Part 3/8:
For example, eating can be a purely physical act of satisfying hunger, or it can be an act of elevation, where we consciously use food to nourish and refine ourselves, thereby contributing positively to the world. In spiritual terms, elevating physical acts involves consciously aligning our actions with higher values rather than succumbing to selfishness.
Rabbi Jacobson shares that how we engage with material objects, such as an apple, can symbolize our inner moral state. An apple ripped from a tree can "say" to us—if it could speak—whether it will be used to hurt or help. Using that energy to aid others elevates the spirit, whereas selfish or harmful use desecrates the object’s purpose.