The Sweetest Thing
queen in the kitchen "must read" before dessert

...it is the words of Torah I crave after all my efforts in the kitchen have been enjoyed. 

By the last course, I can really relax and enjoy what will certainly be the sweetest part of the meal: the d’var Torah, tasty thought from our holy Torah. 

In the morning brachos we pray that learning Torah will be "sweet in our mouths." Why do we have to ask for this? We do not ask Hashem before we take challah, or perform any other mitzvah that He please make it enjoyable. But learning Torah is unique; it is meant to enter our souls and refine us. In order to integrate anything we learn, something about it must be enjoyable.

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Sometimes it 's really hard to enjoy learning. It is hard to get motivated, the concepts are challenging. Rabbi Shimon Schwab compares learning Torah to one who someone who jumps into a pool of cold water. He is at first reluctant, then uncomfortable and finally wonderfully refreshed. 

This is like our reluctance to sometimes try new things, especially when they contain unknown challenges. But we really do want to draw the sweet taste of Torah into our lives. So if we try, and get used to the delicious feeling, then we want to jump in again and again.

Our Sages inserted this prayer above into the morning service, before we begin to learn, because we need Heavenly help to overcome any challenge that keeps the Torah from being our greatest desire. Many a Torah scholar attributed their success to their own prayer—or to the heartfelt prayers of their parents. 

Our loved ones need to know we care that they enjoy learning. We slip then treats and praise their effort. And we pray. We pray that the words of Torah will always be sweet—to us & all who we want to encourage. We pray they will want to jump in again and again.

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When a child begins the alef-bet, the Hebrew alphabet, the teacher drips honey onto the letters, then the child traces them with a tiny finger and licks off the honey. This is so his learning is sweet from the beginning.

In the  Simchas Torah dance of the elderly  Rosh HaYeshivah, HaRav Isser Zalmen Meltzer, only small children were invited to join his inner circle. With great fervor the holy scholar led these new talmidim in passionate dancing with the Torah scrolls. Then, the Rav lovingly recited the alef bet in a familiar niggun, Chassidic tune, and the children vivaciously repeated it after him. 

The joy of Torah filled the circle and shined in the aged  Gadol’s  face, who danced and sang until he had exhausted his limited resource of energy. Because of the loving joy the Rav had in dancing and singing the very letters of the Torah— in spite of the enormous physical challenge, the sweetness of Torah learning was imprinted upon these newest students right from the beginning.

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The taste of Torah can be sweet to every single Jew. The Shabbos meal is the opportune time to indulge. Just as you plan a meal your family and guests will enjoy, be sure the Torah shared is appropriate for the ages and experience of those present. Discussing the Torah portion over sweet nibbles, relating an idea we heard in a Torah class, telling stories of Gedolim and enjoying the  midrashim your child learns in school says, "Torah is sweet from every mouth." 

A luscious dessert is most desirable, but it's essence is ephemeral. Learning with desire is eternal. It makes the Torah live within us, strengthens our love for Hashem and gives us the tools to live a full and rewarding life...all this, and yet, not one calorie to worry about.

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and now for dessert ...

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