SPIRITUAL EATING By Rabbi Eli Glaser, CNWC, CWMS
The Far-Reaching Impact of Self Esteem “We were like grasshoppers in our eyes, and so we were in their eyes” (Bamidbar 13:33). Upon their fateful return from Eretz Yisrael, the Meraglim expressed their fear of the giant inhabitants of the Land.
Their trepidation stemmed not only from the enormous stature of the Nefilim, but because the spies looked at themselves as miniscule: “We were like grasshoppers in our eyes…” How could that be? These were distinguished dignitaries, leaders of their own tribes, each numbering thousands of members. They had spent the past 13 months living miraculously in the midbar, helping construct the Mishkan, and preparing to assume their covenantal roles as stewards of Hashem’s precious Land. Why did they exhibit such a deflated sense of self? The answer can be found in the request to spy out the land in the first place. The commentators tell us that those who wanted firsthand proof of what the Land had in store lacked sufficient trust in Hashem that He would take care of them regardless of who or what they would encounter. This request not only distanced them from their Creator and created a cause for concern about being protected, but it also conveyed their flawed sense of self-esteem. As Yidden, we have no true identity separate and apart from Hashem. We’re His nation, carrying out His will for us through Torah and mitzvos. When we weaken that bond with our Creator, we also compromise our own intrinsic con-
nection to self. We may act the part of a typical person, carrying on our daily lives with normal activities, but we lack genuine meaning to life. That can only come from fulfilling the role for which we were created. What an important message to keep in mind regarding our food choices. When we are disconnected from our Source, we are prone to feel more fear and less regard for ourselves. It’s this lack of self-esteem that has many profound ramifications. In the case of our health, it can lead an otherwise intelligent person to hurt himself by making harmful choices or engaging in behaviors linked to chronic health conditions and fatal illnesses. If I feel like dirt, I’ll treat myself like dirt, or I’ll eat dirt—wrapped up in the form of candy, soda, or junk food. So what if it’s not good for me? I don’t care. I like the taste, so I’ll go ahead and eat it anyway. These sentiments are expressed when we don’t yet feel our true value, when we’re not fully connected to our exalted status. “And Rabi Eliezer said: A person should always conduct himself as if Hakadosh Baruch Hu resides in his stomach” (Taanis 11b, Tosafos). If we genuinely respect our body and see ourselves as the dignified mamleches Kohanim we truly are, we’ll be much less inclined to make self-sabotaging choices, even if they’re sometimes hard to resist.
Rabbi Eli Glaser, CNWC, CWMS, is the founder and director of Soveya and the author of the best-selling book Enough Is Enough—How the Soveya Solution Is Revolutionizing the Diet and Weight-Loss World, available on Amazon and at Barnes & Nobles and Judaica Plaza in Lakewood. He has worked with thousands of clients around the world and has maintained a 130-pound weight loss for the last 19 years. For more information about Soveya’s programs call 732-578-8800, email info@soveya.com, or visit www. soveya.com.
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WELLSPRING / JUNE 2023
