Parshat Re’ay 5759 (unedited)

“Eat to Your Hearts Desire”

Rabbi Ari Kahn

As the Jews stand on the East Bank of the Jordan River, Moshe again
warns them against following pagan practices. The Torah instructs
the people to instead focus on centralized worship in accordance
with the instructions of the Torah. However, the entering of the land
of Israel includes instructions which deviate from the accepted
practice which were followed during the years in the desert:

However you may slaughter animals and eat their meat in all your gates, to
your heart’s desire, according to the blessing of the Lord, your G-d which he
has given you; … When the Lord your G-d shall enlarge your border, as he
has promised you, and you shall say, I will eat meat, because your soul longs
to eat meat; you may eat meat, to your heart’s desire. If the place which the
Lord your G-d has chosen to put his name there is too far from you, then you
shall kill of your herd and of your flock, which the Lord has given you, as I
have commanded you, and you shall eat in your gates, to your heart’s desire.
(12:15,20,21)

During the years in the desert the only meat allowed was the flesh
of animals offered in the Mishkan. Upon entering the land “optional”
non-sacred meat will become permitted.

AND THOU SHALT SAY: I WILL EAT FLESH, BECAUSE THY SOUL
DESIRETH TO EAT FLESH; THOU MAYEST EAT FLESH, AFTER ALL THE
DESIRE OF THY SOUL (XII 20). This bears out what Scripture says, Who
executeth justice for the oppressed; who giveth bread to the hungry. The Lord
looseth the prisoners (Ps. CXLVI, 7). This refers to Israel. … The Lord
looseth the prisoners ‘: this refers to Israel. How? The Rabbis say: G-d
forbade Israel eight things and made eight corresponding things permissible
for them. G-d said: ' I prohibited you the fat,’ etc.... until ' a linen cloak with
woollen fringes’. Hence the force of ’ The Lord looseth the prisoners’.
Likewise, whereas previously He prohibited the eating of meat for satisfying
the appetite, here He made it permissible for them. Whence this? THOU
MAYEST EAT FLESH, AFTER ALL THE DESIRE OF THY SOUL. (Midrash
Rabbah - Deuteronomy IV:9)

The Ramban (Commentary to D’varim 12:20) sees the shift in law as

a pragmatic expression of the reality of the Jews being dispersed
throughout a vast country. The insistence that meat only be eaten
as part of religious expression is no longer practical, as it was in the
desert. This does not sound like a theological reason, rather a
question of pragmatism.

The Rambam (Guide for the Perplexed 3:46) identifies spiritual

forces in the desert which accounted for the erstwhile prohibition,
now when entering the land those forces need no longer to be
contended with.

Rav Tzadok haCohen (Dover Tzedek section 1) saw the

permissibility of meat upon the conquest of Israel as an expression
of the holiness of the Land of Israel. The very air or spirit of the land
is imbued with holiness, therefore the change in status of meat from
exclusively “temple” meat to “mundane” meat is the logical
extension.

While the change of a law from prohibited to permitted is intriguing,

the precise formulation which is apparently repeated for emphasis;
not only shall the people eat – “but to their hearts desire”. This
formulation sounds hedonistic. Why would the Torah encourage man
to capitulate to the desires of one’s heart?

The idea of the Torah making concession to the baser side of man is
known. The prototypical example is that of the captive woman. In
the Talmud’s expression of the captive woman we also find
reference to forbidden meat:

Our Rabbis taught: ‘And thou seest among the captives’ — when taking her
captive; a woman — even married; ‘of beautiful countenance’ — the Torah
only provided for human passions: it is better for Israel to eat flesh of
[animals] about to die, yet [ritually] slaughtered, than flesh of dying animals
which have perished; ‘and thou hast a desire’ …then thou shalt bring her
home [to thine house].’ teaching that he must not molest her on the [field of]
battle. (Kiddushin 22a)

Perhaps it is possible to understand the reference to meat in the

previous passage as a metaphor, and not as an expression of
rejection of a carnivorous life style as an ideal. Nonetheless, this
passage implies that the entire allowance of meat consumption is a
concession. A phrase utilized in a subsequent verse compounds the
question. The Torah goes on to say that despite the hearts desires
being filled, we see that nonetheless certain boundaries remain; The
eating of blood remains taboo both in the Temple and out:

Only be sure that you eat not the blood; for the blood is the life; and you may
not eat the life with the flesh. You shall not eat it; you shall pour it upon the
earth as water. You shall not eat it; that it may go well with you, and with your
children after you, when you shall do that which is right in the sight of the
Lord… And you shall offer your burnt offerings, the meat and the blood, upon
the altar of the Lord your G-d; and the blood of your sacrifices shall be
poured out upon the altar of the Lord your G-d, and you shall eat the meat.
Observe and hear all these words which I command you, that it may go well
with you, and with your children after you forever, when you do that which is
good and right in the sight of the Lord your G-d. (23-25,27,28)
The alternative to the eating of blood – which includes the eating of
meat “to the hearts desire” - is described as “good and right in the
sight of the Lord your G-d”. This makes the indulgence of meat
sound not like a concession, rather like an objective.

The fact that the temple service included meat consumption should
be an indicator that this is a positive endeavor.

