Peanuts—Hashem's Message About Insects in Food

Peanuts—Hashem's Message About Insects in Food

After the sin of Adam, G-d cursed the earth, as it is written: “Cursed is the earth because of you.” (Bereishit 3:17) Rashi, commenting on this verse, cites the words of the Midrash: “It will produce for you accursed things, such as flies, bedbugs, and ants”—that is, it speaks of the appearance of insects that will harm people. The Sages of the Torah throughout the generations were especially stringent regarding the prohibition against eating insects.

Peanuts as an Example of Checking Food for Insects

If you have not noticed this until now, check for yourself: when you open a peanut (it is important to split it exactly in half), you will discover something astonishing (to this day, I have not found anyone else who has noticed it): on the inside of the split peanut, along the edge, you will see an insect resembling a fly or moth. But this is not an insect that entered the peanut from outside. Rather, it is built into it by the Creator Himself, apparently as a reminder that nuts, like other foods, must be checked for insects. As it is written so precisely in Tehillim (104:24): מָֽה־רַבּ֬וּ מַעֲשֶׂ֨יךָ ׀ יְֽהוָ֗ה כֻּ֭לָּם בְּחָכְמָ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ מָלְאָ֥ה הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ קִנְיָנֶֽךָ — “How numerous are Your works, Ado-nai; You have made them all with wisdom; the earth is full of Your creations.” What beauty and resemblance among the insects in every opened peanut! It is astonishing that so many observant people eat peanuts (they are very popular in Israel), yet no one has noticed this unique feature of the peanut. Why have so many people failed to notice such harmony and the craftsmanship of the Creator? After all, emunah is not merely a set of articles of faith. Emunah means seeing the Hand of the Creator in everything, and never ceasing to marvel at His wisdom and perfection.   [The photo offers a hint from Hashem as to why nuts are checked before they are eaten].   (An observation made at a celebration at the Yodei Binah Yeshiva)