Make Me Tasty Treats That I Love

The Secret of Eiver Min ha-Chai

We know the story. Yitzchak Avinu called for his eldest son to come to him (Bereshit 27:1). After he arrived, Yitzchak told Esav that he was approaching the day of his death (27:2), although he didn’t know exactly when it would come, and that he wanted him to go out into the field and trap game, ritually slaughter it, and then prepare it for him to eat (27:3). He wanted Esav to do this because he wanted to give Esav an opportunity to perform a number of mitzvot in order for Yitzchak to be able to confer a blessing upon him (27:4): וַעֲשֵׂה־לִי מַטְעַמִּים כַּאֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתִּי וְהָבִיאָה לִּי וְאֹכֵלָה בַּעֲבוּר תְּבָרֶכְךָ נַפְשִׁי בְּטֶרֶם אָמוּת (And make me tasty treats that I love, and bring it to me, and I will eat it in order that my soul will bless you before I die).

Now let’s think about this for a moment. Yitzchak was a old man (27:1) – if you do the calculation, he was 123 years old at this point – and practically blind. It is taught in the Gemara (Yoma 74b): אֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה מִי שֶׁרוֹאֶה וְאוֹכֵל לְמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה וְאוֹכֵל (There is no comparison between someone who sees and eats and someone who doesn’t see and eats). And it was further taught there about blind people: שֶׁאוֹכְלִין וְאֵין שְׂבֵעִין (They eat but aren’t satisfied/satiated). Not only this, but it is written (Mishlei 13:25): צַדִּיק אֹכֵל לְשֹׂבַע נַפְשׁוֹ (A tzaddik eats to satisfy his soul). In other words, a tzaddik, such as Yitzchak Avinu, isn’t even interested in eating food for its taste. He has already cleansed himself of that desire. Rather, he eats solely for the sake of his soul, to maintain the soul in the body, to stay in this world, in order to continue his avodah down here. Therefore, how can we possibly understand his words, “Make me tasty treats that I love”? This might be something that a 5 year old asks of his parents for his birthday party, but the Tzaddik of the generation at such an advanced age?! Clearly, this requires explanation.

It is brought down in the Tikkunei ha-Zohar (Tikkun 21, 51a): בההוא זמנא ועשה לי מטעמים כאשר אהבתי מפקודין דעשה דאתייהיבו מאהבה ולא מפקודין דלא תעשה דהוא אקריב לי ממנא דעשו לקטרגא בהון לישראל דבגינייהו אתמר ואת עשו שנאתי (At that time [when Mashiach comes, Hashem will say to Yisrael], ‘Make Me tasty treats that I love.’ [This means:] by [fulfilling] the positive mitzvot that were given in love, and not by [transgressing] the negative mitzvot, which the one appointed over Esav [i.e. the Samech-Mem] offers to Me [because he brings Me the transgressions of the negative mitzvot that the Jewish People commit], to prosecute Yisrael with them, and because of them it says, ‘I hate Esav’ [because He hates those who incite accusations and judgments against His children). There is much that could be said about this passage but the main point for us is that Hashem will say to Yisrael [i.e. Yaakov] the exact same words that Yitzchak said to Esav many years ago – ‘Make me tasty treats that I love.’ In addition, we learn that the ‘tasty treats’ that Yitzchak loved were, in fact, the fulfillment of the positive mitzvot. That is what Yitzchak wanted of Esav, and apparently, this is the reason why he sent him out into the field – to give him the opportunity to do a number of mitzvot involved in preparing food: trapping, slaughtering, cooking, etc.

Although we have now provided an explanation for Yitzchak’s words, we have opened up a can of worms. How so? We just read that the Tikkunei ha-Zohar says that Hashem yearns to ‘taste’ or eat, so to speak, from the fulfillment of the positive mitzvot of the Jewish People. But how can He do this without violating His own mitzvot? Let’s explain.

Based on this fascinating Tikkunei ha-Zohar, R’ Natan brings down an amazing chiddush in one of his additions to Likutei Moharan (L.M. II:83:10): וּכְשֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא רוֹצֶה לִטְעֹם מִמִּצְווֹת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל אִישׁ יִשְׂרְאֵלִי שֶׁהוּא צַדִּיק, אֲזַי הִיא בְּחִינַת אֵיבָר מִן הַחַי, שֶׁהוּא אָסוּר בַּאֲכִילָה וְצָרִיךְ שְׁחִיטָה לְהַתִּירָהּ (And when Ha-Kadosh, baruch Hu, wants to taste from the positive mitzvot of a Jew who is a tzaddik, then this corresponds to ‘a limb of living creature’ [eiver min ha-chai], which is forbidden to eat and needs ritual slaughter to permit it). Who is the living creature? We are. And what is the limb? The mitzvah.

