Nachal novea; makor chochma -
A flowing river; the source of wisdom (Mish. 18:4)
Parshas Korach 5756
(Numbers 16:1-18:32)
"And Korach took... They [Korach s followers] gathered together against
Moses and Aaron [in rebellion]..." (Numbers 16:1)
***
Korach, prominent Levite, cousin of Moshe (Moses) and Aaron, coveted honor
and a leadership position which he had been denied. So he gathered a large
following of prominent people, convincing them to rebel against Moshe and
Aaron. His rebellion ended in disaster, he and his followers were all killed
for their insurrection. Based on the teachings of Rabbi Nachman and his
student Rav Noson, let us examine the true nature of Korach's rebellion
to derive some practical lessons from this episode. Hashem Imbued Physicality
with Spiritual Essence that We Might Know Him. A major goal of creation
is for people to earn eternal joy and closeness with Hashem, the source
of all joy, by freely choosing to adhere to His will. In order to reach
full potential, a person must first have the proper desire come close to
Hashem. Without this desire, he would never make the necessary effort to
come close to Hashem or to adhere to His will, and would thus forfeit his
eternal reward in the hereafter. One of the main ways to develop this desire
for Hashem is to discover, as much as humanly possible, Who Hashem really
is. By rights, since Hashem is infinite and we finite, it should be impossible
for us to have any understanding of the Divine. However, since inability
to comprehend Hashem would drastically diminish our desire to come close
to Him, Hashem constricted His infinite light and wisdom into the finite
creation, as the verse says, "How many are Your works [of creation] Hashem!
You made them all with [Divine] wisdom." (Psalms 104:24) Essentially, Hashem
imbued finite physicality with elements of infinite Divinity so that we
are somewhat able to know Him. He made the physical world a reflection
of the spiritual realms, as the Talmud teaches, "The earthly kingdom resembles
the Heavenly Kingdom." (Talmud: Berachot 58a) Therefore, developing an
understanding of physicality enables us to relate to Hashem from our finite
perspective. Once man discovers how complex the physical creation is and
how much wisdom is hidden within it, he can begin to appreciate just how
powerful, great, and awesome the Creator really is. This will tend to arouse
a person's desire to come close to Hashem and do His will. And so, Rabbi
Nachman taught that it is each Jew's responsibility to try to discover
the hidden wisdom and intelligence behind everything in this world, that
from that enlightenment he will be drawn closer to Hashem, for he will
want to cleave to the Source of that wisdom. A person who does not focus
upon the genius of the physical world is considered just like Esav (Esau)
the wicked brother of Ya'akov (Jacob), as a despiser of true intelligence,
as the verse says, "The [intellectual] fool does not desire understanding
[of the truth]..." (Proverbs 18:2) Such a person is associated with the
wicked Kingdom and the forces of evil. (1 Lekutei MoHaran 1)
TORAH: THE TOOL FOR DISCOVERING THE DIVINE WISDOM INHERENT IN PHYSICALITY
Due to the limitations of human intelligence, observations and understanding
of the awesome and lofty wisdom hidden within the creation cannot be complete
or totally accurate. The sages tell us that Hashem concealed His will within
the Torah and then looked into the Torah and created the world. This means
that creation is infused with the Divine will, as the verse says, "Hashem
made everything as a testimony concerning Himself." [His creations attest
to His [great] power. (Rashi)] (Proverbs 16:4) Since the true purpose and
wisdom associated with each physical item is hidden, Rav Noson says that
the Torah is an essential tool for guiding us to discover the true wisdom
and purpose behind the material world. The Torah's guidance to the truth
and purpose hidden within the physical creation also circumvents the natural
inaccuracy of our own observations. The evil inclination, which we all
possess, causes us to see the world in a distorted way, misinterpreting
many of the events that occur in our lives and drawing conclusions far
different than that which Hashem truly intended. When we fail to perceive
the Divine lesson in a particular item or event, not only do we lose the
opportunity for enhanced understanding of Hashem and a heightened relationship
with Him, but we actually become less aware of Him. [There are countless
examples of this, which could be applied to every aspect of our lives.
For example, if a person who was committed to finding truth were to study
the intricate marvels of anatomy, neurology, physiology, and all their
related subjects, he would be absolutely convinced of the presence of a
great Intelligence that must have created and designed all of these things
for a specific purpose. With this understanding, combined with the guidance
of the Torah, he would discover the higher purpose and truth associated
with these subjects. And then through the Torah he would also discover
how to use these faculties to become one with Hashem and His purpose. Conversely,
one influenced by his evil inclination to the point where his goal is only
to fulfill his physical desires, would not even notice the great wisdom
associated with physicality or consider the source of this great wisdom.
