Weekly Dvar Torah: The Food Chain Upward and Downward
The way the world was created, the chain of existence is structured into four basic categories:
דּוֹמֵם, צוֹמֵחַ, חַי, מְדַבֵּר
The inorganic, the vegetative, the animal, and the articulate being
In simple language, 1) The inanimate is the earth, rocks, which are stationary without a visible trace of life. 2) The vegetative are trees, grains and vegetation, which visibly grow and are not stationary. 3) The animals, like cows, sheep, horses and all living mobile creatures in whatever setting they are in. 4) The human being which has a thinking brain and the ability to communicate, articulate and be creative.
The order of existence works that humanity rules, humans control animals to use alive or for food, humans control vegetation by farming, sowing and harvesting, and humans use rock and earth to build shelter, use minerals including precious stones, gold, silver, and other raw materials.
This puts the human being at the top of the chain, and the inanimate at the bottom.
Then there is the reverse, when it comes to sustenance, out of the earth grows all vegetation, which are consumed by animals, who are used by humans as food or otherwise.
Now the order is reversed, on top is the inanimate that feeds vegetation, which feeds animals, which feeds humans, so the human is at the bottom of the chain.
Is the human on top, or is the stationary earth on top?
Usually we think in terms that the recipient is on the bottom and the donor (giver) is at the top, so if the earth is feeding all existence then it is the ultimate giver, so it should be the top of everything.
On the other hand, we always think that the thinking, talking, creative human being, is on the top, and the stationary inanimate earth is at the bottom, and we all step on it.
Both are true.
In the order of creation, the human is on the top, but when it comes to sustenance and survival the inanimate is on top.
How is that?
In this week’s Parsha we learn an interesting passage:
כִּי לֹא עַל הַלֶּחֶם לְבַדּוֹ יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם כִּי עַל כָּל מוֹצָא פִי ה’ יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם.
Man does not live by bread alone, but by what comes from the mouth of Hashem does man live.
Chassidus explains an obvious question, how is it possible that a human being should be sustained by bread when man is superior?
This is explained in this verse.
It is not the bread that sustains the human, but it is the word of G-d contained in the bread that feeds and sustains humanity.
The way we see the world is only one part of the picture, but in reality, whatever seems to be on a lower level down here, comes from a higher source within the word of G-d, it contains a higher spark of G-dliness.
The analogy is of a tall building that collapsed, the higher bricks fall the furthest.
When G-d created the world, He had to contract Himself to allow for lowly creatures like us and everything material, to come into existence, and this contraction, the further from the source, becomes lower and more materialistic, and less spiritual, but within it is a higher spark, because the lower it fell shows that it must have been originally on a higher level.
Life and the expression of it in the physical world, reflects spirituality, a thinking speaking human being, reflects more spirituality than the lame stone, growth of vegetation and the mobile animals reflect different levels of spirituality based on its manifestation of life and growth.
So, coming from the source, the inanimate earth comes from the highest source, it contains the highest spark of the word of G-d, this feeds the seemingly higher level of growing vegetation because they come from a lower source in the word of G-d.
The animal that thrives on vegetation is mobile, and is therefore on a higher level, but in the source, it needs the higher word of G-d from the source, which is found in the vegetative, to be nurtured.
Finally, the human being who is all the way on the top, with the ability to think, speak and produce, needs to come on to all the lower levels because they all combined contain a higher source within G-d’s word, to be sustained.
And this is what the Posuk says; man does not live by bread alone, but by what comes from the mouth of Hashem does man live.
In order to receive what comes from the mouth of Hashem, one must resort to eating what is seemingly lower, because within it is a higher level of the word of G-d which will ultimately feed and sustain humanity.
So next time you take a bite, remember, you are eating G-dliness, you are biting into the word of G-d, and this is what will sustain you and nurture you.
Eating is a serious G-dly adventure.
Have a G-dly nurtured Shabbos,
Gut Shabbos
Rabbi Yosef Katzman
