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Why did Adam need permission to kill animals for meat, but Noah received that permission? The shiur contrasts two approaches: the Ramban (רמב"ן) sees meat as spiritually gross food unsuitable for Adam's refined soul, while Tosafos (תוספות) views the prohibition as about killing rights, not food quality. This connects to deeper questions about why Hashem (ה׳) designed creation to require annual seed replanting rather than self-perpetuating vegetation.
The shiur examines fundamental questions about the spiritual ecology of creation, beginning with why Hashem (ה׳) designed vegetation to require annual replanting from seeds rather than creating self-perpetuating plants. This leads to a deeper analysis of the machlokes between the Ramban (רמב"ן) and Tosafos (תוספות) regarding Adam HaRishon's dietary restrictions. According to the Ramban, Adam was categorically forbidden to eat meat under any circumstances - even if an animal died naturally. This position suggests that meat itself has a spiritually inferior quality that was inappropriate for Adam's elevated soul. The Ramban's approach implies that carnivorous consumption is inherently too gross for refined souls, and that food quality must match spiritual refinement.
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Bereishis - Creation dietary laws
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