QUESTION
Is there a cure al pi Torah for excessive eating?
ANSWER
Now I’m not an expert in this subject but I’ll give a little suggestion. First of all, a person should learn the dinim of nedarim. If you’re not able to learn the Gemara, learn it in Shulchan Aruch or learn it at least in Kitzur Shulchan Aruch. Learn how severe a neder is. A neder is very severe. To make a vow is very severe. First learn that.
Then take out of your house all tempting things. No chocolate cake. No candy in your house. See that it doesn’t come into your house. And the people of your family have to cooperate with you.
So the first thing is הָ‡¿רƒּיַה ̇∆‡ ילƒּ„¿‚ַה¿ל, to increase the fear of Hashem by learning the severity of a neder, and the second is ןֹיוָּסƒּנַה ̇∆‡ יןƒט¿ ַ̃ה¿ל, to minimize the test by getting the nosherei out of the house.
And then, let’s say, when you finish eating, make a neder that all food is assur to eat until the next meal. Now that’s four hours, let’s say. So for four hours you can keep a neder. Don’t make a neder for ten days. No. For four hours you can make a neder.
At the end of the four hours, if you want to let go and eat a lot, it’s not so terrible. But after supper, say the same thing again: “I won’t eat anything until tomorrow’s breakfast.” And say it with a neder.
However, don’t start this until you first make the hakdamah and learn the chomer, the severity, of nedarim. And it states ּ̇וׁ̆יƒר¿פƒל ‚יָי¿ס יםƒרָ„¿נ – Nedarim are a fence for abstinence (Avos 3:13). It helps people.
There was a man who told me he’s going to a place where a certain woman was flirting with him and that day he had to be there. And he was very much disturbed. Very much disturbed. So I told him, “Swear right now that you won’t talk to her for that day.” And he swore. And the day passed by successfully. That’s the purpose of nedarim and shevuos. Otherwise don’t do it.
May 1992
