Catechism of The COE

[Paul Younan]

Can you expound on what you said here? "It's kept in a jar on the altar and mixed in with the offering, and renewed once a year."

How is it "renewed"? Does it just increase by itself, or is it taken from a larger portion from another place maybe? Are we talking about a miracle of each jar, or the larger portion, from which each jarfull orginally came from?

Shlama Chuck,

Once a year, on Holy Thursday, the Bishop "renews" the Holy Leaven by mixing a portion of the old with new wheat, oil, and salt. It's kept in a jar within a nook in the sanctuary. The Qasha then uses a portion of this Holy Leaven each Sunday morning when he bakes the bread used for the offering. And that portion will last until the next year's renewal.

+Shamasha