Consult your Favorite Superstition

The superstitious practice of placing a rusty nail in a lemon is believed to ward off the evil eye and evil in general, as detailed in the folklore text of Popular Beliefs and Superstitions from Utah.       Photo by Wikipedia.

Everyone loves to eat; some more, some less. But what we eat, when and how we eat, are not simply questions of personal taste or the last food advice your mother may have heard on the radio. Eating habits are often controlled by the superstitions we have about food.

What exactly is a superstition? According to the online Free Dictionary, a superstition is an irrational belief that an object, action, or circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its outcome. Superstitions are thus beliefs, practices, or rites irrationally maintained due to ignorance of the laws of nature or by faith in magic or chance. It can also be a fearful state of mind resulting from such ignorance or irrationality, but it can also be considered a system of beliefs and practices related to the worship of idols (i.e. idolatry).  This may be true, but what seems logical to some is not logical to others. Several social scientists and historians view superstition as an efficient device which distinguishes "us" from "them." Yet, whatever their historical or philosophical sources, it would be safe to say that superstitions respond to the human need for explanation of the unexplainable. They are guides to behavior, to what is to be avoided or encouraged to keep us safe, pure and successful.

To make my point, let's look at kashrut.

For non- Semites, the Jewish and Arab (Muslim???) custom of not eating pork is silly. Americans even eat ham sandwiches with a glass of milk - a major violation of kashrut. Putting Maimonides aside (see his Book for the Perplexed) some scientists have found rational, biological legitimations for the laws of kashrut. For instance, in 1953, a researcher concluded that the concentration of zoological toxins of  "unclean" animals was higher than that of the "clean" animals, and that the correlation  with the description in Leviticus was 100%. In addition, Dr. Macht's (where did this come from??)  research indicated harmful physiological effects of mixtures of meat and milk, with ritually slaughtered meat apparently lower in toxins than other meat, with ritually slaughtered meat apparently lower in toxins than other meat. Sociologist Marvin Harris has proposed that the Jewish prohibition of port results from the difficulty of raising pigs (pig - you can't raise "pork") in arid countries such as Israel, where there are few forests or naturally fertile fields. Dr. Harris proposes that in periods of drought, poor people would be placed in an untenable position of either feeding the pigs of feeding their children. As  only the rich could do both, eating pork would become an irritating symbol of wealth and thus a threat to social stability. From the perspective, the general prohibition against raising pigs and eating pork (see above) was a convenient way to solve the problem by eliminating it.

And what about salt which enjoys many superstitions? Indians believe that salt is the most auspicious of food-related items because it mixes with everything. In many homes, it is the first purchase of the New Year, done to ensure good luck to the house. Many Indians, for instance, wave salt with mustard seeds and chilies over the head of a child to ward off the evil eye. Alternatively, in ancient Rome, spilling salt was considered unlucky. (Incidentally, the Romans gave us the name salt, from salarium or salary, since wages in those days were paid mainly in salt.) The antidote to spilling salt is to throw a pinch over the left shoulder with the right hand. In many countries, salt symbolizes purity, sanctity and incorruptibility. Similarly, many communities put salt in coffins to fend off Satan, who despises salt. Among Baghdad's  Jews, before every Friday meal, the senior member recited a prayer beginning: "Eschet khayil mi yimsa," which praises the woman of the house who cooked the meal and looked after the children. After that everyone around the table had a sip of wine and dipped a small piece of bread into salt and ate it. (A nice way to remember who did the cooking and washed the dishes!)

I am in no position to judge which explanation is correct; I can only quote examples taken from various countries. So, read on, see what fits your own particular medicine cabinet, and discard the rest. Just keep in mind that the fragrance, color and texture of many superstitions seem to match the qualities of the related item of food.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 

*  Drinking a lot of chocolate milk when pregnant will make the baby dark skinned - drinking milk instead, will make the baby looking fair.

*   Whatever food the mother is craving at a given moment, she should be given it immediately. Otherwise the baby will have a mark on his/her body that will resemble the food.

   THE UK  

*   After eating a boiled egg, push the spoon through the bottom of the empty shell to let out the devil. (Possible basis: The devil seeks hard-boiled eggs because sulfurous smell of yolk reminds him of home (that is, hell).

*   If you cut bread unevenly, it is a sign that you've been telling lies (Possible basis: jitters that accompany telling untruths result in lack of knife control.)

   INDIA

 *   He who eats sweet food while walking will be possessed of a devil. (It is regarded as bad manners to eat while walking.)

 *  He who eats a fowl's legs will become a wanderer.

 *  He who eats straight from a cooking-pot will have heavy rain on his wedding day.

 *  Salt spilt between two friends brings enmity and discord but two people who want to renew a broken friendship must seal their reunion by eating salt together. Hence the one who breaks that sacred covenant - he is not true to his salt (originally a Persian term).

   THE US 

   *  Carrots are good for your vision (it turns out however that spinach is better).

   *  Don't eat fruit and drink water together.

   EUROPEAN JEWRY

*   Eating garlic to ward off bad spirits is a common superstition (but even good spirits would want to keep their distance from an overabundance of a dish with an abundance of garlic).

*   Should a childless woman find an egg with a double yolk, eating it will reward her with many healthy offspring.

   ANCIENT EGYPT

 *  Onions keep evil spirits away. So when taking an oath, they placed one hand on an onion.

   JAPAN

 *  During the Setsuben festival, beans are scattered in the home's dark corners and entrances to drive out evil spirits.

   HALLOWEEN FOOD SUPERSTITIONS

*  If a girl can't decide between two suitors, cook three chestnuts in a pan, one for the girl, and two to represent her suitors. The first to pop open will be the one she marries. If none pop, she will remain single. If her chestnut doesn't pop open, she will die before she's able to marry.

*  Bake small cakes and put in one a piece of money, in another a ring, in a third a rag, and in the fourth, a thimble for guests to find in their cake. These foretell who will be rich, who will be married, who will be poor and who will earn his or her own living.

     EUROPE

 *  Sprinkle mustard seeds on your roof to keep vampires away.

     CANADA

 *  Rum poured on the head cures baldness.

 *  Cutting bananas with a knife brings bad luck.

 *  If you grow too much lettuce in your garden, your wife will never conceive children.

 *  Eating peaches gives you wisdom.

 *  Eating the last piece of bread on a plate is bad luck. It will cause a bachelor to marry   or an unmarried woman to stay unmarried.

 *  If you spot bubbles in a cup of coffee, try to spoon them up and eat them before they burst. If you accomplish this feat, money will arrive from any unexpected source.

In closing, I think we should bear in mind what the author of the 13th century German-Jewish The Book of the Pious (Sefer Hasidim) wrote in his treatise: "One should not believe in superstitions, but it is best to be heedful of them."

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About the author

Nina Reshef

Nina Reshef, a long-time resident of Neot Afeka, Tel Aviv, is a professional editor and translator. Originally from Brooklyn, NY, she is a strong believer in public participation in community affairs....
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