Instead, such a person would use his knowledge to maximize his selfish
goals, prestige and pleasure seeking, creating an even greater gulf between
himself and Hashem. This example illustrates how true knowledge, which
is the discovery of a particular item's higher purpose as it relates to
the Creator, has the potential to bring a person closer to Hashem and how
pseudo-knowledge, which is the knowledge of superficial facts and the failure
to discover a particular item's higher purpose, coupled with the evil inclination's
influence, can lead a person in the exact opposite direction.]
In order to discover the true lessons and purpose behind the physical
universe which leads to discovering Hashem, we must first have a clear
mind. This can only be accomplished by eliminating the negative desires
that distort our perceptions, which, in turn, can only happen through adherence
to the Torah. Faith in the Torah's teachings provides both knowledge of
the higher truths and the means to increase the mind's vision and scope
through purification, enabling us to better understand things which are
normally beyond human understanding. Thus, faith in the Torah helps us
to better cope with this confusing world, a world that, on our own, we
don't really understand.
HASHEM MAINTAINS OUR FREE CHOICE
BY CONCEALING THE WORLD'S INNER ESSENCE
As mentioned above, earning closeness with Hashem is dependent upon free
choice. Rav Noson says this is why the true purpose of and Divine wisdom
associated with each physical item is concealed. If this wisdom were to
be revealed, it would totally eliminate free choice and thereby, the ability
to earn eternal reward for our service of Hashem. The only way to discover
the higher purpose and Divine wisdom associated with physicality is to
make great efforts to do Hashem's will so that our minds become one with
the Divine will and intellect. The entire truth of Divine purpose cannot
be completely revealed in this world, even to those individuals who have
attained high spiritual levels, as the verse says, "He (Hashem) has also
put an enigma into their (men's) minds so that man cannot comprehend what
Hashem has done from beginning to end." (Eccl. 3:11) Only in the Messianic
era will the full truth be revealed, as the verse says, "The land will
be full of knowledge ofHashem as water covers the sea." (Isaiah 11:9) Until
then, we must believe that there is great Divine wisdom and purpose concealed
within all physical things, events, and the commandments of the Torah.
Rav Noson defines what freely choosing to serve Hashem actually
entails. It involves connecting the exterior of all physical things, as
they appear to our limited minds, to their inner essence, which is the
infinite Divine will and purpose concealed within them. Since we cannot
fathom the concealed inner Divine purpose, we must be guided by our faith
in the Torah's teachings as it applies to each item. In other words, in
order to connect the outer physical to its inner Divine purpose--connecting
the chitzonius to its p'nimius--we must rely upon faith. When we put our
faith into action through fulfilling the commandments, which is using the
material world to serve Hashem, we connect the body with the soul, our
chitzonius to our p'nimius and we activate and draw the light of Hashem
to ourselves. This nourishes, purifies, and elevates both the body and
soul, earning us eternal reward. The more we purify ourselves, the more
of Hashem's light our minds absorb, increasing our ability to understand
the concealed Divine purpose associated with each physical item.
TORAHNIKS VS ANTI-TORAHNIKS
However, there are individuals who do not want to rely upon faith and purify
their minds, such as secular scientists and philosophers. Their lack of
faith is actually a manifestation of their great impatience. In their desire
to know the entire truth instantaneously, they will not perservere to purify
themselves. Therefore, they are unable to discover the Divine purpose concealed
within the material world, and so they seek to explain the purpose of the
physical creation based on their limited perceptions, which are greatly
influenced by their unpurified minds and lustful desires. Rav Noson says
that such anti-religionists perceive the world in much the same way as
animals and seek to explain the world in a way that justifies their lust.
The Torah views the human body as a vehicle through which to serve Hashem.
Secularists, not unlike animals, view the body as a vehicle for satisfying
base desires. Torah elevates man to his Divine origins, eventually opening
his eyes to absolute truth. Secular philosophy drags man down to the level
of the animal; survival of the fittest and the quest to fulfill self-centered
desires are the central themes. True Torah fosters peace and happiness.
