Someone once confessed to the Dubna Maggid that he does not feel Hashem’s love at all. In fact, despite performing mitzvos and finding time to learn Torah on a regular basis, he does not feel any real connection to Him. The Dubna Maggid sensed that although this man kept many mitzvos, he also transgressed many more. “I’ll explain your predicament in the following parable: A village man once found himself in a large city for the first time. He passed by a suit store and decided that he would buy a suit — his first ever. He walks in and the storekeeper gives him a suit, telling him it’s his size, and the man goes to try it on. A few minutes later he walks out of the changing room. “Are you making fun of me?” the man demands of the storekeeper, “My size? It’s far too small, I could only just get the pants and jacket on and I can barely move in them!” By now, the storekeeper is laughing, which only incenses the man further. “Let me explain,” says the storekeeper after regaining his composure, “The suit fits you perfectly, I am sure of it, but you need to remove your old clothes before putting the new suit on. If you don’t, then of course it will not fit!” The Dubna Maggid then explained that the same is true with our connection to Hashem. The more “old clothes” we are wearing — the more transgressions we are holding on to — the less room we have to put on a “new suit” — to connect to Hashem.
This concept is found in the Gemara, which states that whenever someone transgresses a mitzvah, he creates a spiritual blockage in his heart, stifling his connection with Hashem (timtum halev).[1] This applies to every transgression; however, the Ramchal explains that timtum halev associated with eating non-kosher food is much more severe.[2]
Since eating non-kosher food is not one of the “worst” sins one can do (for instance, one is not required to give up his life to avoid eating non-kosher food, unlike some other mitzvos) why is the spiritual blockage so serious?
The Ramchal answers that by eating non-kosher food, or even “kosher food” prepared in a non-kosher manner, one is not only causing a blockage between him and his Creator in a spiritual sense, but by digesting such food, he is literally making the cause of this blockage a part of his physical being; essentially, bringing the cause of a stifled relationship with Hashem into his nature.
Therefore, when we are careful with our kashrus standards, we are not only preventing ourselves from erecting a barrier between us and Hashem, but we are showing that despite a situation being easier, cheaper, or tastier, nothing compares to the importance of our relationship with Hashem!
