Tonight as I was braiding my challah my roommate asked, “So how many weeks have you been doing this?” I checked the calendar and realized that this is the fortieth week of my challah project. The FORTIETH week! I have been making challah for almost an entire year!
As we know, forty is a spiritually significant number in Judaism. Many segulos, such as saying Nishmas or Shir Hashirim, are done for forty days, or like challah, are done in a group of forty individuals. So I’m sure there is some spiritual significance to my taking and baking challah for forty consecutive weeks (not counting two weeks in Nisan) but I don’t quite know what it is.
I recently got involved in performing another (much easier) mitzvah and I wanted to share it in case any of you want to participate, too. I joined the V’zakeini initiative through Bonei Olam. I give a recurring $1 donation each Friday which is automatically charged to my credit card, and joined with the $1 donations of over 32,000 other women, the money is used to crowdfund an IVF cycle for a Jewish couple (soon to be two couples iy”H). I joined as a zechus for myself to have a healthy family iy”H soon and because this is the most brilliant and simple way to help so many people. I hope you will consider joining too.
Wishing you all a beautiful Shabbos. Keep on keeping on.
