CRUSHED TO SHINE?

The size of an olive defines a full measure for forbidden foods, but what is it's positive counterpart? * On Rambam's Laws of Forbidden Foods.

by ChatGPT

In Jewish law, size does matter: "The minimum measure for which one is liable for partaking of any of the forbidden foods in the Torah is the size of an average olive...It is forbidden by Scriptural Law to eat even the slightest amount of a forbidden substance. Nevertheless, one receives lashes only for an olive-sized portion." (Rambam’s Laws of Forbidden Foods - Chapter 14:1-2)

This stipulates a 'kezayit' or the size of an average olive, as the minimum measure for liability when it comes to consuming forbidden foods. A seemingly straightforward law, but let's look what's beneath the surface.

The Baal Shem Tov, a fundamental figure in the birth of Chassidic Judaism, imparts an insightful teaching: "The physical world is a mirror; if you see something in it, it shows you yourself" (Tzava'at HaRivash, 139).

This principle suggests that the physical world, including the seemingly mundane laws about food consumption, holds a spiritual mirror to our inner lives. The kezayit, while physically small, might represent larger spiritual concepts and consequences.

Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman, in Vayikra Rabbah 31:10, uses the olive as a metaphor for life's challenges: "This can be compared to a person to whom the king gave a mina of olives. He said to him: If you crush them, you extract oil from them."

Here, the 'crushing' of olives, a process that yields valuable oil, symbolizes our approach to the difficulties and trials in our lives. As we confront and 'crush' these challenges, we can extract something of value – spiritual growth and enlightenment, symbolized by the oil.

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov develops this idea further in Likutey Moharan (II, 48), stating: "If you believe that you can damage, believe that you can repair."

Rebbe Nachman emphasizes our capacity to rectify or correct our actions. The kezayit of forbidden food then serves as a symbol for both our potential to transgress and our capability for repair and transformation.

In conclusion, this humble olive-sized measurement, or 'kezayit', extends beyond its physical dimensions to offer profound spiritual insights. It serves as a reminder that every action, no matter how seemingly small, can hold significant spiritual implications. Through this lens, we can perceive our challenges as opportunities for spiritual growth and repair.