Chasidut על במדבר 31:23

This corresponds to the immersing of vessels: a vessel that is purchased from a non-Jew must be immersed in the ritual bath so that a Jew will be able to eat with it. (Yoreh Deah 120:1). When a vessel is in the possession of a non-Jew, who corresponds to nature, to the essence of impurity, the vessel cannot leave it to enter into the possession of a Jew, into holiness, other than by immersion in a ritual bath, corresponding to providence, to knowledge, as in (Isaiah 11:9) "for the earth will be filled with knowledge as the sea". This is because the food of a Jew must be very holy, and food is sanctified mainly by knowledge, which is a revelation of providence. This corresponds to eating matzo on Passover, because we reveal providence specifically by eating matzo. Adam caused a blemish when he ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which corresponds to natural sciences, which are comprised of good and evil. This knowledge is of the realm of evil, a blemish of holy knowledge. This blemish was caused mainly by eating, for the main rectification of eating is specifically through faith, as in "remain faithful" (Psalms 37:3) as mentioned elsewhere. LM I 62. When a person does not eat with sanctity, knowledge, which corresponds to Providence, is blemished and the person falls into the mistaken belief of natural science, as written, (Deuteronomy 8:12) "lest you eat, be satiated and your heart becomes haughty and you forget G-d your Lord and you say in your heart my power and the might of my hand have accomplished this for me". In other words, the person attributes it to nature, as if his sustenance comes from his own power in the mind of his hand and he does not acknowledge Providence. This is the meaning of 'my power and the might of my hand', a blemish in the hands, in the 28 phalanges of the hands, in the 28 letters of creation. This is the meaning of (Deuteronomy 8:18) "remember G-d your Lord for He gives you power". Indeed, everything is the providence of G-d, who created everything with the 28 letters of creation, who oversees everything at all times, and who gives power, for G-d oversees and sustains the world through the 28 letters of creation. Therefore the Jewish people must greatly sanctify their food and eating. This is represented by many Commandments connected with eating and drinking, for the revelation of providence is mainly dependent upon the sanctity of foods. Thus, 'and be satiated and blessed G-d your Lord over the good land': bless G-d after eating, through knowing that everything is from His providence. And over the good land, for the land of Israel corresponds to Providence, as written (Deuteronomy 11:12) "the eyes of G-d your Lord are always upon it". This corresponds to the eating of the manna, as in (Exodus 16:4), "I will rain down for you bread from heaven", for it came down slowly through Providence each and every day, besides other miracles connected with it. Believing that sustenance comes only from G-d, solely in His providence, without any natural causes at all, for He gives power - this is eating manna, as in, the Torah was only given to those who eat manna. Mekhilta B’Shalach 17:17. Therefore when the Israelites first came near to their Father in heaven during Passover of the Exodus from Egypt, they had to eat matzoh, which represents the mind, knowledge, corresponding to manna for by eating matzoh on Passover great knowledge is evoked and we come to know that everything is only providence. This is the essential closeness of the Jewish people to their Father in heaven. And therefore a vessel that has been in the possession of a non-Jew, who represents the realm of impurity, for they attribute things to nature, which is from where judgments and the forces of evil draw their main power, that vessel is unusable for a Jewish meal unless it has been immersed in a ritual bath. In this way, the vessel leaves the realm of nature and enters the realm of knowledge, of providence, of the world of the future, represented by the ritual bath, as explained above. This corresponds to the purification of vessels (Numbers 31:23) "whatever passes through fire you shall pass through fire, for they emerged from fire and fire will consume them". Since forbidden food, which is impure, has been absorbed into the vessel, corresponding to nature, for all impurities and forbidden things are drawn from heresies, that vessel has no purification other than by fire, which is the source of nature, as said, for they have emerged from fire. But as long as forbidden food has not been absorbed into the vessel but has only left the possession of a non-Jew, thereby also leaving his knowledge, for a person's greatest possession is his knowledge, with which he aquires all of his belongings, as in "if you have acquired knowledge what do you lack"? (Nedarim 41a), therefore when the vessel leaves the possession, the knowledge, of a non-Jew, representing the realm of nature, then immersion in a ritual bath is sufficient. A ritual bath represents the world of the future, from where providence is drawn to break and eliminate the realm of nature, through which we move from impurity to purity, from the possession of a non-Jew to the possession of a Jew, who is above nature.