Parashat Re’eh

By Rabbi Shlomo Zargari

רַ֣ק חֲזַ֗ק לְבִלְתִּי֙ אֲכֹ֣ל הַדָּ֔ם כִּ֥י הַדָּ֖ם ה֣וּא הַנָּ֑פֶשׁ וְלֹא־תֹאכַ֥ל הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ עִם־הַבָּשָֽׂר׃

But make sure that you do not partake of the blood; for the blood is the life, and you must not consume the life with the flesh.

It is taught in the name of the Gaon of Vilna זצוק״ל that the Torah is warning us not to overindulge in our desire to eat. When we eat the “flesh” we shouldn’t eat the “soul” of the animal with it!

Harav Hayim Vital writes, “My master the ARI Z”L told me that the main path for a person to achieve רוח הקודש is dependent on his attention and care when he recites the blessings. It is through the berachot that he is able to negate and nullify the negative powers that cling onto the foods and would enter the person’s body.” By reciting the berachot properly, he removes these negative powers and purifies himself, preparing him to accept קדושה…

Shabbat Shalom