5784/2023
In Parashat VaYeitzei, after receiving one of the most famous
prophecies of all time, Yaakov Avinu does something
ַוּיִַּ֥דר יֲַע֖קֹב ֶ֣נֶדר ֵלא֑מֹר ִאם־יִ ְה֨יֶה ֱאֹל֜ ִהים ִע ָּמִ֗די ּו ְׁש ָמַ֙רנִ֙י ַּבֶּ֤דֶרְך ַהּזֶ ֙ה :astonishing
ֲא ֶׁ֣שר ָאנֹ ִ֣כי הֹוֵ֔לְך ְוָנֽ ַתן־ ִ֥לי ֶ֛ל ֶחם ֶלֱא֖כֹל ּוֶ֥בגֶד ִל ְל ּֽבֹׁש...ְוכֹל ֲא ֶׁשר ִּת ֶּתן־ ִלי ַע ֵּׂשר ֲא ַע ְּׂשֶרּנּו ך׃ְלָ) Bereshit 28: 20-22). It seems clear that Yaakov is making a
deal with Hashem: if You protect me and give me material
items, I will give one tenth of my money to Tzeddakah as
Maaser. Yaakov is telling Hashem that if He completes this set
of requests, Yaakov will do something favorable in return.
The Gemara (Taanit 4a) discusses three examples of a person
making a Brit with Hashem and their implications. