Be'teavon! The Invaluable Role of Food in Rabbinic Literature

א"ר אבדימי דמן חיפה קודם שיאכל אדם וישתה יש לו שתי לבבות לאחר שאוכל ושותה אין לו אלא לב אחד שנאמר (איוב יא, יב) איש נבוב ילבב.

Bava Batra 12b:7

Rabbi Avdimi from Haifa says: Before a person eats and drinks he has two hearts, but after he eats and drinks he has only one heart, as it is stated: “A hollow [nevuv] man is two-hearted” (Job 11:12).

ברכות נ׳ ב:ט׳

ת"ר ד' דברים נאמרו בפת אין מניחין בשר חי על הפת ואין מעבירין כוס מלא על הפת ואין זורקין את הפת ואין סומכין את הקערה בפת

Berakhot 50b:9

The Sages taught: Four things were said with regard to bread: One may not place raw meat on bread and one may not pass a full cup over bread and one may not throw bread; and one may not prop up a dish with bread.

ברכות נ״ה א:ג׳

והמאריך על שלחנו דלמא אתי עניא ויהיב ליה דכתיב (יחזקאל מא, כב) המזבח עץ שלש אמות גבוה וכתיב (יחזקאל מא, כב) וידבר אלי זה השלחן אשר לפני ה' פתח במזבח וסיים בשלחן ר' יוחנן ור' אלעזר דאמרי תרוייהו כל זמן שבהמ"ק קיים מזבח מכפר על ישראל ועכשיו שלחנו של אדם מכפר עליו

Berakhot 55a:3

As for the virtue of prolonging one’s mealtime at the table, which Rav Yehuda mentioned, the Gemara explains: Perhaps a poor person will come during the meal and the host will be in a position to give him food immediately, without forcing the poor person to wait. The Sages elsewhere praised a person who acts appropriately at a meal, as it is written: “The altar, three cubits high and the length thereof, two cubits, was of wood, and so the corners thereof; the length thereof, and the walls thereof, were also of wood” (Ezekiel 41:22), and it is written in the continuation of that verse: “And he said unto me: This is the table that is before the Lord.” The language of this verse is difficult, as it begins with the altar and concludes with the table. Rather, Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Elazar both say: As long as the Temple stood, the altar atoned for Israel’s transgressions. Now that it is destroyed, a person’s table atones for his transgressions.

שבת ק״מ ב:ט׳

ואמר רב חסדא האי מאן דאפשר ליה למיכל נהמא דשערי ואכל דחיטי קעבר משום בל תשחית ואמר רב פפא האי מאן דאפשר למישתי שיכרא ושתי חמרא עובר משום בל תשחית ולאו מילתא היא בל תשחית דגופא עדיף

Shabbat 140b:9

And Rav Ḥisda also said: One who is able to eat barley bread and eats wheat [bread] violates the prohibition against destruction [ba'al taschit]. And Rav Pappa said: One who is able to drink beer and drinks wine violates the prohibition against destruction. This is not [a correct] matter, as the prohibition against destruction of one’s body takes precedence.

ZOHAR

When one eats his bread, he should eat it on the edge of a sword.

תהילים ק״ד:י״ג-ט״ו

מַשְׁקֶ֣ה הָ֭רִים מֵעֲלִיּוֹתָ֑יו מִפְּרִ֥י מַ֝עֲשֶׂ֗יךָ תִּשְׂבַּ֥ע הָאָֽרֶץ׃ מַצְמִ֤יחַ חָצִ֨יר ׀ לַבְּהֵמָ֗ה וְ֭עֵשֶׂב לַעֲבֹדַ֣ת הָאָדָ֑ם לְה֥וֹצִיא לֶ֝֗חֶם מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ וְיַ֤יִן ׀ יְשַׂמַּ֬ח לְֽבַב־אֱנ֗וֹשׁ לְהַצְהִ֣יל פָּנִ֣ים מִשָּׁ֑מֶן וְ֝לֶ֗חֶם לְֽבַב־אֱנ֥וֹשׁ יִסְעָֽד׃

Psalms 104:13-15

You water the mountains from Your lofts; the earth is sated from the fruit of Your work. You make the grass grow for the cattle, and herbage for man’s labor that he may get food out of the earth— wine that cheers the hearts of men oil that makes the face shine, and bread that sustains man’s life.

