Cooking from Scratch

 HH

Saba Yisroel's wife, Esther (Mindel) was a true woman of valor, her father beat her trying to persuade her to demand a divorce, but she was obstinate in her loyalty to Saba. They were destitute, and they lived through times of famine when it is estimated that at third of the population of Israel succumbed to starvation, disease, and extermination by the ruling Turks and the local arabs. This did not deter Saba from bringing home guests to feed, in addition to his large family. Esther was a master of conjuring up food, delicious food without any budget. She would get the fish heads from the fish market for free, and she knew how to maximize whatever meat was left on them to make delicious soup. She also had different delicious recipes for mallow - khobiza in Arabic - a wild grass, which she was able to gather from open fields, and once an arab confronted them saying that it was his field, and so they got permission from him, and from then on specifically gathered from that field.

One time Saba brought some guests, and before he entered the house, he went in and asked his wife, saying that he came across some people who were stranded with nothing to eat, would it be alright for him to bring them - not telling her that they were waiting by the front door. Esther said certainly. Saba said, are you sure, how will you come up with food for them. Esther said she had a fish or two, and she could cut in half, and then there is the other side, and then in half... so Saba went to the door and let them in.

She was also an excellent seamstress and made her own clothes.

One time on the anniversary of passing of Esther, Saba told Sharon T. that he must honor and be grateful to his righteous wife saying - you owe her your life, because everything I merited was in her merit, and without her, you would not have me. You must honor her as you would your own mother.

Na Nach Nachma Nachman MayUman