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SPLITTING
THE SEA
RESTORING SANCTITY TO EATING…
AND TO THE REST OF OUR LIVES, PART 33
Wby Janet S. Sunness, M.D.
e are all familiar with the difficult. But the effort does not end gy since the input of food has lessened,
statement of Chazal that find- there. One has to work on the relation- may result in your daily calorie require-
ing one’s shidduch is as diffi- ship to attain a good marriage, and the ments becoming less, leading to weight
cult as splitting the Yam Suf effort continues throughout life. Similarly, gain if you don’t reduce caloric intake.
(Red Sea) (Sanhedrin 22a). A getting a job is only the beginning; one The process of water recombining is a
has to continue in one’s efforts. For both natural process that we have to fight on
similar statement is made of these life necessities, continued emuna an ongoing basis.
about parnassa (livelihood) and praying to Hashem is necessary to In the general category of mitzvos, we
(Pesachim 118a). I recently heard an inter- sustain the flow of good from Hashem. can think of the need to “rise above”
esting explanation of this that has rele- When I heard this metaphor, I realized nature to sustain a certain level as a need
vance for eating issues as well. that this is a wonderful way to think to fight mitzvos anashim m’lumada, the
The Chofetz Chaim Heritage about losing weight and eating right. Yes, way the prophet Yeshayu describes doing
Foundation distributes a set of CDs on the initial phase of losing weight and mitzvos by rote. We have to rise above
emuna (faith) that have a collection of achieving a healthy status requires major this. In modern parlance, we have to be
Rabbi David Ashear’s short talks on this work, like splitting the sea. But unless mindful of what we do, keep the goal in
topic. Rabbi Ashear attributes the follow- there is continual effort, the weight will mind, and not just let ourselves function
ing understanding to Rabbi Pesach gradually come back on by itself. This on autopilot. How much better would all
Eliyahu Falk of Gateshead. may be in part due to returning to previ- facets of our life be if we put in sustained
What is the difference between split- ous eating habits. Alternatively, there is a effort to preserve our accomplishments
ting the sea and splitting a thick wood notion of a “set point,” a body weight that rather than letting them dissipate
board, for example? Once the board is your system feels should be the norm because of our inaction.◆
split, it stays split and has no tendency to (which may even be in the obese catego- Janet Sunness is medical director of the
come back together. However, when water ry, if that is where you’ve spent a good Richard E. Hoover Low Vision
is split, as great as that miracle is, con- part of your life). Your body, through as Rehabilitation Services at the Greater
stant effort is required to keep the water yet not fully understood processes, is driv- Baltimore Medical Center. She gives shi-
split. There is a natural tendency for the en to get you to eat more and return to urim on a variety of topics at
water to recombine that has to be com- the earlier weight. A third possibility is Congregation Shomrei Emunah and for
bated. that the reduction in the metabolic rate, the Women’s Institute of Torah. She can
Rabbi Ashear explains that this is an due to the lower necessities of your new be reached at jsunness@gmail.com.
apt metaphor for finding a shidduch. smaller size or to a preservative mecha-
Finding one’s mate can certainly be very nism that thinks it has to conserve ener- © Janet Sunness 2016
96 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
THE SEA
RESTORING SANCTITY TO EATING…
AND TO THE REST OF OUR LIVES, PART 33
Wby Janet S. Sunness, M.D.
e are all familiar with the difficult. But the effort does not end gy since the input of food has lessened,
statement of Chazal that find- there. One has to work on the relation- may result in your daily calorie require-
ing one’s shidduch is as diffi- ship to attain a good marriage, and the ments becoming less, leading to weight
cult as splitting the Yam Suf effort continues throughout life. Similarly, gain if you don’t reduce caloric intake.
(Red Sea) (Sanhedrin 22a). A getting a job is only the beginning; one The process of water recombining is a
has to continue in one’s efforts. For both natural process that we have to fight on
similar statement is made of these life necessities, continued emuna an ongoing basis.
about parnassa (livelihood) and praying to Hashem is necessary to In the general category of mitzvos, we
(Pesachim 118a). I recently heard an inter- sustain the flow of good from Hashem. can think of the need to “rise above”
esting explanation of this that has rele- When I heard this metaphor, I realized nature to sustain a certain level as a need
vance for eating issues as well. that this is a wonderful way to think to fight mitzvos anashim m’lumada, the
The Chofetz Chaim Heritage about losing weight and eating right. Yes, way the prophet Yeshayu describes doing
Foundation distributes a set of CDs on the initial phase of losing weight and mitzvos by rote. We have to rise above
emuna (faith) that have a collection of achieving a healthy status requires major this. In modern parlance, we have to be
Rabbi David Ashear’s short talks on this work, like splitting the sea. But unless mindful of what we do, keep the goal in
topic. Rabbi Ashear attributes the follow- there is continual effort, the weight will mind, and not just let ourselves function
ing understanding to Rabbi Pesach gradually come back on by itself. This on autopilot. How much better would all
Eliyahu Falk of Gateshead. may be in part due to returning to previ- facets of our life be if we put in sustained
What is the difference between split- ous eating habits. Alternatively, there is a effort to preserve our accomplishments
ting the sea and splitting a thick wood notion of a “set point,” a body weight that rather than letting them dissipate
board, for example? Once the board is your system feels should be the norm because of our inaction.◆
split, it stays split and has no tendency to (which may even be in the obese catego- Janet Sunness is medical director of the
come back together. However, when water ry, if that is where you’ve spent a good Richard E. Hoover Low Vision
is split, as great as that miracle is, con- part of your life). Your body, through as Rehabilitation Services at the Greater
stant effort is required to keep the water yet not fully understood processes, is driv- Baltimore Medical Center. She gives shi-
split. There is a natural tendency for the en to get you to eat more and return to urim on a variety of topics at
water to recombine that has to be com- the earlier weight. A third possibility is Congregation Shomrei Emunah and for
bated. that the reduction in the metabolic rate, the Women’s Institute of Torah. She can
Rabbi Ashear explains that this is an due to the lower necessities of your new be reached at jsunness@gmail.com.
apt metaphor for finding a shidduch. smaller size or to a preservative mecha-
Finding one’s mate can certainly be very nism that thinks it has to conserve ener- © Janet Sunness 2016
96 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
