אות - קמג

[A manuscript from one of our group relating to the lesson in Likutey Moharan I, 263.]

There are two ways that one can eat like an animal.

Some eat human food with an animal’s appetite.

Others eat like humans, but their food is is only fit for a beast. Sparks of holiness reside in food. If these sparks have not been sufficiently purified, the food is only fit for a beast and man.

Eating like an animal in either of the two ways leads to fevers.

It is written, “You have caused men to ride over our heads; we have gone through fire and water” (Psalms 66:12) . When we eat like an animal, we are on a low, subhuman plane. This is when “men ride over our heads.” As a result, we “go through fire and water” — with the heat and chills of fever.

Physicians say that fevers come from overeating.

This is on the physical plane. It is also true on a spiritual level. When man has holy knowledge, he then has holy love and fear.

When he falls from this knowledge, he drops to fallen love and fear.

It is written, “The superiority of man over beast is Nothing ” (Ecclesiastes 3:19) . It is further written, “And holy wisdom comes from Nothing ” (Job 28:12) . This holy wisdom emanates from the ultimate Gogly Nothingness.

When one eats like an animal in either way, one falls from the level of holy knowledge. One falls away to a subhuman level. One then descends to the level of the fallen love and fear.

“You have caused men to ride over our heads” refers to a subhuman level, as explained earlier; we then “went through fire and water” — the fallen love and fear.