We live in a world where food is a very central issue. Everyone is always talking about it. The internet and social media are loaded with cooking shows and presentations of well-designed dishes. Eateries and coffee shops are popping up everywhere. There is more awareness of different kinds of diets. Every day, I see Wolt delivery motorcycles delivering food.
My question is: What does the Torah say about food? Does the Torah have a message? A vision?
I recently spoke to a camp director of a summer camp, who told me he has every head counselor and even the 'bus leaders' (an adult in charge of a bus) come up with a vision for what he is in charge of.
Could it be that every Masechet (Tractate) in the Talmud has a vision?
The Masechet discussing food is 'Masechet Chulin'. I'd like to suggest two central visions that we might learn from this Masechet, the one that the Daf Yomi learners are finishing this Shabbat.
Vision #1: Self-Control and Kashruss
One concept that definitely arises when learning Masechet Chulin is the need for self-restraint and self-control when it comes to food. Eating meat isn't so simple.
There are many halakhic restrictions, many Hilkhot Kashrut:
The animal must be slaughtered in a certain way. Certain parts and organs are forbidden. It must be cleaned and checked. There are many Kashrut restrictions. For anyone using pictures while learning, what probably crossed their mind is: maybe I should eat less meat…
The Talmud (Chulin 84a) even provides a recommendation:
"שלא יאכל אדם בשר אלא בהזמנה הזאת"
only eat meat under specific conditions
And the Ritva explains:
"כלומר אחר יגיעה וטרחה ולעתים רחוקות"
Should only be eaten after effort, hard work and on rare occasions
A whole list of Mitzvot discussed in the Masechet relate to this idea:
-Kosher Schita (slaughter) and the Issur (prohibition) of Treifa: the animal must be fully dead, and cannot be eaten 'barbarically' in the field after it was attacked by another animal.
-'Oto viet bno': it is forbidden to kill a mother and her son on the same day. Patience.
-Kissui Hadam: The blood of an animal (not all) must be covered with soil, teaching us that we should have a bit of shame regarding what we are doing.
-Meat and dairy prohibition: In the Torah it is described as cooking a 'gdi' (kid goat) in its mother's milk.
-Even regarding the mitzva of Shiluach Haken (sending off the mother bird before taking the eggs)-some commentators explain that if you want the eggs, you must restrain yourself and not take them together with the mother.
Having said that, emphasizing the "Bidieved" (unpreferred) side, let's move on to a deeper vision that could be seen in Masechet Chulin-the "Lechatchila" (ideal) side.
Vision #2: The Kedusha (sanctity) of Eating
Surprisingly, the Sifrei (Ramban, Dvarim 12:21) teaches that the source for Kosher shechting (slaughtering) comes from the slaughtering of a korban:
"כאשר ציוויתיך - מה קדשים בשחיטה אף חולין בשחיטה"
“As I have commanded you" - just as holy sacrifices require slaughtering, so does regular meat"
Can it be that there is a connection between eating Chulin (regular meat) and Kodshim (meat from a holy sacrifice)?
The Gemara (Chulin 16) brings the opinion of Rabbi Yishmael who says that during the period when Am Yisrael were in the desert, the only way one was allowed to eat meat was to bring a sacrifice called Shlamim in the Mishkan (tabernacle). After Am Yisrael entered Eretz Yisrael, they were allowed to shecht Chulin (meat not intended for sacrificial purpose) and eat that meat at their homes.
Is this just to be seen as a "hetter" (permit) because they now live far from the Mikdash in Yerushalayim (I can't imagine someone driving in traffic for a few hours just for a BBQ…), or perhaps could it be that we are expanding the Holiness of the Kodshim in the Mikdash to everyone? Could Chulin actually be similar to Kodshim?
We find other comparisons between Chulin and Kodshim. The Blood and Chelev (the premium parts of the fat) are prohibited in Chulin. It just happens to be that these are the two things offered on the altar (see mefarshim on Vayikra 3:17).
The issur of "Oto viet bno" we mentioned above, is originally mentioned referring to Korbanot. The Gmara teaches that it applies also to Chulin (chulin 138b).
Masechet Chulin also discusses the laws of washing your hands before eating (Netilat Yadayim). The whole Takana of Netilat Yadayim is basically an expansion of the circles of sanctity, kedusha. Washing originally applied only for Kohanim and only for Kodshim. At some point it was expanded to Trumah, and later on to Chulin and not only for Kohanim but also to all Israelites (chulin 106a, Shabbat 14b).
Apparently, every Jew can be a little bit of a Kohen. Eating can also be seen as a type of "Avodah," service of Hashem. Every Jew can taste a bit of the sanctuary, the Mikdash, while eating at home. A table in one's living room can be similar to an altar, a Mizbeach.
Masechet Chulin brings a vision. It is about self-control, Kashrut and the Kedusha of eating.