Thought for the Day: When Better Physical Quality Beats Better Spiritual Quality to Improve Spiritual Health
That title may end up being nearly as long as the whole post. We'll see...
What gives our life meaning? It the ability to exercise our free will; to choose to do mitzvos or not; to refrain fom sinning, or not. We are composed of a physical body and a spiritual soul, neither of which is can exercise free will. The soul is entirely spiritual, and therefore outside of the bonds of time. The soul therefore knows nothing of past and future; only the now what is always. The body is made up of chemicals and minerals; a conglomeration of intert substances that are subject to -- but have no control over -- the ravages of time. The soul has will, but cannot act. The body has abililty, but has no will. It is only when these two disparate and opposite entities are wondorously joined (a miracle we recount in the bracha of אשר יצר several times a day), that one gets a being that can live a life of meaning.
What mediates this connection? Food; you need to eat to live, life is for a purpose, to food serves a higher purpose. Each holiday celebrates a unique spiritual energy, so each holiday has its unique foods. Apples and honey on Rosh HaShanna, matzah on Pesach, donuts and latkes on Chanuka. Our table is a מזבח/altar, and the food is our קרבנות/offerings. That's why our food needs to be kosher. That's why we don't eat food cooked by non-Jews, even when all the ingredients are kosher. We are also very strict with our wine.
Bread, however, is a very basic food that we need to live. Bread is so simple and basic, that it doesn't have the same restrictions as wine and meat. Still, it is best -- when possible -- to eat only bread baked by Jews; known as פת ישראל (there is no translation, sorry). Since that is not always possible and because bread is so essential to daily living, we are also allowed to eat פת פלטר/bakery bread. The bread still needs kosher supervision, of course, but can be baked by anyone. (We are never, however, allowed to eat bread speficially baked for us by a non-Jew.)
Now... one may choose to be strict with himself and eat only פת ישראל. In fact, the Shulchan Aruch mentions that it is a good idea do make that commitment during the Days of Awe; from Rosh HaShannah to Yom Kippur. Some of us also are strict on Shabbos and Yom Tov. Others have made the commitment to always eat only פת ישראל. That makes this particular food stringency quite interesting, as you can easily have a meal where some are strict to eat only פת ישראל, while others are lenient (not in a bad way at all) to eat פת פלטר/bakery bread.
Suppose I am strict to eat only פת ישראל, but I have guests who eat פת פלטר/bakery bread. Not only that, but they have brought a special (100% kosher, of course) loaf of artisan bread for our meal. I also have a loaf of פת ישראל; not nearly as geshmak as the bread they brought... but I'm strict so I never buy that bread. Even if I did buy that bread, I wouldn't be allowed to eat it... usually. However, since I have guests, I am obligated to serve them the best bread I can. Since they are not strict about פת ישראל, that artisan bread they brought is the best bread I have to offer. As host, it is also my place to make the המוציא/blessing upon eating bread for everyone. Now here's the cool part... since I am making the bracha and since that artisan bread is really geshmak and since my guests are not strict about פת ישראל... I am also allowed to eat the non-פת ישראל artisan bread! (Shulchan Aruch 168:5)
I had one nagging question... I am only allowed to eat the geshmak non-פת ישראל bread because of my guests; if I were by myself, I would not be allowed to eat it. What would be, I mused, if my wife and I were eating together and she was not stringent about eating only פת ישראל. Is she like a guest and therefore I would be permitted to eat the geshmak non-פת ישראל bread, or are she and I like one person and so I'd have to stick with the פת ישראל while she enjoyed the geshmak non-פת ישראל bread?
I asked R' Fuerst and he told me that I would only be allowed to the פת ישראל. I persisted to clarify by asking, "So my wife is not like a guest?" I meant that question in context of this particular halacha, but R' Fuerst took the opportunity to give me a mussar shmues and lesson about marriage. He got a big smile on his face and said, "Try telling your wife she is a guest... she will tell you that you are the guest and then kick you out!"
True, true...
