๐ SATURDAY PRAYER: HESED- GRACE FOR THE FIRST SHABBAT MEAL
READING: SUNSET FRIDAY
A MEAL – RECEIVING THE UPPER ABUNDANCE
-by Rabbi Michael Laitman
Question: What is the spiritual root of a meal?
Answer: A meal is a great action. Even the fact that animals feed together indicates that they are getting closer together and trust each other.
Even more so for people who are much more cunning and further apart from each other. When they sit at the table together, or one invites the other, or both have a meal together, it indicates that they have the intention to get closer at least temporarily.
Therefore, for all nations, all cultures, a meal is a certain connection between people no matter how manyโtwo, three, or even up to a thousand. On the other hand, we know from Kabbalistic sources that when it comes to coming closer together, to connection, to something joyful, or even not quite joyful but especially solemn and significant, there is always a meal arranged.
In Kabbalah, a meal represents receiving the upper abundance from the Creator. Since He is the source of all living things, all intake of food is associated with turning to the Creator. Therefore, before the meal, during the meal, and after the meal, it is customary to turn to the Creator with a special appeal so that the very connection of people with everything that surrounds and is included in the meal will have a good result, a success.
Therefore, we always arrange a meal when we are happy, even not very happy, that is, when we want to celebrate a special state. However, usually the meal symbolizes something cheerful and pleasant. For example: a meal in honor of a child being born, his thirteenth birthday, an engagement, a wedding, and so on.
In general, meals accompany us in all good times. However, even if a person dies, his relatives also arrange a meal. Of course, it is no longer solemn, not cheerful, but still, it is necessary to pay tribute to the deceased.