)
When people sit down to eat, they should think about others. They should share their food with the neighborhood poor. The Sages state that when people include the poor when eating, their table is like the Temple altar, and the meal is like the sacrifices offered there. Those who have servants must make sure they eat (after serving the food). Those who have pets should not eat before feeding them. Those eating with a group should make sure not to eat more than their fair share. In general, we should avoid wasting food (as explained below in 28:17).
Since people are created in the image of God, they should act in a dignified manner (3:39 above). Therefore, they should not do anything disgusting or degrading, such as eating or drinking anything dirty or gross. Similarly, people should not eat in a way that others find off-putting or disgusting. In the words of the Torah, “You shall not degrade yourselves . . . For I the Lord am your God; you shall sanctify yourselves and be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:43-44).
A person should not eat excessively or drink heavily, both because this kind of overindulgence is unhealthy and because it involves giving in to base desires. At the same time, a person should not make himself suffer by avoiding good food, as it is proper to enjoy the variety of excellent foods God created for people. The ideal is to eat them and thank God for them, and hope they will supply the joy and energy one needs to serve God by studying Torah and doing worthy deeds.
It is a mitzva to live healthfully. God created the body to be healthy, and our job is to take care of it. Staying healthy is also a prerequisite for keeping mitzvot in general. For people who are healthy with a fine balance of body and soul, are able to study Torah with a clear mind, keep mitzvot properly, be happy with faith in God, and be pleasant and helpful to others. When ill, apart from the fact sickness may shorten life, suffering aches and pains can prevent us from making use of our abilities to bring goodness and blessing to the world. To protect our health, everyone should study basic nutrition and learn which foods are healthy and which are harmful. Additionally, each individual should pay attention to how his or her body handles different foods, to learn which foods are better and worse for him or her personally.