It was taught, R. Judah b. Bathyra said: When the temple was in existence
there could be no rejoicing save with meat, as it is said, And thou shalt
sacrifice peace-offerings, and shalt eat there; and thou shalt rejoice before the
Lord thy G-d. But now that the Temple is no longer in existence, there is no
rejoicing save with wine, as it is said, and wine that maketh glad the heart of
man. (Pesachim 109a)

The joy of the festive included meat, obviously this is not merely an
expression of hedonism, rather the Torah which so well understands
the physical makeup encourages man to experience physical
pleasure as part of the spiritual expression.

Judaism does not see the body as an evil device designed to take
man away from spirituality, rather the body, and indeed the entire
physical world is waiting to be uplifted spiritually. The Jerusalem
Talmud (Kiddushin end of the first chapter) insists that one day, man
will have to give an accounting for the pleasure which could have
been legitimately experienced in this world but was avoided. G-d
created man with a physical body in a wonderful physical world.
Eating meat is an extreme expression of physicality. The challenge
according to Judaism is not the rejection of the physical, rather in
the elevation of the physical. The goal is to take the mundane and
transform it to a spiritual reality.

While there are certain things that are awaiting elevation there are
other items which are prohibited. In a sense the Torah is extremely
realistic, and psychologically attuned to man’s weaknesses. It is
fascinating to see where the Torah “concedes” and where it
demands unfailing allegiance.

The Alshech haKadosh notes that the phrase which discussed the
consumption of meat – which is normally translated as “to your
hearts desire” actually says “to your souls desire”. The role of
consuming meat is a to bring ones desires closer to G-d. This idea
needs to be explored and understood. The soul obviously does not
need the physical nourishment. How can meat elevate the soul?

A terse comment by the Seforno (12:25) make help explain this

concept. Commenting on the phrase; “Only be sure that you eat not
the blood; ...You shall not eat it; that it may go well with you, and
with your children after you, when you shall do that which is right in
the sight of the Lord”. The Seforno explains that the verse is not
referring to the consumption of meat, rather the “good and the right
thing” is the avoidance of the blood. This seems strange since the
avoidance of a negative commandment should not be described as
“doing the right thing”. The Seforno explains that avoidance of
blood should not be motivated by aesthetics, rather by the word of
G-d. (See Rashi Vayikra 20:26, based on Sifra Vayikjra Kidoshim
10:11,22. Also see the comments of the Rambam in his introduction
to his commentary to Avot, Shemona Perakim chapter 6)

The purpose of all commandments both positive and negative is to

bring the individual closer to G-d. Generally, positive
commandments are viewed as an expression of man’s love for G-d
while avoidance of negative commandments are viewed as an
expression of man’s awe or fear of G-d. Avoidance of blood because
it is disgusting, would not be adhering to the word of G-d, rather it
would be in compliance with man’s aesthetic sense. Such avoidance
would have no impact on the soul. Therefore all proper avoidance of
sin, is an expression of accepting the kingship of G-d. The debate
whether commandments need intent is only meaningful with
regards to positive commands. Prohibitions avoided for
considerations other than acceptance of G-d are spiritually
impotent. (Sha’arie Leshem 1:18:1)

Positive commandments need to be performed with intent to comply

with a Divine directive, if the individual has additional motivations
while the deed is performed it is seen as being positive yet the
mitzvah is imperfect. The Netziv (Bamidbar 15:39) insists that this is
only the case where the individual has a relationship with G-d.
However in a situation where a positive command is performed
outside of a relationship with the G-d, the act can not be classified
as a commandment, rather the individual is worshiping his own
desires.

While possessing desires is part of the human condition, man is

called upon to frame and focus those desires, arguably one may still
insist that the eating of meat may be a concession to man’s desires.
Yet in this instance the Torah felt that by institutionalizing a proper
outlet the soul would be elevated. Proper slaughtering and limited
types of permitted animals was seen as sufficient in terms of
elevating the physical to a spiritual experience.

At the dawn of history desire entered the world. The seductive

words of the serpent of old rebelling against the prohibition of G-d
created the first mention of desire:

Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord G-
d had made. And he said to the woman, Has G-d said, you shall not eat of
every tree of the garden?… For G-d knows that in the day you eat of it, then
 your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was
desirable to the eyes, and a tree which is pleasurable to make one wise, she
took of its fruit, and ate, and gave also to her husband with her; and he ate.
(Bereishit 3:1,5,6)

In a sense the existence of prohibitions cause desire. This is the

phenomenon of “stolen waters are sweetest”(Proverbs 9:17). Yet
prohibitions are needed because they are man’s way of indicating
his acceptance that this universe has a creator and sustainer. Now
man must elevate eating in order to reverse the effects of the desire
which was planted on that day. By adhering to the laws of Kasherut
man indicates his acceptance of G-d; both by the rejection of certain
types of food, and by the acceptance of other types of food.

The Alshech therefore is claiming that the allowance of meat is not a

concession to the baser part of man rather it is a method of
elevating the soul by refocusing the desires. By adhering to the laws
of kosher, by refraining from non kosher because G-d decreed,
acceptance of G-d is displayed. Certainly on Shabbat and holy days
the eating of meat is part of the process of elevating the soul. It
ceases to be exclusively a physical gesture, it becomes a religious
experience, and in the process reverses the effects of the venom
inflicted by the serpent in Eden.

© 1999 Rabbi Ari Kahn, All Rights Reserved