Subject: In Memory of Baruch Yitzchak ben Yirmiyahu (Barry Pessin)
From: Heath Berkin <heath.berkin@gmail.com>
Date: 2/26/2016, 4:33 AM
To: Heath Berkin <heath.berkin@gmail.com>
BCC: menachem@alonsystems.com
The Mishna in Avos (3:2) says that three people that eat together and there is not between them words of Torah it is as if they are eating from sacrifices of idols, but if three eat together and there are words of Torah between them then it as if they are eating from the table of Hashem.
The Mishna is telling us that if we sit down to eat and do it in the proper way, with words of Torah it will uplift the entire meal. Instead of being a mundane meal it will be a meal in which we are eating at the table of Hashem. On the other hand, if we eat in the wrong way it will bring down the entire meal and will be considered as if we are eating from idols.
In general a person's actions can be categorized into three groups. Positive actions (kindness, charity etc), negative actions (hurting someone, stealing etc) and neutral actions (eating. sleeping, working).
What we can see from the Mishna and an idea that many others explain as well, is that there really isn't a neutral action. Our job is to take the neutral actions such as sleeping and eating and to use them for a higher purpose uplifting them thereby making them positive actions. If on the other hand we don't uplift these actions we are following our physical desires and are no different than an animal, instead of being uplifted by this action we are actually being pulled down by it.
If a person goes to work to make money in order to feed his family, give charity etc. this will uplift his work. If he goes to work to gain honor and power then he is just turning himself into an animal.
Although it is very difficult for us to perform these acts solely with positive intentions, we should all strive our best to at least have the recognition and feeling that we are also doing these actions for positive intentions. Tonight before you lay down to go to sleep stop for a second and think, why am I going to sleep? Tell yourself you are going to sleep so you can wake up with renewed energy in order to serve G-d, help out your fellow and to do other positive actions. This will make your sleep a spiritually uplifting experience.