חִטָּה — chittah
Wheat
In Scripture
Wheat is the grain of the fine flour offerings (Leviticus 2) and of the bread on the table of shewbread. Jesus speaks of the grain of wheat that falls into the ground and dies (John 12:24).
In the ancient household
Harvested in late spring, threshed on a floor and winnowed in the evening breeze. Wheat bread was the better bread; barley was cheaper.
What it came to stand for
Provision and resurrection: seed buried, then multiplied.
Stewardship & health
Whole wheat supplies fibre and B vitamins. Faithful care of the body also means that people with coeliac disease must avoid it entirely; this safety guidance comes from present medical knowledge, while Scripture teaches us to walk in wisdom.
“Give us this day our daily bread.”
“And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.”