עירובין ס״ה א:י״ט-ס״ה ב:ב׳

אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא: כׇּל הַמִּתְיַישֵּׁב בְּיֵינוֹ — יֵשׁ בּוֹ דַּעַת שִׁבְעִים זְקֵנִים. ״יַיִן״ נִיתַּן בְּשִׁבְעִים אוֹתִיּוֹת, וְ״סוֹד״ נִיתַּן בְּשִׁבְעִים אוֹתִיּוֹת. נִכְנַס יַיִן — יָצָא סוֹד. אָמַר רַבִּי חָנִין: לֹא נִבְרָא יַיִן אֶלָּא לְנַחֵם אֲבֵלִים וּלְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר לָרְשָׁעִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״תְּנוּ שֵׁכָר לְאוֹבֵד וְגוֹ׳״. אָמַר רַבִּי חָנִין בַּר פָּפָּא: כׇּל שֶׁאֵין יַיִן נִשְׁפָּךְ בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ כַּמַּיִם — אֵינוֹ בִּכְלַל בְּרָכָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבֵרַךְ אֶת לַחְמְךָ וְאֶת מֵימֶיךָ״. מָה לֶחֶם שֶׁנִּיקָּח בְּכֶסֶף מַעֲשֵׂר — אַף מַיִם שֶׁנִּיקָּח בְּכֶסֶף מַעֲשֵׂר, וּמַאי נִיהוּ — יַיִן, וְקָא קָרֵי לֵיהּ מַיִם. אִי נִשְׁפָּךְ בְּבֵיתוֹ כַּמַּיִם — אִיכָּא בְּרָכָה, וְאִי לָא — לָא. אָמַר רַבִּי אִילְעַאי, בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים אָדָם נִיכָּר: בְּכוֹסוֹ, וּבְכִיסוֹ וּבְכַעְסוֹ. וְאָמְרִי לֵיהּ אַף בְּשַׂחֲקוֹ.

Eruvin 65a:19-65b:2

Rabbi Ḥiyya said: Anyone who remains settled of mind after drinking wine, and does not become intoxicated, has an element of the mind-set of seventy Elders. Typically, when wine entered the body, a secret emerged. Whoever does not reveal secrets when he drinks is clearly blessed with a firm mind, like that of seventy Elders.

עירובין ס״ה ב:א׳-ב׳

אִי נִשְׁפָּךְ בְּבֵיתוֹ כַּמַּיִם — אִיכָּא בְּרָכָה, וְאִי לָא — לָא. אָמַר רַבִּי אִילְעַאי, בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים אָדָם נִיכָּר: בְּכוֹסוֹ, וּבְכִיסוֹ וּבְכַעְסוֹ. וְאָמְרִי לֵיהּ אַף בְּשַׂחֲקוֹ.

Eruvin 65b:1-2

If wine flows in a person’s house like water, there is a blessing, but if not, there is no blessing. Rabbi Elai said: In three matters a person’s true character is ascertained; in his cup, i.e., his behavior when he drinks; in his pocket, i.e., his conduct in his financial dealings with other people; and in his anger. And some say: A person also reveals his real nature in his laughter.

אורח חיים ער״ב:ט׳

(ט) בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין יַיִן מָצוּי, יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁמְּקַדְּשִׁים עַל שֵׁכָר וּשְׁאָר מַשְׁקִין, חוּץ מִן הַמַּיִם.

וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁאֵין מְקַדְּשִׁין.

וּלְהָרֹא''שׁ, בַּלַּיְלָה לֹא יְקַדֵּשׁ עַל הַשֵּׁכָר אֶלָּא עַל הַפַּת, וּבַבֹּקֶר יוֹתֵר טוֹב לְקַדֵּשׁ עַל הַשֵּׁכָר, שֶׁיְּבָרֵךְ עָלָיו שֶׁהַכֹּל קֹדֶם בִּרְכַּת הַמּוֹצִיא, שֶׁאִם יְבָרֵךְ עַל הַפַּת תְּחִלָּה אֵין כָּאן שׁוּם שִׁנּוּי, וְדִבְרֵי טַעַם הֵם.

Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 272:9

(9) Wherever wine is not found, there are those who say we may say Kiddush over liquor and other beverages, except for water. And there are those who say we cannot say Kiddush over these. According to the Rosh, on Friday night, one should not say Kiddush over bread and not liquor; and on Saturday, it is better to say Kiddush over liquor, so that they would say Shehakol before he says HaMotzi, because if one said Kiddush over bread, there'd be no change here (from the Friday night blessing), and these reasons make sense.

Questions for Reflection

1.) What are the major themes of these sources? What role does food seem to play within the Jewish tradition?

2.) We most often think of kashrut when we think of Jewish eating. Do you think that the sources above are related to keeping kosher or do they represent something else?

3.) The text from the Zohar is powerful but esoteric. What could this verse mean?

4.) Think of your own Jewish experiences with food. What stands out? Does food play a central role in your own Jewish life?

5.) If the Jewish table has become the new altar, how can we pay the proper respect and appreciation for our meals? What can we do to add holiness to a place that is supposed to be holy?