Menu For The Soul

[rivkah]

This post could have been placed in the category of "Hebrew Language" or "Jewish Theology," but I decided on "Torah."

I continually hear that the dietary laws were for our BEST INTEREST AT THE TIME, as there was no refrigeration to keep pork, etc., during the time of Moses. No matter that there was no refrigeration all the way up into the 20th century. Even so, Yeshua did away with "all that." And, of course, we know now that "all that" includes a whole lot more than the commandments of kashrut. But if the dietary laws were only for physical benefit, and if we can see the same in the other laws, perhaps we can justify those away as well. But what if G-D's ways are higher than ours, and his purposes are beyond our understanding? What if there are physical AND spiritual ramifications to Torah?

Let's start at creation.

In Genesis, the word "va'yitzer" is used to describe the creation of BOTH MAN AND ANIMAL.

va'yitzer HaShem Elochim et ha'adam afar min ha'adamah (The and L-RD G-D formed man of the dust of the ground 2:7).....va'yitzer HaShem Elochim min ha'adamah kol chayat hasadeh" (and out of the ground the L-Rd G-D formed every beast of the field 2:19).

In the latter verse, "va'yitzer," from the root "yatzar," is spelled with one "yud." In regard to human beings, however, it is spelled with two. According to the rabbis, this additional "yud" teaches us that man is composed of the physical (the body, through which we gain information and take action) and the spiritual (our connective "circuitry" to G-D). Our body is a partner with our soul in carrying out G-D's mission in the world. If either facet is neglected, the other part suffers also.

In Leviticus, when Torah discusses animals that are forbidden and aniamls that are permitted, we read:

You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps, neither shall you make yourselves unclean with them, that you should be defiled with them (Lev 11:43)

The Hebrew word for "defiled" is "nitmetem," from the root "tameh" (impure), which is usually spelled with an aleph. In the preceding verse, the aleph is missing and corresponds with a different root word meaning "blocked." Could a physical substance cause a physical blockage? We know it can. Could a physical substance cause a spiritual blockage?

Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of G-D

But for the will of G-D, food and water would not sustain us. But even the act of eating and drinking, G-D has given us as a tool for growth. When we eat, it seems to us that food is what sustains us. It is for us to realize that we are actually sustained by G-D, who created us to eat in order to challenge us with the ability to see beyond our need for physical nourishment and to the fact that he is the source of all life.

2 Kings 25:29 - So Yehoiachin changed from his prison garments, and he ate food rewgularly before the king all the days of his life, and as for his provisions, there was a regular portion given him by the king, a portion for each day, all the days of his life.


Isa 55 - Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come buy wine and milk without money and without price.... Listen diligently to me and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.

[hyssop]

rivkah,

Coincidentally, I've given the refrigeration logic some thought recently and came up with a question for those who want to believe that the dietary laws ended with Yeshua. The next time someone tells me, "Times are different now. They didn't have refrigeration back then," I am going to say, "Wow. I didn't realize that Yeshua invented the refrigerator?!"

On a serious note, if there was one key to understanding that I would want to impart to my children (or anyone else), it is that this physical creation is a shadow of the spiritual realm. For example: light and darkness. Most would agree that light is a shadow/picture of good and darkness is a shadow/picture of evil. There are lots of scriptures that address the topic:

[2 Cor 6:14 KJV] Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

You touched on the shadow/picture of spiritual food:

[Deu 8:3 KJV] 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 L-RD doth man live.

Hashem's word (truth) is kosher spiritual food. Satan's words (lies) are unclean spiritual food.

Looking at the physical: Beans are vegetables and are good for food. Pork is unclean and unfit to consume. Pork and beans are common and unfit to eat. Why? Because the beans were defiled when mixed with the unclean pork.

It's usually very easy to identify unclean food: a big ham is unmistakable. So are many bold-faced lies (e.g. Santa Claus, the Easter bunny). It's relatively easy to pick out some common foods such as: pork and beans, shrimp stir fry, potato salad with bacon, etc. On the other hand, it can be tough. Can you tell by looking at a loaf of bread whether or not lard (pig fat) is an ingredient? What is common spiritual food? I believe it to be truth that has been defiled by false teachings . . . and, you know how hard it can be to determine whether or not a teaching has been tainted with falsehood.

So, Hashem wants us to "read the ingredient labels" very carefully. We have to diligently examine the word that comes to us and make sure that it is truth before consuming it (incorporating it into our belief system).

bon appetit

[rivkah]

Hyssop ~

So true ! So true ! I love it when other people give me analogies that hit home. We all need to be fed. It's quite a rush.

[Searching]

Gleaning from the Haggadah:

Leviticus 11:7 The Swine - Although it has true hoofs, wihth the Hoofs cleft through, it Does not chew the cud.

When the pig is resting, he streches out his legs in fromnt of him, displaying his cleft hoofs. "How kosher I am!" he seems to say, making no mention of the fact that he does not chew the cud. He symbolizes the hypocrite who parades his virtues and conceals his faults.

Searching

[Searching]

Peace Rivkah,

Last night, which connects with this morning (5am), Mr. Hyssop took his wife and I out for dinner:

While he told me it wouldn't be good to have my usual 'whisky with a beer chaser' , we did have a rather funny conversation.

We were looking over the Menu, and I commented on all the things that I am no longer going to eat, and how often they show up in menus. We were talking about the relitiveness of how many places one will go, and run into unclean food. He then said to think about the spiritual of it in the world. I followed with the comment..."they have entire resturants dedicated just to it".

I then thought about sushi on the way home (how much I miss it), as We drove by "S@P Oyster Company." Which ironicaly has a sign on the side that reads :"Shrimp, Lobster, Beer." Two out of three ain't bad eh?

Just thought I'd share. Peace.

Sincerely,
Searching

[Andersan]

THIS IS THE Chutzpah free EDITION ...ENJOY.






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Fai