We know that our deeper essence, our true spiritual essence is a soul. The physical body is merely a type of garment for the soul that gives the soul a vehicle, so to speak, to exist and interact in this physical world, the world of Asiyah. In the words of R’ Chaim Vital (Sha’arei Kedushah 1:1): כי גוף האדם איננו האדם עצמו (For the physical body of man is not the man himself). Nevertheless, just as a garment must match the body which it clothes, so too must the physical body match the soul which it clothes: עשה הוא יתברך את הגוף שהוא לבוש הנפש בתבנית דיוקן הנפש ברמ”ח אברים ולהם שס”ה גידים המקשרים את האברים…ואחר יצירת הגוף נפח בו נפש חיה כלולה מרמ”ח איברים רוחנים ושס”ה גידים ויתלבשו תוך רמ”ח איברים ושס”ה גידים של הגוף (He, may He be blessed, made the physical body, which is the garment of the soul, in the form of the image of the soul with 248 ‘limbs’ [eivarim], and for them 365 ‘tendons’ [giddim] which connect the eivarim…and after the formation of the physical body, He blew into it the living soul which is composed of 248 spiritual eivarim and 365 giddim, and they are clothed within the 248 eivarim and 365 giddim of the physical body).

Now, what is the relationship between an eiver and a mitzvah? Although R’ Vital goes into great depth explaining this relationship, we will only summarize his main point here: וכל אבר מן רמ”ח איברים נזון ממצוה פרטית המתיחסת לאותו אבר (Each eiver of the 248 eivarim receives nourishment from a particular mitzvah that relates to that eiver). This explains why there are 248 positive mitzvot – one mitzvah designated for each eiver, to give it sustenance and effect its tikkun. (There are also 365 negative mitzvot which correspond to the 365 giddim which connect and hold together all the eivarim, but that is not our focus here). However, R’ Natan is coming to reveal more of this truth than had previously been revealed. He is giving us an even deeper understanding of this relationship between an eiver and a mitzvah. The reason for the 1:1 correspondence between them is because a mitzvah is literally an eiver of the person who performs it! This is the deeper reason why there are 248 positive mitzvot. The mitzvot are literally the eivarim of our soul.

Therefore, we are now facing a serious challenge. We brought down a Tikkunei ha-Zohar which says that Hashem wants to taste or eat from the tasty treats which He loves, which are the positive mitzvot performed by the Jewish People, which in turn correspond to our eivarim. But how can He do that while we are still alive? Hashem would be violating, so to speak, His own prohibition against eating eiver min ha-chai. And since Hashem, His Torah and His people are all one, this cannot be.

As we read above, eiver min ha-chai is forbidden to eat for it requires ritual slaughter. Therefore, what is the solution? How can Hashem be permitted to eat it? Continuing on in Likutei Moharan II:83:10: עַל־כֵּן צָרִיךְ שֶׁיָּבוֹא עָלָיו בּוּשָׁה שֶׁהִיא שְׁפִיכוּת־דָּמִים, בְּחִינַת שְׁחִיטָה שֶׁהִיא מְטַהֶרֶת הָאֵיבָר מִן הַחַי וַאֲזַי יוּכַל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ לִטְעֹם מֵהַמִּצְווֹת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁלּוֹ (Therefore, bushah [embarrassment, shame, disgrace, humiliation] must come to the person, which is ‘spilling of blood’, an aspect of ritual slaughter which permits eiver min ha-chai, and then Hashem, may He be blessed, will be able to taste of his mitzvot). Where did R’ Natan get the notion that bushah is like spilling of blood? It comes straight out of the Gemara (Baba Metzia 58b): תָּנֵי תַּנָּא קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: כׇּל הַמַּלְבִּין פְּנֵי חֲבֵירוֹ בָּרַבִּים כְּאִילּוּ שׁוֹפֵךְ דָּמִים. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: שַׁפִּיר קָא אָמְרַתְּ דְּחָזֵינָא לֵיהּ דְּאָזֵיל סוּמָּקָא וְאָתֵי חִוּוֹרָא (A Tanna taught before Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak: Anyone who humiliates [literally: ‘whitens the face of’] his fellow in public is like he is spilling blood. He said to him: You have said well because we see that the red [of the face] leaves and white comes [in its place]). Therefore, we now see the deeper reason why we must suffer disgrace and humiliation in this world. True, it’s always beneficial for our spiritual rectification, for our tikkun, but it’s more than that. It’s not just for us, it’s for Hashem.

