Rabbi Nachman taught that Hebrew is called lashon ha'kodesh - the holy tongue - and its energies are totally good, for Hebrew is a language intended only for holiness of expression. At its root, by definition Hebrew does not contain even one word of profanity. The spiritual energies of the Hebrew language connect one to the highest of spiritual realms and to Hashem. Conversely, the other languages of the world are focused on and oriented towards expressing themes that apply to this world, and therefore have a strong attachment to physicality. Because of this association with physicality, the languages of the nations are considered totally impure. Non-kosher animals are relegated for consumption to the nations of the world. The spiritual energies found in food nourish the blood and enable a person to speak. The languages that attach one to physicality are not defined as true speech. True speech is only that which links one to Hashem. Therefore, non-kosher animals do not chew their cud. For chewing the cud indicates that the soul fragments are capable of ascending to the level of speech, as described above. The sparks attached to non-kosher animals are unable to ascend to the level of true speech because the spiritual energies they contain are totally evil, spiritually strengthening attachment to the material world. Therefore, the Jews who are created to be spiritually connected to the upper worlds and to true speech are prohibited from eating non-kosher food, lest they be pulled into the realms of impurity, whereas Gentiles, who have an entirely different role spiritually, are not connected to "true speech" and are permitted to eat non-kosher food. Speech is an extension of the soul. When a Gentile eats food, the soul fragments contained in the food are transferred to the level of materialistic speech, which is not really a spiritual ascent and thus does not satisfy the aspirations of the trapped souls to ascend. This unfulfilled desire is manifested in the non-kosher animal by the animal's lack of the need to chew its cud.
Man does not chew cud because the souls contained in the food he consumes want to be absorbed into his body. This is their goal for it is a spiritual ascent for them. Therefore, man digests his food more easily, without the need to chew cud. Again, kosher animals chew their cud, for the souls contained in their food do not want to remain there, but want to ascend even higher. This concept also explains why someone who is intoxicated with alcohol or wine usually vomits out his food. The intoxicated state causes a loss of intelligence and slurred speech, which is animal-like. The souls that were ingested with the food do not want to stay in the body of such a man who intentionally impairs his intelligence and descends to the realm of the animal. Therefore, a drunk vomits his food.
Ok, so enough deep stuff for now. anyone that wants to see these teachings more in depth can check out this. But what we want to know is what there is for us to learn from all of this. Ok, so there is kosher food and not kosher food, but what else. Maybe the lesson is not only what we eat but how we eat and why we eat. Here's what Reb Nosson says on the matter. Adam Ha'Rishon damaged the entire world as the result of eating what was forbidden to him. The Jews in Migillas Esther were almost all killed because of their eating forbidden food at the party of the Persian King Achasvairosh. The spiritual universe is all one interdependent unity. If one person does something wrong he throws the entire whole out of balance. A person's soul is connected to the inner workings of the entire universe. The food we eat effects the soul more than anything else, therefore what we eat and how we eat is so important to the stability of the entire universe. (Lekutai Halachot: Orach Chiam: Hilchot Birchot HaPayroth 1). This also goes beyond eating and extends to everything that we do in life. And it goes beyond just the spiritual and also effects the physical. The health of the body is dependent on the soul. Once a very great doctor was unable to cure a very sick man. The Baal Shem Tov made soup for the man and when the man ate the soup, he was brought back to his full health. The doctor asked the Baal Shem, "How was it possible for you to heal this man? I know that the veins in the effected area were completely deteriorated and it was therefore impossible to save this man?" The Baal Shem answered the doctor, "You heal people on the physical level, I heal people on the spiritual level. There are 248 limbs in the human body that correspond to the 248 positive commandments of the Torah. There are 365 veins in the body that correspond to the 365 negative commandments of the Torah. When a person sins with any part of his body, he causes the corresponding spiritual limb or vein to become damaged. When a person violates many of the 365 negative commandments, which correspond to the 365 veins in the body, it causes many veins to become damaged. This prevents the blood from circulating through the body. This puts the person in great danger. I spoke with the sick man's soul. I asked the soul to do repentance, which it did. This repentance healed the damaged veins on the spiritual level. Then I was able to completely heal the sick man on the physical level. (Shevachay Besht)
Concerning souls that are contained in food - The holy grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, Rav Baruch of Mezhbuzh distributed fish to all those people who were eating with him at his Sabbath Meal. After everyone finished eating their fish he told them the following true story. There was once a young and exceptionally brilliant scholar, who was a very G-d fearing man. His wife ran a small store, while he studied and prayed all day long in holiness and purity. All of his actions were sincerely for the sake of Heaven. The Satan was very jealous of this man's achievements. The Satan asked Heaven for permission to rest this man and his request was granted. The Satan caused the business to pick-up. There were now more customers coming to the store than his wife was able to handle an her own. His wife said to him, "I don't want to take you away from your holy devotions, however I need your help. I am no longer able to run the store on my own." He saw she was right and he decided to help her in the store for several hours a day. His business improved so much, that he was forced to make many business trips to far away places to purchase more types of merchandise. His business associations in these places were with very crude and low types of people. Their influence on him took their toll. At first he started to commit minor sins, and then he committed more serious sins. One day, while on a business trip, he passed through a small village. He heard that an entire Jewish family was imprisoned for not being able to pay their rent. He paid the landlord the entire sum and the family was released from prison. This good deed that he performed, caused him to think about what had become of him. He thought to himself, "I was very holy before I became so involved in business. Now I have fallen to the depths of sin. It is better for me to die than remain alive." He then promptly jumped in a river and drowned.