[The world at large demonstrates that no other idealolgy engenders complete
peace. Note: Do not misconstrue Jewish history's lack of peace as a flaw
in Torah. Whenever the Jews have observed Torah properly, we have always
had peace and happiness. Times of upheaval have always attested to a weakening
of our attachment to Torah.] Anyone who is bound up in the pursuit of satisfying
their physical desires can never perceive the truth. They cause a separation
between chitzonius and p'nimius throughout the entire physical creation.
KORACH'S REBELLION:
SEPARATION OF THE EXTERNAL FROM ITS INNER ESSENCE
Korach's rebellion against Moshe was a separation of chitzonius from p'nimius.
Korach challenged Moshe's teachings based on human logic. According to
the Midrash, Korach queried Moshe, does a room filled with Torah scrolls
require a mezuzah and does an all-blue, four-cornered garment require a
blue colored fringe? [Note: A mezuzah is a piece of parchment, on which
is written certain Biblical passages, that must be affixed to every door
post of one's house, except for the restroom. Since the very same passages
are contained in each Torah scroll, having a mezuzah affixed to a door
post of a room filled with Torah scrolls would seem redundant. Every four-cornered
garment requires the attachment of a fringe to each corner. Each fringe
should contain a blue string. Again, it would seem redundant to place a
blue string on a garment that is already blue.] Korach used the seeming
absurdity of Moshe's answer in the affirmative as the basis for his rebellion.
Human logic dictated that a room filled with Torah scrolls would not require
a mezuzah and that an all-blue, four-cornered garment shouldn't require
a blue colored fringe. However, in this case, Divine Logic contradicted
human logic. Nevertheless, Korach's apparent quest for truth for motivated
by evil intent--his lust for honor and power. He unscrupulously tried to
discredit the validity of Moshe's teachings of the Torah because Moshe
interfered with his goals. In effect, Korach's contention, like the anti-Torahniks
of today, was that there is no higher Divine purpose concealed within the
physical creation. He maintained that the true purpose of any physical
thing is only what the human intellect can detect from its outward appearance,
its chitzonius. Thus, Korach detached the chitzonius of all physical things
from their p'nimius. In effect, he denied the existence of Hashem and the
spiritual realms that are concealed within physicality, as the verse says,
"And Korach separated himself(" (Numbers 16:1) His rebellion was based
upon his personal philosophy that there is a dichotomy between the manifested
material and the invisible spiritual. He claimed that the physical is no
more than an empty shell which exists for the sole purpose of advancing
man's personal desires and that there is no deeper, concealed Divine wisdom
or purpose. Therefore, the only accountability in the world is to oneself.
This was the core of Korach's rebellion.
EVIDENT WISDOM AS THE BASIS FOR FAITH IN THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE
The great wisdom, complexity, and vastness of the creation and the wisdom
inherent in those commandments which can be understood clearly demonstrates
that there is a Supreme Being. This awareness validates our belief in and
observance of those commandments that cannot be understood. Therefore,
the proper approach to the commandments that are beyond our grasp is to
constrict our minds and not delve too deeply into them. We must realize
that just as the things we can understand and see are true, the things
we can't understand and see are equally true. However, Korach used this
logic in reverse, as do the anti-religionists: Just as there are commandments
that defy logic and seem to be mere foolishness, the commandments that
seem to make sense are also invalid and mere foolishness. Korach questioned
the incomprehensible commandments of the Torah in order to undermine the
validity of the entire Torah.
THE LEVITE'S ROLE TO CONSTRICT SPIRITUAL LIGHT
Narrowness is associated with the spiritual energies of harshness, din.
Therefore, the narrowness of any physical thing, such as hair, indicates
that it contains the spiritual energies of harshness. As mentioned above,
every physical item is a reflection of the deep mystical mechanisms of
its underlying spiritual essence. Rabbi Nachman taught that because Hashem's
life-sustaining light is so powerful, it must be constricted, filtered,
and diluted. Human hair accomplishes this through its spiritual mechanism
of constriction, thus Hashem's light is absorbed into the body through
the hair. The spiritual essence of the Levites is also connected with din,
harshness, and constriction. One of the Levites' roles is to limit or constrict
an overabundance of spiritual energy that is unleashed by excessive investigation
of those commandments that are beyond human comprehension. This means that
the Levites are associated with strong faith, which includes the ability
to limit or ignore any questions that might undermine adherence to Hashem's
Torah.
When the Jews sinned with the Golden Calf, they used the spiritual
energies of constriction, derived from the celestial mechanism called the
"upper hairs", to place their trust and belief exclusively in an idol.
