As Yaakov wrestled with Eisav’s angel, he was injured on that fateful night. As a constant reminder of that “conflict,” we are forbidden from eating the sciatic nerve of an animal. In the Talmud Chullin 99b, Chazal comment that giddin, nerves, have no taste. It is, therefore, perplexing that the Torah would prohibit the consumption of a food which has no taste. The Torah ostensibly seeks to provide us with the opportunity for performing mitzvos. Consequently, even if a mitzvah is reasonably simple to perform, it still presents a valuable opportunity for spiritual advancement.
Horav Avigdor Nebentzal, Shlita, offers a profound insight into the “workings” of the yetzer hara, evil inclination. His concept sheds light on the prohibition of gid ha’nasheh. The accepted opinion is that the yetzer hora seeks to eliminate our opportunity to attain Olam Haba, while simultaneously exposing us to the blandishment of Olam Hazeh. This is not true. The yetzer hara allows us to have nothing! The yetzer hora gives us neither Olam Haba nor Olam Hazeh! This is inferred from the prohibition of the gid ha’nasheh.
The yetzer hara had a single opportunity to inflict injury upon Yaakov. Where did he strike him? Which part of his body did he weaken? He struck the gid ha’nasheh which has no taste. There is no Olam Haba and no Olam Hazeh! The yetzer hara is nothing more than a sham that cannot produce anything of eternal value. True, quite a number or forbidden foods might be considered tasty, but herein are the yetzer hara’s true colors exposed; his essence is revealed. His real goal is to give nothing to Yaakov. He seeks to destroy Yaakov and leave him with nothing. Those who think that by acceding to the demands of their yetzer hara they are exchanging the eternal for the temporal are wrong, for in the end they will have neither Olam Haba nor Olam Hazeh.
fjljkdns