There was a big commotion in Heaven on how to judge this man. There were angels who pointed out that he was very holy before he got so involved in business. In addition, he saved an entire Jewish family and regretted his sinful ways on the last day of his life. There were other angels who pointed out that he committed such terrible sins in his business days and he ended up committing suicide. The Heavenly Court decided that this man should be reincarnated as a fish. When a Jew would come to eat him at his Sabbath Meal, his soul would become completely rectified.
Rabbi Baruch of Mezhbuzh told his guests that the very fish that they had just eaten at his Sabbath Table was the reincarnation of the man in the story. Rabbi Baruch then gathered a minyan of ten Torah Scholars to study Mishna all night long for this man, in order to further elevate his soul. (Niflaot HaTzadikim)
At the end of the parasha it says "ki Ani Hashem Elokeichem v'hiskadashtem v'hiyisem kedoshim ki kadosh Ani.../For I am Hashem your God - you are to santify yourselves and you shall become holy, for I am holy...." (Vayikra 11:44) Enough said!
Have a great Shabbos!
peace & joy,
Etan
Since we all love segulas here's one for this Shabbos:
It is a segula for parnasa to bake shlisel (key) challah for this Shabbos. The Ohev Yisroel explains one of the reasons is because it’s Shabbos Mevarchim Iyar, and Iyar is when the mon started to fall. There are customs as to how this is done including putting a key into the challah before baking, making the challah in the shape of a key, making a key out of dough and placing it on the challah or putting sesame seeds on the challah in the shape of a key. Reb Pinchos of Koritz says to make the challah flat to look like matzos.
A custom of old is discussed in a number of places. The Sefer Ohev Yisroel writes there is a custom, the first Shabbos after Pesach, to pierce the Shabbos challah, the loaves, with a key. One reason for this stems from events that occurred in the days after Yehoshua (Joshua) took over the leadership of the nation of Israel. Sefer Yehoshua (5-11,12) states: "and they ate of the old grain of the land on the next day after Pesach, unleavened cakes, and parched grain in the same day; and the manna ceased on the next day after they had eaten of the old grain of the land; nor did the people of Israel have manna any more; but they ate of the fruit of the land of Cana'an that year." Not long after entering the land of Israel, at the time of Pesach, the nation of Israel was no longer provided with manna from heaven. The nation began to eat from that which grew naturally in the land of Cana'an, the land of Israel. At that point, the nation of Israel had to depend on G-d for the provision of sustenance in a new fashion. Until now, it had been miraculous. Now, each person had to labor and toil and work the land so that their families would be provided for. Sustenance was on the minds of everyone. There is a metaphorical description of that place in heaven from where blessings come. G-d's blessings, such as health and wealth, are stored behind gates. On the high holidays, we ask G-d to open the gates of heaven for our prayers. At this time of year, right after Pesach, we ask G-d to recall how He opened the gates of sustenance for the entire nation of Israel in the days of Joshua after Pesach. By impressing a key into our challah, we are asking that we too should have the key we need to open the gates of sustenance properly placed and turned for us. The "schlissel," which is the Yiddish word for "key," should unlock the gates of sustenance for us just as it was for the nation of Israel after their first Pesach in the promised land. (http://www.torah.org/learning/yomtov/pesach/5761/vol7no04.html)
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