This tainted the "upper hairs", for their energies of constriction and
limitation were to be the channel only for exclusive belief in Hashem.
Since the Levites were strongly connected to the constricting energies
of the "upper hairs", they were able to maintain their focus solely on
Hashem and remain loyal to Him. Therefore, the Levites were the only ones
who did not sin with the Golden Calf and, in fact, they helped Moshe to
destroy it. However, the sin of the Golden Calf severely damaged and polluted
the holy constricting energies of the "upper hairs". As a rectification,
since the Levites' spiritual essence is integrally related to the "upper
hairs", when they were sanctified to serve in the Tabernacle and assist
the kohanim (priests), they were commanded by Hashem to shave off all of
the hairs of their bodies.
Korach was a Levite, and as such, had a natural resonance with
strong faith. Therefore, he, of all people, should not have challenged
Moshe with questions about those commandments that cannot be understood.
The fact that Korach used his free choice to go against his natural inclination
only shows how corrupted he had become.
KORACH'S DENIAL OF THE DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN THE PRIEST AND THE LEVITE
The Levites were appointed by Hashem to assist the kohanim in the Temple
service. Korach was not satisfied with this position, for it made him a
subordinate. He didn't want to play second fiddle to anyone, even if it
was Hashem Himself Who determined the hierarchy. As Korach saw it, there
didn't seem to be any real difference between a kohen (priest) and a Levite--they
are both men. Korach, as mentioned above, only looked at the external.
He didn't believe in an inner essence to all people and things, that makes
them different. Because of these differences, different roles are assigned
to each individual and thing in order to best fulfill Hashem's will. Korach
did not believe that the essence of a kohen is very different than that
of a Levite.
Kohanim are associated with the spiritual energies of chesed,
kindness, which is the highest spiritual level. Chesed purifies the minds
of the kohanim so that they have a special, innate perception of truth.
Therefore, the commandments that are beyond human understanding do not
bother the priest or cause him to compromise his faith in any way. The
kohen would need this ability in order to deal with the lowest elements
of the people and bring them back to Hashem and to effect atonement for
all sinners through the Temple service. The Levites, on the other hand,
were not equipped with this special gift. Their special ability, as mentioned
above, is to constrict the mental energies of the Jewish People when it
comes to the commandments that cannot be understood, helping them to focus
on faith and ignore the distractions of issues that are beyond human understanding.
Once the Levites would accomplish this, the people would then be prepared
for the next step, to listen to the teachings of the kohanim, who intuitively
know the truth. Without the work of the Levites, the people would not be
adequately prepared or conditioned to listen to and believe the teachings
of the kohanim, which are based on faith.
EXPANSIVE KOHEN CHESED, THEN CONSTRICTIVE LEVITE DIN
Chesed, the power of the kohanim, is expansive whereas din, the Levites'
power, is constrictive. If the kohanim were subordinate to the Levites,
then the people would first come to them and be subjected to unmitigated
expansive energies. This would likely cause them to delve too deeply into
those commandments that are beyond human understanding, and lead to a lessening
of faith. The constrictive powers of the Levites would then further limit
their faith and disable them from looking beyond their difficulties, causing
great destruction. Thus, the Levites must be subordinate to the kohanim.
Since Korach did not give creedence to a spiritual realm nor to Hashem's
distinctions between people based upon spiritual essence, he coveted the
priesthood. [People who do not believe in the chosen status of the Jewish
People, which is at the foundation of our faith, are like Korach. They
believe that since all humans appear physically the same, more or less,
then there is no real difference between the Jews and any other nation.
This is why people who do not have any faith in the Torah and Hashem cannot
accept the Jews' specialness. Hashem, Himself stated countless times in
the Torah, that spiritually, the Jews are different from the other nations.
In this world of free choice, this is a matter of faith, and although there
are many substantiations to this contention, it cannot be absolutely proven
until the coming of the Messiah.]
THE APPROPRIATENESS OF KORACH'S DEATH
Death is the separation of the body from the soul. Since Korach didn't
believe in the ethereal, he didn't believe in the existence of a soul or
inner essence. He didn't believe that death is the separation of the body
from the soul. Whereas in most cases, Hashem first allows the soul to depart
before the body is placed into the ground, to indicate that the person
believed that it was the soul that was responsible for keeping him alive,
Korach was swallowed up by the ground, buried alive to demonstrate the
falsehood of his beliefs. According to Korach the body is all there is
and there is thus no need to wait for the "imaginary" soul to depart. Korach's
unusual death was meant to demonstrate the existence of a soul.
