Holiness in Everyday Life: How Can Eating Become an Act of Spirituality?

Imagine sitting down for dinner with your family and enjoying the different aromas and tastes. Have you ever thought that eating could be more than just a physiological experience? In Judaism, eating can be something spiritual and holy. In this article, we will explore the deeper meaning of holiness in everyday life and learn how these principles can be integrated into a variety of actions, even simple things like eating. 

What is holiness? Though this is an expansive topic, and there is a lot to discuss, I will begin by sharing what I have learned from my teachers and other important Jewish sources. Holiness means letting your mind rule your animalistic side. Someone who can do this is a holy person.

What is Holiness?

Though humans have an animalistic side, this doesn't mean we are animals. Just like animals, humans also have certain reflexes that control the way they function. If a person were to conduct himself only according to these tendencies, he would be like the animal. In fact, there are "animals" who, at this very moment, might sit in laboratories and win Nobel prizes for scientific breakthroughs and discoveries. Though these individuals are smart and talented, if they allow themselves to be controlled by instinct, they forfeit their singularity. To a large extent, there is no difference between them and a cow.

This doesn't mean that animalistic instincts aren't valuable. To the contrary. Hunger, appetite, and feeling satiated are all important. In fact, these urges are even miraculous!  Why do we feel hungry when our bodies run low on energy? It's a miracle. When we deplete our energy supply from our previous meal, our bodies notify us that it's time to refuel.

The Miracle of Hunger and Satiation

Imagine a world in which we didn't have an inborn desire to eat, and we needed to eat according to a specific plan or schedule.  Every morning, we would need to check our daily schedule and ascertain when and what we were supposed to eat. What would happen if the list got lost, or if we were simply too busy to look at it? We would continue running through our day until we collapsed on the ground, exhausted.

Our body doesn't allow things like this to happen. Instead, it communicates with us: "Stop and eat! I'm hungry!" It's rather incredible. And when we sit down and eat, another miracle occurs: the hunger dissipates. It's a miraculous feedback system that prevents us from overeating and taking in too much. The wisdom that governs the human body is nothing short of miraculous. 

Our appetite is clearly a gift from Hashem, and it is also miraculous. At the same time, it is an instinct that is part of our animalistic side. If one allows his animalistic side to control him, it begins to assert control over his intellect. It grows stronger and stronger, until it dominates and exerts control over the other aspects of the human soul. 

If an individual always surrenders to his animalistic side, he loses control. This happens to many people who surrender to their craving for 'junk food' and adversely affect their health. 

But beyond the physical benefits of exerting control over our animalistic instincts, the way we relate to these things is also a barometer of holiness. The way that we choose to relate to food is a pathway to holiness.  

Beyond a person's animalistic side, he also has a soul with the ability to think and consider thing carefully. If we succeed, our holy soul is in control. Through habituation and education, we strengthen our intellect and enable it to control our animalistic side. This is holiness. In fact, when the Torah commands us: "You shall be holy," our Sages explain that this means "You shall be separate." Sanctify yourself by learning how to say "no." According to the Torah, a nazir (a person who has vowed to consecrate himself to God for a period of time by following certain restrictions) is holy. By learning to rein in certain urges and abstain from certain things, he achieves holiness. 

Helping the Innkeeper

Yet, while there is certainly holiness in abstinence, there is another way to achieve holiness as well. The Mesillat Yesharim explains that achieving holiness through eating is a higher level of holiness than abstaining from food. It is instructive to consider this statement more closely so that we can understand it better. 

The Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 34:3) relates a story about Hillel the Elder. Hillel sat in the yeshiva and engaged in Torah study alongside his colleagues. At some point, Hillel stood up to leave.

Hillel's early departure was surprising. After all, he was known as a diligent scholar, and his friends struggled to understand why he was leaving so early.

They asked him: "Where are you going?" Hillel replied:"To perform an act of kindness."

"An act of kindness?" his friends wondered. "With whom?"

"I'm staying at a certain inn," Hillel explained, "and I'm going to perform a kindness for the innkeeper."

One may have thought that Hillel was staying at some small-time hotel, and he wanted to go and help the owner.

A Jew Named 'I'

But that's not what Hillel went on to explain. Hillel pointed to himself and commented that he was staying at a small inn called "me." Each person's soul takes up residence in this inn, and Hillel felt that he needed to do an act of kindness by giving himself some breakfast. 

That was Hillel's intention - he went to eat breakfast in order to be kind to himself. Hillel wasn't saying this as a joke. To him, this was foundational to Torah. When you sit down to eat, you are feeding a Jew.  Don't make the mistake of thinking that you are only mandated to love others. You need to love others, but "as yourself" - you are the example. You also deserve proper care.

This was Hillel's perspective as he went to eat breakfast. He didn't eat to give himself pleasure or to placate his palate. Eating was an act of kindness for a hungry Jew. In this case, the hungry Jew was himself. 

The Power of Breakfast

The Talmud elaborates on the importance of breakfast. In fact, an entire section of Tractate Bava Metzia (107b) addresses this topic and discusses the importance of eating nutritious food in the morning.

One who adheres to the Talmud's guidance will begin his day energized with nutritious food. Since we're most active in the morning, our bodies burn the most energy at this point in the day. Accordingly, if you eat breakfast, you begin your day with a 'full fuel tank,' and you have enough energy to burn. In contrast, one who wasn't taught to treat their body well may simply grab some food that's full of sugar, and start his day unprepared for what lies ahead.

Beyond the physical harm, this person also harms himself in other ways. The Talmud notes that breakfast "brings in love" because when a person feels good, he can relate to others pleasantly and lovingly. In contrast, if someone grabbed an unhealthy snack for breakfast and is in a bad mood, he feels a lack of affection for everyone, which prompts disagreements, slander, and baseless hatred. Spirituality depends on physicality, and the service of Hashem depends on proper eating.

Eating for the Sake of Heaven

Hillel teaches us how to eat like a Jew. Jews don't eat for pleasure. They plan in advance and eat for a specific purpose. "I'm going to perform a kindness for the innkeeper." This is eating for the sake of Heaven.

In principle, everyone should teach themselves to behave this way. Before we eat, we should say (even if someone might laugh at us): "I'm going to eat now, so that I can serve Hashem". In fact, the Shulchan Aruch explains (Orach Chaim 231), that one should eat with the intention of serving Hashem. [Note: See the Vilna Gaon's notes there in the name of Korban Aharon]

Try it tomorrow morning. It won't cost you a penny. Say these words: "I eat so that I can serve Hashem", and repeat them again and again. In the end, you will also mean what you say (even if others might laugh or chuckle).

Holiness is not only reserved for pristine moments or sacred places. It can be an integral part of every moment of our lives, even eating. By being aware of the principles of holiness and carefully implementing them, we can turn small actions into opportunities for spirituality and closeness to Hashem. Start small: Before each meal, pause for a moment and think about the noble purpose of eating for the sake of Heaven. Challenge yourself to turn your daily routine into a journey of sanctification and spirituality. Try it today and see how your life changes for the better.