[Avodah] Timtum Halev

[Beth & David Cohen]

I am having some difficulty in the way that the concept of timtum halev is
being portrayed. It is as is there is some kind of biochemical reaction
effecting a non-corporeal, spiritual entity, the human neshama. The
discussion has become bio-mechanistic, e.g.does the consumption of x amount
cause it, does bitul do away with it? etc. Where does the intent of the
actor come into play? If someone holds be down and forces me to eat a
kazayit of treif, does that cause timtum halev, while if I voluntarily
consume a minuscule amount it doesn't?

I would think that maybe the timtum caused by inadvertent consumption (or
inadvertent failure to perform a particular mitzva correctly, such as
wearing tefilin you didn't know where not kosher) is the fact that the
person did not care enough to be careful enough, which, therefore causes a
chisaron in his neshama. In this way, one could at least argue that relying
on bitul is a permissive but not optimal way to behave, and, therefore can
still cause a timtum ( or conversely that it is perfectly legitimate and
causes no harm).

Just my 2 cents.
Shabbat shalom
David I. Cohen
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