,
and there is no record that he in
any way identified with the Jewish
community. ❑

I

1

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