[Avodah] value of food

[Eli Turkel]

The value of food is exactly what it costs.  Ascribing it a higher
value than that is pure mysticism,>>

That is the heart of our disagreement. The value of food is
not determined but its monetary value. Bread has a higher
beracha than steak because man has out more work into it (RYBS)
or for whatever reason. Nothing to do with the monetary value of
food. In fact we don't make a beracha on using other inaminate
products (except smelling)
We are careful not to throw food especially bread because of
its intrinsic importance.

Those of us on the list whose parents went through WWII
all remember the lesson of not wasting food because the
Europeans (Indians etc) are starving.

Bottom line I deny that either halakhah or mysticism treat
food as just one more commodity

I for one have finished and give Zev the last word

-- 
Eli Turkel