“It took me many years before I started to pick up on the power of food, almost… like a drug.”
— Rabbi Yossi Sapirman
Why does our society treat larger bodies with such disdain? And what effect does that have on our mental health?
This episode of Living Jewishly in an instalment of Crossing the Sea, a podcast that explores Judaism and mental health.
Food isn’t just necessary fuel for survival. It can be a source of comfort, protection, and pleasure. We eat not just to satisfy our hunger, but out of boredom, to celebrate happy times, and to participate in community. Eating can become compulsive, a source of inner conflict and shame.
Life in a structured, Orthodox world can have its own specific challenges around food and shame, with its ritual meals and rules regarding what should or should not be eaten. Adding gender into the mix adds more complexity, as sexist double standards create additional hardships.
In this episode, Dr. Elliot Malamet and Rabbi Yossi Sapirman have a candid and thought-provoking discussion about overeating, weight, body image, shame, and dignity, and how these topics relate to Jewish life.
“Food, I started to realize, is not just about food. It is about everything.”
— Rabbi Yossi Sapirman
This episode discusses:
Highlights:
00:54 Introduction
01:46 Rabbi Yossi Sapirman’s early life
06:12 Food & Orthodoxy
11:01 Facilitating overeating
12:08 Body shame & attraction
18:48 Overeaters Anonymous
20:06 Food as a drug
24:33 Cultural beauty standards
29:12 Weight & gender
33:57 Self perception
36:52 Conclusion
Links:
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Shalom!
