As Heard From Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L

“You Shall Eat…And You Shall Rejoice.” (12:7)

Although this may imply singing and even dancing, yet singing and dancing are never explicitly mentioned in the Torah. Therefore, we understand that the eating of these offerings is in itself the rejoicing whereof it speaks. It is remarkable that Hashem’s Torah considers eating as the fulfillment of the desire for happiness. In this, the holy nation is thereby entirely different from all the nations of antiquity that sought enjoyment from various activities, none of which are mentioned in Hashems Torah. The nations celebrated with spectacular demonstrations such as races, gladiators, parades to display power of luxuries, sacrifice of human victims and presentation of plays or stories of heroes. But, the Torah never even hints of any pleasure other than the simple joy of eating. The self-controlled holy people find joy in eating “before Hashem”: the gratitude for food, with the awareness that they ate “before Hashem,” was their joy.

When Yitzchak wished to confer a blessing upon his son Esav, he said to him: “Go out to the field and capture for me venison. And make for me savory food such as I fancy and bring to me so that I shall eat in order that my soul shall bless you.” (Bereshit 27:3-4) “Yitzchak loved Esav” (ibid 25:28); why then did he stipulate a condition, especially in view of the unimportance of the condition (”make for me a savory food”)? But he wished to confer the very best blessing upon his son, and this great father knew the power of physical emotion as motivation for intellectual and spiritual decision(”in order that my soul should bless you”).

Thus also the holy nation that loves Hashem, in order to augment this love, they eat and rejoice before Him; and thereby they gain the acquiescence of the body together with the mind to evoke the strongest feelings of devotion to Hashem. Eating is one of the most effective means of achieving the emotions of Gratitude and of Love.

Quoted from “Fortunate Nation” by Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L

Shabbat Shalom

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