A summary of every Jewish holiday: They tried to kill us, we won, let's eat!As most stereotypes, woefully shallow, but indeed captures the essence of some truth. They have tried to kill us, time and time again. (There are deep reasons for that, but out of scope for now.) We won and we will always ultimately triumph. (Again, there are deep reasons for that, but out of scope for now.) We always have a food associated with that victory. Ok... let's talk about that.
-- Alan King, American Jewish comedian
What gives our life meaning? It the ability to exercise our free will; to choose to do mitzvos or not; to refrain fom sinning, or not. We are composed of a physical body and a spiritual soul, neither of which is can exercise free will. The soul is entirely spiritual, and therefore outside of the bonds of time. The soul therefore knows nothing of past and future; only the now what is always. The body is made up of chemicals and minerals; a conglomeration of intert substances that are subject to -- but have no control over -- the ravages of time. The soul has will, but cannot act. The body has abililty, but has no will. It is only when these two disparate and opposite entities are wondorously joined (a miracle we recount in the bracha of אשר יצר several times a day), that one gets a being that can live a life of meaning.
What mediates this connection? Food; you need to eat to live, life is for a purpose, to food serves a higher purpose. Each holiday celebrates a unique spiritual energy, so each holiday has its unique foods. Apples and honey on Rosh HaShanna, matzah on Pesach, donuts and latkes on Chanuka. Our table is a מזבח/altar, and the food is our קרבנות/offerings. That's why our food needs to be kosher. That's why we don't eat food cooked by non-Jews, even when all the ingredients are kosher. We are also very strict with our wine.
Bread, however, is a very basic food that we need to live. Bread is so simple and basic, that it doesn't have the same restrictions as wine and meat. Still, it is best -- when possible -- to eat only bread baked by Jews; known as פת ישראל (there is no translation, sorry). Since that is not always possible and because bread is so essential to daily living, we are also allowed to eat פת פלטר/bakery bread. The bread still needs kosher supervision, of course, but can be baked by anyone. (We are never, however, allowed to eat bread speficially baked for us by a non-Jew.)
Now... one may choose to be strict with himself and eat only פת ישראל. In fact, the Shulchan Aruch mentions that it is a good idea do make that commitment during the Days of Awe; from Rosh HaShannah to Yom Kippur. Some of us also are strict on Shabbos and Yom Tov. Others have made the commitment to always eat only פת ישראל. That makes this particular food stringency quite interesting, as you can easily have a meal where some are strict to eat only פת ישראל, while others are lenient (not in a bad way at all) to eat פת פלטר/bakery bread.
Suppose I am strict to eat only פת ישראל, but I have guests who eat פת פלטר/bakery bread. Not only that, but they have brought a special (100% kosher, of course) loaf of artisan bread for our meal. I also have a loaf of פת ישראל; not nearly as geshmak as the bread they brought... but I'm strict so I never buy that bread. Even if I did buy that bread, I wouldn't be allowed to eat it... usually. However, since I have guests, I am obligated to serve them the best bread I can. Since they are not strict about פת ישראל, that artisan bread they brought is the best bread I have to offer. As host, it is also my place to make the המוציא/blessing upon eating bread for everyone. Now here's the cool part... since I am making the bracha and since that artisan bread is really geshmak and since my guests are not strict about פת ישראל... I am also allowed to eat the non-פת ישראל artisan bread! (Shulchan Aruch 168:5)
I had one nagging question... I am only allowed to eat the geshmak non-פת ישראל bread because of my guests; if I were by myself, I would not be allowed to eat it. What would be, I mused, if my wife and I were eating together and she was not stringent about eating only פת ישראל. Is she like a guest and therefore I would be permitted to eat the geshmak non-פת ישראל bread, or are she and I like one person and so I'd have to stick with the פת ישראל while she enjoyed the geshmak non-פת ישראל bread?
I asked R' Fuerst and he told me that I would only be allowed to the פת ישראל. I persisted to clarify by asking, "So my wife is not like a guest?" I meant that question in context of this particular halacha, but R' Fuerst took the opportunity to give me a mussar shmues and lesson about marriage. He got a big smile on his face and said, "Try telling your wife she is a guest... she will tell you that you are the guest and then kick you out!"
True, true...
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