THE WISEST OF WOMEN BUILDS HER HOUSE, BUT A FOOLISH ONE TEARS IT DOWN WITH
HER HANDS." (PROVERBS 14:1)
The Talmud applies this verse to two specific women, respectively the wife
of Ohn ben Peles and the wife of Korach. The Sages tell us that at first
the prestigious Ohn ben Peles joined Korach's uprising, but later bowed
out. His wife convinced him that he had nothing to gain by following Korach,
and in order to free him from his oath to follow Korach's band, she gave
him wine to drink until he fell asleep. Then she sat in front of their
tent with her hair uncovered and untied. When Korach's band came for him
and witnessed her immodesty, they went away. Thus, she saved her husband
from the punishment that was meted out to Korach and his band. But Korach's
wife encouraged him to rebel against Moshe, thus bringing about his downfall
(Talmud: Sanhedren 110a) Rav Noson explains that since this verse specifically
chose the example of a house to illustrate its point, it therefore lends
support to our teaching.
Every house has two aspects to it, the outside and the inside.
From the outside, no one can tell what is happening on the inside. The
woman is the foundation of any home and her personal beliefs are manifested
by what is found within her home. If she chooses to abide by the Torah,
which means she believes that there is a spiritual realm concealed within
physicality, then her faith will inspire adherence to Hashem's ways in
her home and foster peace, a solid foundation of the house. If a woman
doesn't believe in the concealed spiritual dimension, then her home will
be an empty shell. Hashem and His ways of peace are not welcomed in such
a home and it will inevitably be destroyed. From the outside, one cannot
detect any difference between the two homes, just as one cannot see the
spiritual concealed within the physical and the differences it causes.
The influence of the G-dfearing atmosphere that the wife of Ohn ben Peles
created within her home saved her husband's life. The opposite w as true
of Korach's home. Therefore, Korach and his wife, together with their home
were swallowed up. [Due to space considerations, some material was omitted.
Those who are interested should refer to the text.] (Lekutei Halachot:
Choshen Mishpat: Hilchot Pikadon 4:22, 24)
In some way, we all suffer from Korach's misconceptions. Rabbi
Nachman talks extensively about our failure to believe that our every act
counts and that it has an impact on the entire universe. We fail to pray
the way we should, because we don't quite believe that anyone is listening
or that it can help bring about change. We fail to study Torah, fulfill
the commandments, or do acts of kindness for the very same reasons. If
we could only eliminate the Korach that is found within all of us, and
truly believe that all our acts do count and have a higher purpose, we
would serve Hashem better, act better to our fellow man, and come to true
faith and happiness. Therefore, Korach's story is our story. Korach's episode
graphically illustrates the pitfalls of self-delusion and what lack of
faith can engender. Hashem leaves it is up to us to choose between Moshe's
path and Korach's. Hashem, in His great kindness, shows us in His Torah
what happens to those who choose the latter. Thus, the Torah discretely
urges us to choose the path that leads to eternal life. Amen!
If we could only eliminate the Korach that is found within all
of us, and truly believe that all our acts do count and have a higher purpose,
we would serve Hashem better, act better to our fellow man, and come to
true faith and happiness.
STORY
Korach came to destruction because of his pride. In a similar incident,
a Tzaddik suffered because of his pride(There was a certain Tzaddik (saint)
who was learned in the Torah. He was a G-dfearing man, did many good deeds,
and gave hospitality to every wanderer. All the good qualities that our
sages say a man should strive to attain were found in him. He had sons
and daughters whom he raised to be G-dfearing and they all went in the
way of Hashem. Once, the Tzaddik was meditating and a thought entered his
heart that all of his spiritual and physical success was due to his own
personal righteousness and not to Hashem's lovingkindness. In Heaven, a
great debate arose over the Tzaddik's improper thought and they decided
to send Elijah the Prophet to administer the appropriate rectification.
[Note: After Elijah the Prophet ascended to Heaven, as mentioned in the
book of Kings, he was transformed into an angel. Throughout the generations,
he has frequently been sent to fulfill missions on earth in various disguises.]
On that day, the Tzaddik decided to take a walk through his neighborhood.