But one doesn’t need to wait to be embarrassed by another. The spilling of blood that is necessary to permit Hashem to taste from one’s positive mitzvot, i.e. from eiver min ha-chai, can originate from within the individual Jew himself. What do we mean? Rabbah bar Chinana the Elder said in the name of Rav (Berachot 12b): כָּל הָעוֹשֶׂה דְּבַר עֲבֵירָה וּמִתְבַּיֵּישׁ בּוֹ מוֹחֲלִין לוֹ עַל כָּל עֲוֹנוֹתָיו שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״לְמַעַן תִּזְכְּרִי וָבֹשְׁתְּ וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לָּךְ עוֹד פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה מִפְּנֵי כְּלִמָּתֵךְ בְּכַפְּרִי לָךְ לְכָל אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂית נְאֻם ה׳ אֱלֹקִים״ (Whoever commits a sinful deed and is embarrassed by it, they forgive all of his iniquities, as it says [Yechezkel 16:63]: ‘So that you will remember and be ashamed, and that you will never open your mouth again because of your humiliation, when I atone for you for all that you have done, says Hashem G-d’). So contrary to modern psychological mumbo-jumbo, shame is not a bad thing. It serves an important function in helping us do proper teshuvah. Therefore, if we feel embarrassed or ashamed of what we have done, this too is spilling of blood (L.M. II:83:9): וְזֶה: הָעוֹבֵר עֲבֵרָה וּמִתְבַּיֵּשׁ בָּהּ מוֹחֲלִין לוֹ וְכוּ’, כִּי עַל כָּל פְּשָׁעִים תְּכַסֶּה אַהֲבָה, כִּי עַל־יְדֵי הַבּוּשָׁה נִשְׁפָּךְ דָּמוֹ (And this [Berachot 12b]: ‘whoever commits a sinful deed and is embarrassed by it, they forgive him…’, for [Mishlei 10:12] ‘love covers all crimes,’ for through the bushah his blood is spilled).

And what is this love that covers over the crimes? In the words of R’ Nachman there: וְאָז הַשְּׁכִינָה מְכַסָּה דָּמוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה כַּנַּ”ל, בִּבְחִינַת כִּסּוּי דָּם, וְעַל־יְדֵי כִּסּוּי הַזֹּאת נִתְכַּסֶּה כָּל פְּשָׁעָיו מִמֵּילָא (And then the Shechinah covers his blood with love, in the aspect of ‘covering blood’ [kisui dam], for through this covering, his crimes are automatically covered over). Just as the blood of a ritually slaughtered bird or non-domesticated animal [חַיָה, chayah] must have its blood covered, typically with earth or straw, so too the spilling of blood caused by embarrassment must also be covered, but in this case it is covered by love.

What is the nature of this love? It is two-fold. On the one hand, it is the love of Hashem toward the Jew, in the aspect of “Make Me tasty treats that I love”, and on the other hand, it is the love of the Jew toward Hashem, for he has shown remorse for his sins. As R’ Natan explains there (L.M. II 83:10): וּכְשֶׁנִּשְׁפָּךְ דָּמוֹ עַל־יְדֵי הַבּוּשָׁה כַּנַּ”ל, אֲזַי צָרִיךְ לִשְׁמֹר שֶׁלֹּא יִינְקוּ מִמֶּנּוּ הַחִיצוֹנִים הַיְדוּעִים שֶׁרוֹצִים לִינֹק מִזֶּה הַדָּם הַנִּשְׁפָּךְ. עַל־כֵּן צָרִיךְ כִּסּוּי שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה מְכַסָּה דַּמְהוֹן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּשְׁפָּךְ בָּאַהֲבָה הַזֹּאת, בְּחִינַת: כַּאֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתִּי, כַּנַּ”ל. וְזֶה בְּחִינַת כִּסּוּי דָּם (And when his blood is spilled through bushah, then it needs to be guarded so that the chitzonim [the ‘external’ forces of the Sitra Achra] do not suck nourishment from it, as is known, that they want to suck from this spilled blood. Therefore, it requires kisui, that the Shechinah covers the blood of Yisrael that was spilled, with this love, in the aspect of ‘[Make me tasty treats] that I love’, and this is the aspect of kisui dam).

Perhaps now we can understand this teaching of Reish Lakish (Yoma 86b): גְּדוֹלָה תְּשׁוּבָה שֶׁזְּדוֹנוֹת נַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ כִּזְכִיּוֹת (Teshuvah is great since it makes for him merits out of his willful sins). And the Gemara goes on to show that this is true only when teshuvah is done out of love, because when teshuvah is motivated by fear one’s sins do not become merits, they only become unintentional sins.

So what specifically is the merit that gets created out of one’s sins provided that he does teshuvah out of love? It is the mitzvah of kisui dam. And what a truly great merit it is to have one’s transgressions covered over by the love of the Shechinah.