Can Eating Bring Us Closer to Hashem? A Surprising Lesson from Parashat Toldot

In this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Toldot, we read:

“When Isaac was old and his eyes had grown dim so that he could not see, he called Esau, his elder son, and said to him, ‘My son.’ And he said to him, ‘Here I am.’ And he said, ‘Behold, I have grown old; I do not know the day of my death. Now, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out into the field and hunt game for me. Prepare for me delicacies such as I love, and bring them to me so that I may eat, in order that my soul may bless you before I die.’” (Genesis 27:1–5)

The Ramban explains why Isaac asked Esau to bring him meat before blessing him. Isaac wanted to bestow the blessings through Ruach HaKodesh (Divine inspiration), and Divine inspiration rests upon a person only when he is in a state of joy.

We find a similar principle in the story of the prophet Elisha, who requested that a musician be brought to him so that he could attain the spiritual state necessary for prophecy. Likewise, Isaac asked Esau to prepare a meal that would bring him joy and enable him to experience Ruach HaKodesh. Remarkably, this elevated spiritual state was attained through eating.

As the Ramban explains: “He knew within himself that after eating, his soul would experience pleasure and joy, and Ruach HaKodesh would rest upon him, as it is written: ‘And now bring me a musician. And when the musician played, the hand of Hashem came upon him.’”

And yet, just as eating has the power to elevate a person to extraordinary spiritual heights, it can also lead to profound spiritual decline.

In Parashat Toldot, Esau says to Jacob, “Pour into me now some of this red, red stew,” and the Torah continues, “Therefore his name was called Edom.” Why was Esau given a name that would define him for generations simply because he used the word “red” on one occasion?

The Vilna Gaon, as cited in Ohr Yahel on Parashat Naso, explains that Esau’s words reveal something fundamental about his character. His demand, “Pour into me,” reflects a life driven by physical appetite and the pursuit of immediate gratification.

This, he explains, represents the spiritual struggle between Amalek and the Jewish people: the conflict between physical desires and holiness. Esau’s name, Edom, reflects his defining characteristic—his relentless pursuit of pleasure.

We therefore encounter two strikingly different expressions of the power of eating. For Isaac, eating became a means of attaining Ruach HaKodesh. For Esau, it reflected an overwhelming attachment to physical gratification. The same physical act can either elevate a person to remarkable spiritual heights or lead him toward spiritual degradation.

What Determines Whether Eating Elevates or Diminishes Us?

Rabbi Hadar Margolin, who discusses these teachings in his book L’Margelot HaRamban, identifies one particularly important factor: the quantity of food we consume. How much do we eat? Do we continue until we are completely full, or do we stop while there is still a little room left? 

The significance of moderation is evident even from a physical health perspective. Nearly a thousand years ago, the Rambam wrote in Hilchot De’ot (4:15): “Overeating is like a deadly poison to the body and is the primary cause of illness. Most illnesses that afflict a person result either from unhealthy foods or from filling the stomach and eating excessively, even when the foods themselves are healthy.”

The importance of moderation extends far beyond physical health. It also has profound spiritual implications. The Raavad introduced the remarkable concept of fasting while eating. This does not mean completely abstaining from food or drink. Rather, it means exercising restraint even while enjoying a meal. A person may eat and drink, but deliberately consume a little less than he desires, stopping while he still has an appetite.

What spiritual benefit can such a practice produce? Rabbeinu Yonah, in his work Yesod HaTeshuvah, explains: “A person should not completely satisfy his desires, whether in eating or drinking. Rabbi Avraham ben David, who was among the exceptionally pious, taught that the greatest, most elevated, and most extraordinary safeguard is restraint in eating.

“This does not mean that a person should entirely refrain from eating meat or drinking wine, for what the Torah has prohibited is sufficient. Rather, while eating, when he still desires more, he should refrain from satisfying that desire in honor of his Creator and not eat according to the full extent of his appetite.

“This practice will help prevent him from sinning and will remind him of his love for his Creator more than fasting once a week, because every day, whenever he eats or drinks, he restrains his desires in honor of his Creator.”

Rabbi Margolin draws particular attention to Rabbeinu Yonah’s extraordinary description of this practice as “the greatest, most elevated, and most extraordinary safeguard.” Such powerful language highlights the remarkable spiritual value of a seemingly small act of self-restraint.

A person does not need to undertake lengthy fasts or completely deny himself the enjoyment of food. Simply choosing to eat a little less than he desires can become a meaningful act of spiritual discipline.

The Extraordinary Spiritual Potential of Every Meal

Eating possesses the power to elevate a person to the highest spiritual levels. Isaac recognized this potential and used the pleasure of eating to awaken the joy necessary for Ruach HaKodesh, as the Ramban explains.

At the same time, eating can become a source of spiritual decline when it is governed entirely by uncontrolled desire. Esau’s demand to be fed immediately reflected this danger, revealing an attitude toward physical pleasure that became central to his identity.

The difference lies not necessarily in the food itself, but in the way a person approaches it. One of the most important elements in sanctifying eating is moderation. By limiting the quantity we consume, we promote physical well-being while also strengthening our ability to exercise self-control and direct our desires toward a higher purpose.

Every meal therefore presents an opportunity for spiritual growth. Through awareness, moderation, and the intention to honor Hashem, an ordinary physical act can become a means of drawing closer to Him.

The lesson of Parashat Toldot is that eating need not be merely a response to physical hunger. When approached with the proper mindset, it can become an expression of holiness and a pathway toward extraordinary spiritual elevation.