A miracle happened and he suddenly found himself alone in the middle of
a great desert. Hashem then caused the sun to beat upon him and he became
very weary and thirsty. Since he had no water to drink his throat became
so dry that he almost fainted. At that moment Elijah the Prophet appeared
to him in the form of an Arab water drawer, who was transporting some jugs
of water. Elijah called out, "Water! Water! Let all who are thirsty come
and drink." When the Tzaddik heard this, he ran to the man and asked for
some water to quench his thirst. Elijah then asked the man, "What will
you give me in return for my water?" The man responded, "I will pay you
money." Elijah said to the Tzaddik, "I don't want any money for my water,
but instead I want you to transfer half of your good deeds to me." Seeing
that he had no choice, the Tzaddik consented and transferred half of his
good deeds to the stranger in exchange for a little water.
A few hours later the Tzaddik's stomach began to swell and he
became very ill and he groaned because of the pain. Again Elijah appeared
to the man, but this time in the guise of a doctor. When the Tzaddik saw
the doctor he begged him to help relieve the pain. The doctor replied,
"I will, on the condition that you give me all of your good deeds." The
Tzaddik agreed and he transferred the remainder of his good deeds to the
doctor. The doctor gave him some herbs and as soon as he swallowed them,
the pain was gone.
The Tzaddik returned home. He felt so empty, because now he was
without any good deeds and he burst into tears. His sons asked him, "Why
are you weeping?" The Tzaddik replied, "I have exchanged all of my good
deeds for some water and some herbs and now I am left without any good
deeds. How shall I not weep?" In the midst of his sorrow, it was revealed
to him from Heaven that he himself was to blame for what had happened.
When he became aware of his sin, he repented at once. He remembered that
man was created to serve his Creator. And if a man happened to know much
Torah, and perform many good deeds, he should realize that even these accomplishments
are dependent upon Hashem's mercy and assistance. (Nifla'im Ma'a'secha)
HITHBODEDUTH (secluding oneself)
Rabbi Nachman taught that as well as reciting the mandatory daily prayers
contained in the prayer book, we should also speak to Hashem, just as we
would confide in our best friend: in seclusion, in the language and style
with which we feel most comfortable. This is based on the advice of our
sages, just to mention two sources: "Rebbe Yitzchak said: 'Why were our
forefathers barren? Because Hashem desires the prayers of the righteous."'
(Talmud: Yevamoth 64a) "Hashem seeks nothing other than to hear the prayers
of Israel." (Medrash Tehillim 116:1) The following is an example of such
a session: Have compassion upon us and continuously save us from being
angry and demanding. Help us to be good [natured] toward everyone. Don't
let there be any anger or criticism in our hearts at all. Bring us close
to Your service with sincerity. Help us to attach ourselves to the true
Tzaddikim, to the holy Torah, You Hashem, simplicity, and complete faith
with an eternal and strong bond. Save me from any immoral behavior or thoughts.
Save me, because I depend upon You exclusively. Sprinkle upon me purifying
waters to cleanse me of all my impurities. Don't abandon or distance Yourself
from me! Be quick to help me, Hashem, my savior. (1 Lekutei Tefilos 43)
HALACHA
Based on the advice of our sages (Talmud: Megilah 28b), Rabbi Nachman stressed
that everyone should study at least one law from the Shulchan Aruch (Code
of Jewish Law) [or its equivalent, other books which are based on the Shulchan
Aruch] everyday without fail. (Sichoth HaRan 29)
One of the forms of forbidden labor on the Sabbath is erasing
or destroying any printed letters. However, one may eat cakes decorated
with lettering or designs even though, by eating them, one spoils the lettering
or the designs [because this is an act of eating, and not erasing, which
is permitted on the Sabbath]. However, it is forbidden to cut or break
the lettering or designs on food or cakes before being eaten [because cutting
the lettering or design is not an act of eating and is therefore considered
to be an act of erasing, which is forbidden on the Sabbath]. Where the
lettering is made of the same material as the food or cake on which it
appears, the food may be cut or broken even in the place where the letters
are. Similarly, one may cut or break cakes or cookies made in the shape
of letters or designs. [In the last two cases, where the lettering is comprised
of the food itself, the main intention of the lettering is to use it for
food, the writing is only a secondary intention, therefore it is like cutting
food and not letters, which is permitted. Where the lettering and the food
are made of different materials, then cutting the letters, even though
it is for eating, is considered erasing, because then the main purpose
of the lettering is the expression of a thought.] (Shemirath Shabbath Ke'Hilchata:
11:7-8)
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