The Torah vividly contrasts the kindness and hospitality of Abraham's household with the cruelty and rapaciousness of the citizens of Sodom. When visitors arrived at Lot's home, the entire city, young and old, surrounded the house with the intention of molesting his guests. Lot's attempts to appease the rioters only aggravated their anger.
The Talmud makes a surprising connection between the evil city of Sodom and the ritual of washing hands at meals. The Sages decreed that one should wash hands before and after eating bread. Why?
The underlying motif of washing hands is ritual purification, similar to immersion in a mikve. The rabbinical decree to wash hands before meals is based on the purification the Cohanim underwent before eating their teruma offerings.
The Talmud, however, gives a rather odd rationale for mayim acharonim, washing hands after the meal. The Sages explained that this washing removes the salt of Sodom, a dangerous salt that can blind the eyes. (Chulin 105b)
What is this Sodomite salt? What does it have to do with purification? How does it blind the eyes?
Rabbi Kook explained that to answer these questions we must understand the basis for the immorality of Sodom. The people of Sodom were obsessed with fulfilling their physical desires. Their concentration on self-gratification led to selfish, egocentric behavior. They expended all of their efforts chasing after material pleasures. No energy was left for helping the stranger; no time remained for kindness towards others.
A certain spiritual peril lurks in any meal that we eat. Our involvement in sensual pleasures inevitably increases the value we assign to such activities, and decreases the importance of spiritual efforts that truly perfect man. As a preventative measure, the Sages decreed that we wash our hands before eating. This purifying ritual impresses upon us the imagery that we are like the priests, eating holy bread baked from teruma. The physical meal we are about to partake of suddenly takes on a spiritual dimension.
Despite this preparation, the act of eating will, to some extent, reduce our holiness. Washing after the meal comes to counteract this negative influence. We wash away the salt of Sodom, the residue of selfish preoccupation in sensual pleasures. This dangerous salt, which can blind our eyes to the needs of others, is rendered harmless through the purification of mayim acharonim.
The Talmud makes a surprising connection between the evil city of Sodom and the ritual of washing hands at meals. The Sages decreed that one should wash hands before and after eating bread. Why?
The underlying motif of washing hands is ritual purification, similar to immersion in a mikve. The rabbinical decree to wash hands before meals is based on the purification the Cohanim underwent before eating their teruma offerings.
The Talmud, however, gives a rather odd rationale for mayim acharonim, washing hands after the meal. The Sages explained that this washing removes the salt of Sodom, a dangerous salt that can blind the eyes. (Chulin 105b)
What is this Sodomite salt? What does it have to do with purification? How does it blind the eyes?
Rabbi Kook explained that to answer these questions we must understand the basis for the immorality of Sodom. The people of Sodom were obsessed with fulfilling their physical desires. Their concentration on self-gratification led to selfish, egocentric behavior. They expended all of their efforts chasing after material pleasures. No energy was left for helping the stranger; no time remained for kindness towards others.
A certain spiritual peril lurks in any meal that we eat. Our involvement in sensual pleasures inevitably increases the value we assign to such activities, and decreases the importance of spiritual efforts that truly perfect man. As a preventative measure, the Sages decreed that we wash our hands before eating. This purifying ritual impresses upon us the imagery that we are like the priests, eating holy bread baked from teruma. The physical meal we are about to partake of suddenly takes on a spiritual dimension.
Despite this preparation, the act of eating will, to some extent, reduce our holiness. Washing after the meal comes to counteract this negative influence. We wash away the salt of Sodom, the residue of selfish preoccupation in sensual pleasures. This dangerous salt, which can blind our eyes to the needs of others, is rendered harmless through the purification of mayim acharonim.