Food is a very important factor as it can help to identify the cultural backgrounds of certain ethnic groups of people across the Globe. Culturally, there are vibrant dishes that are pertinent to the areas in which people can be identified such as in West Africa, where they make Okro Stew, which is stew comprised of slimy Okra, yet it is delectable and often paired with a starch such as Fufu or Banku. While in an entirely different continent, in the deep south of America others may embrace a dish called Gumbo, which is an Okra soup made with slimy Okra, sometimes beans, and often paired with a starch such rice.
Furthermore, we can also recognize that these places, though they are far from one another, are connected culturally through familiarity in their Okra comprised dishes. We notice the similarities between these two distant places; and must also recognize that the key ingredient to both dishes is Okra. What does this mean to you and how does it all tie into Plant-Based Diets and spirituality? Read further for more information.
In hindsight, many of us have experienced both of these dishes, but have you ever wondered what it would be like without all the meats that it is comprised of? Okro Stew is often prepared with goat, beef, and sometimes fish. While Gumbo, is comprised of sausages (preferably beef) and other meats. Now, what if you cooked the dishes the same way, but left out the animal flesh that some say give it a good "flavor". For ones like me, I have grown to embrace these cultural dishes without the needs of meats, because essentially, we season the foods with dun...dun...dun...VEGETABLES. Crazy right? It is almost as if the meats were never supposed to be there from the beginning if we really think about it.
Speaking of the beginning, remember this scripture: Beresheit 1:29 (Gen 1:29) "And Eloheim said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the Earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed: to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the Earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepth upon the Earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so." Did we ever consider how Adam lived nearly 1000 years on Earth while only consuming green herbs alone? The truth is, there must be something to the dietary ordinances that were given unto mankind before our present-day times.
In reality, many of our ancestors embraced what we would call a "Plant-Based Diet" up until the time of Noakh; in which the Almighty allowed for mankind to eat the flesh of clean animals for food in conjunction with green herbs Beresheit 9:3 (Gen. 9:3). Think about this, for nearly 600 years, Noakh and his family members were only consuming green herbs for food. Shortly after this time, we noticed a vast decline in the lifespan of all humanity. Could it have been because of the change of food acceptance and practices? Possibly so.
Today, we witness the average diet, and its consumption of animal flesh. They are propriety in every meal. Some say, "I cannot eat this stew without meat." or "How can I eat Okro stew without fish?" While people have the option to choose a plant-based diet, the average person will instead consume animal meats in abundance. Often without the thoughts of what can happen in the body with an over consumption of animal flesh. Even more or so, there are intellectual people that boasts of our yearly kogeim or feasts' that require for us to partake in meat such as Pesakh, but does it mean that we have to consume large amounts of meat during this time? Absolutely not.
Historically, our people have had a history of craving animal flesh, even to our own detriment. Remember back in Mitzraim, when YEHOWAH gave us the quail until it was coming out of our noses? If we had just accepted the manna, maybe we could have been more appreciative of the efforts put forth to lead us to the chosen land and not have strayed along for forty years. Come on, we knew that YEHOWAH had grown irritable at our constant complaints of the leeks and fishes that Mitzraim had to offer us. So, we basically got what we asked for. Does that make the craving for animal flesh right?
Now, we find ourselves locked away from our homeland. We have been kicked out and have no choice but eat of foods that are possibly defiled. While we even have the luxury of buying high end animal products, it is still considered the King's Meat. Maybe we should be more like our ancestor Daniyel (Daniel), who chose to eat nothing but fruits and vegetables to retain his strength while they were captives in the King's guard. How much trust did he have in YEHOWAH if he was strong enough to refuse the meat of Nebuchadnezzar? If we all took this bold initiative, we could possibly change our conditions of depreciative health and begin to improve our overall lives.
Additionally, when Moshe (Moses), was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights-he was fed with the words of YEHOWAH alone. Even through this, we find that we can surely live on the words of YEHOWAH and not just bread alone. So, I say all of this to say, take a chance in a new direction. Live more like our powerful ancestors and garner their spiritual focus to create a strong connection with YEHOWAH. Learn to eat a Plant-Based Diet, not just for health, but for life. Get back to the original way of man before the corruption began. This body is all that we have, and this life will only come once. Remember, diseases are not hereditary, but the diets that causes diseases are.
Shalom Mishpakheim, peace, and blessings.
~Nekha
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