The great Kabbalist, the Arizal, taught that every created thing possesses a "spark" of divine energy that constitutes its essence and soul. When a person utilizes something toward a G-dly deed, he brings to light this divine spark, thereby fulfilling the purpose for which it was created. In all physical substances, a material "peel" so to speak, encases and conceals this divine spark.
It is written: "Man does not live on bread alone, but by the utterance of G-d's mouth does man live" (Deuteronomy 8:3). Meaning, that within every created thing is an "utterance of G-d's mouth", referring to this spark of energy. When the human body hungers for a piece of physical bread, this is but a reflection of its soul's craving for the Divine utterance which is the "soul" of the bread, which the human being "redeems" /elevates by utilizing the energy he or she gains from the food, towards a G-dly purpose.
No existence is devoid of a divine spark -- indeed, nothing can exist without the pinpoint of G-dliness that imbues it with being and purpose. But not every spark can be actualized. There are certain sparks that are inaccessible to us. The fact that something is forbidden by the Torah means that its "peel" cannot be penetrated, so that its spark remains locked within it and cannot be redeemed.
Thus, one who eats a piece of kosher meat and then uses the energy he gained from this piece of meat, to perform a mitzvah, thereby elevates the spark of divinity, that is the essence of the meat; raising it to a state of fulfilled spirituality. However, if one would do the same with a piece of non-kosher meat, no such "elevation" would take place. Even if he applied the energy to positive and G-dly deeds, this would not fulfill the divine purpose of the meat’s creation, since the consumption of this meat was a violation of G-d's will.
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