A lesson in humility, the reason we were created with channels and ducts?

BS”D

A lesson in humility, the reason we were created with channels and ducts?

This Sabbath my youngest daughter (recently turned 5) saw my father in law’s dog not well, with perpetual defecation due to a stomach problem he was having, she turned to me and sweetly asked "Abba (father) why did Hashem make creatures have to ... " I just smiled, not wanting to go into the finer details of the working human body, but later in the afternoon I realised this is actually a deep question worthy of exploration.  I sat in our synagogue library and opened the Chafetz Chaim’s (Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan’s z.t.l lived from 1838-1933) commentary on the siddur.  Low and behold I came across a passage where he spoke about the blessing the Jewish people make after relieving themselves in the bathroom and it spoke to my daughter’s question!

The blessing marvels at the wisdom of the human body an intricate and precise creation filled with systems of ducts, channels and openings that if closed or ruptured we mere flesh and blood could not survive and stand before the glory of the cause of all causes.  The blessing concludes acknowledging the wonders of creation i.e. the joining of the lowly animal soul to the holy G-dly soul,  that has the ability to acknowledge the greatness of the creation within which it dwells.

	Blessed are You Hashem our G-d the King of the Universe	May You be increasingly recognized in the world, that more people will live their lives according to Your will.
	Who fashioned man with wisdom	We are created with a physical body and a Holy Soul - therefor we have a double use of (Nekavim and Chalulim). That for every physical organ, we also have a spiritual organ. Hashem created man and gave him wisdom, and Hashem used wisdom to create man. This is demonstrated in the precise balance of man's organs and functions.
	He created within man many openings	For each physical opening there is a spiritual one. An example of an opening is our mouth, ears....
	And many cavities	For each physical cavity there is a spiritual one. The cavities are the inner hollows that contain such organs as the lungs, heart, stomach, and brain.
	It is openly known before Your Throne of Glory	The angels that bring sickness to the world know the potential dangers in the body. Our being able to exist, body (Guf) and soul (Neshama) together as a human being, shows G-d's wondrous acts.
	That if one of the organs which is closed should open	These are usually closed, should G-d forbid they open...
	Or if one of the open ones should close	These are usually open, such as the lungs.
	It would be impossible to exist and stand before you	From the time that man is born if what needs to open stays closed, or what needs to close stays open - one could not live. When one is sick and needs to constantly go to the bathroom - he is unable to stand before Hashem in Prayer, even though he can exist in the world.
	Blessed are You Hashem who heals all flesh	we thank Hashem for healthy working bodies that he gives to ALL his creatures.
	And acts wondrously	Here we talk only about man - That Hashem has attached the highest form of spirituality (Neshama) to the lowest level of physicality (Guf - one's physical needs). These two complete opposites stay together even though we have many openings in our body!

(Adapted from - Rav Scwab on Prayer and other Seforim based on the importance of this Beracha, Rav Paysach Khron audio recording, Artscroll Siddur, Erachim)

Ezekiel ch 28 is a Prophecy against the King of Tyre

It starts…

“In the pride of your heart
you say, “I am a god;
I sit on the throne of a god
in the heart of the seas.”
But you are a mere mortal and not a god…”

Rabbi Israel Meir of blessed memory points out a word from the blessing said after using the toilet a word in common with one used by the prophet Ezekiel Ch 28 v 13 reads

“the workmanship of thy instruments and of thy cavities and openings was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created”

Note the word in red is the same one as used in the blessing said after relieving oneself highlighted in red on the table above.

An extract of the prophecy from v13:

“Thou hast been in Eden the garden of G-d; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy instruments and of thy openings and cavities was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub (meaning guardian over a kingdom) that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of G-d; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of G-d: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.”

We see from above King of Tyre became full of himself due to his power and status, allowing himself to become haughty and full of pride.  The Chofetz Chaim thus explains that now we can understand why Hashem (G-d) made man that he would need to relieve himself, it is as a regular reminder for one who reflects that he is a mere man.  We see also from here the regularity of the need would not occur once a month or even twice a month, or even once a week, but that we need a regular reminder, that our bodies are but mere flesh and blood similar to an animal, so no matter what we achieve in life or how high we climb on the ladder of success and achieve status and glory amongst our fellow men, there is no place for pride, not at all we are reminded daily let not pride enter into your hearts:  The Chafez Chaim states we need a regular reminder so man should not come to pride, or let pride enter into his heart for even an instant!

Have a good week  and Shabbos

G-d Bless

Michael.