Edited by B. Silberstein
This week’s Parsha, Ki Tavo (“When you enter the Land..."), discusses, as the title indicates, the many laws that become obligatory once the people are settled in their divine inheritance. Many Torah laws pertain to the agricultural produce that the land yields.
The Purpose of the Gifts
The farmer must distribute much of his produce before he can sit back and enjoy his own share. The bulk of the “gifts" are distributed to the Kohanim, the Levites, and the poor. The tribe of Levi was excluded from inheriting a share of the land, as they were to be exclusively involved with maintaining the Temple and performing its services.
As important as this assignment was, it was not their primary function. Above and beyond this was their mission to “teach Your ordinances to Yaakov and Your Torah to Yisrael." (Devarim 33:10)
Because the Tribe of Levi was preoccupied with the Torah education of the nation, they were freed from the ordinary tasks of securing Parnassa (sustenance). The two main gifts that a landowner was required to distribute were Terumah, which was given to the Kohen, and Maaser Rishon (the first tithe), which was given to a Levite.
There was, in addition, an obligation of Maaser Sheni (the second tithe). This is most unusual, simply because that portion is not given to anyone. The owner keeps it for himself. In what sense, then, is it a tithe?
The answer is that these mandated gifts possess a certain holy status. They may not be eaten by everyone, nor may they be eaten in a state of ritual impurity. Thus, the special designation of Maaser Sheni is that it can only be eaten in Yerushalayim.
This requirement expresses so much about the special character of that holy city. In the opening verses of the Book of Kohelet (Ecclesiastes), King Solomon introduced himself as “king in Jerusalem" (Kohelet 1:1). On this, Metzudat Tzion comments, “the city of wisdom."
The Torah wanted each individual to spend as much time in Yerushalayim as possible, to interact with the great sages who resided there, and to partake of the unique culture of knowledge and learning that pervades its environment. Thus, he was commanded to go up to the capital for each of the three major festivals. In addition, the farmer would have to go there to consume his portion of Maaser Sheni.
There are profound dimensions to all the laws of the Torah. The obligations to donate to the Kohen, the Levite, and the poor are rooted in the Jewish concept of ownership. The obligation to share our bounty with others is a manifestation of the fact that the land does not belong to us. The true owner is Hashem, Who leases it to us on certain conditions, the most significant being the obligation to share its fruits with others.
When we actually give to the designated recipients, we should not indulge in any feeling that we are being generous. We are not the givers, but are merely transferring what Hashem has allotted to them. Happy is the one who has the merit to serve as Hashem’s delivery person.
Telling Hashem What to Do
Our Parsha also details a unique Mitzvah called Vidduy Maaser (confession of tithes), which is performed on the last day of Passover in the fourth and seventh years of the seven-year cycle. Essentially, one must recite in detail how scrupulously he has fulfilled all of his tithing responsibilities.
The major theme of this declaration is his meticulous care in not violating the sanctity of the tithed objects or misusing them in any way. The individual making the confession proudly concludes his accounting with the words:
“I have listened to the voice of Hashem my G-d, and I have done according to everything that He commanded me." (Devarim 26:14)
He then concludes his oration by proclaiming:
“Look down from Your holy abode, from Heaven, and bless Your nation Yisrael, and the ground that You have given us; as You have sworn to our Fathers, a land which flows with milk and honey." (Devarim 26:15)
Rashi explains that the meaning of our exhortation to Hashem to “Look down from Your holy abode" is that “we have done what You decreed upon us; now You do what is incumbent on You, as You said, ‘If you walk in My statutes… then I will give the rain in its seasons…’"
The Righteous Do Not Demand Reward
Rashi’s interpretation is challenging. Firstly, the notion that we tell Hashem what He must do smacks a bit of Chutzpah. Secondly, what Rashi says here seems to contradict a principle he enunciates elsewhere.
For, Rashi commented on Moshe’s words (Devarim 3:23), “And I petitioned Hashem at that time..." that even though the righteous could base their requests of G-d on the good deeds they have done, they do not do so, but rather base their appeal exclusively on undeserved mercy.
Yet here we see what appears to be the exact opposite. The crop owner proclaims that he has faithfully discharged all his responsibilities, and as a result, he insists that Hashem fulfill His promise of rewards.
I should like to suggest a resolution of this dilemma. When an individual comes before Hashem to request mercy, he must display absolute humility and not imagine that he is worthy or deserving of the favor he is requesting. For who is he to accurately assess the true value of his deeds and determine how G-d ought to reward them? But he does recognize and acknowledge Hashem’s infinite mercy and that He bestows good even on the unworthy.
The case of Vidduy Maaser is different. The demand for reward is being recited because that is how Hashem structured the Mitzvah. As it says:
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this," says Hashem of Hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing for you, until there is no room for it."
We only talk this way because G-d instructed us to do so. If we have acted properly in fulfilling the tithing requirements, He wants us to emphasize for ourselves that He should keep His side of the bargain. Thus, this does not contradict the rule that when praying for personal matters, one avoids any haughtiness, but relies purely on Hashem’s mercy.
The Cure for Arrogance
But why did Hashem tell us to insist that He keep His side of the deal?
In my opinion, this warning is intended to prevent us from becoming arrogant. Our relationship with Hashem and our adherence to the Torah are fundamental to our existence and destiny as a people, whether we live in the Land or outside it. The Torah teaches, however, that our success or failure in the Land is fundamentally determined by that relationship, although the precise workings of Hashgacha (Providence) are beyond our ability to discern. Moshe frequently mentions a great danger: that when Am Yisrael (Nation of Israel) experience success, it will go to their heads, and they will say:
“My power and the strength of my hand have made for me this wealth." (Devarim 8:17)
The Mitzvah of Vidduy Maaser is intended to divest Am Yisrael of this false notion. They therefore recount their meticulous attention to every detail of the tithing responsibilities and proclaim that they have acted according to all that Hashem has commanded them. They then “remind" G-d that He should now do what He has sworn to do, not because there is any necessity for that, but only to ingrain in their consciousness that all the good that ensues comes solely from our beneficent Creator, Who rewards all those who uphold His commandments.
May we always merit to do so.
Questions? Comments?
Please reach out to Mitch Rosner on WhatsApp at 054-426-3419 or by email at mitchrosner@gmail.com.