b’h’i
is there an inyan to leave over food in ones plate after the meal and not consume everything so as to work on ones middot
(not to eat achila gasa)?
And does this contridict ba’al tashchit?
At what point is something considered ba’al tashchit?
Answer:
The practice of leaving over some food on a plate is called Taanis Raavad. Instead of a full fast, the Raavad recommended abstaining from the last part of food on the plate, not in order to avoid an achilah gasa (overeating), but to work on one’s character traits.
As long as the practice is undertaken to work on character traits, it is not baal tashchis, because it serves a positive purpose. However, if it is not serving a positive purpose, it would be baal tashchis.
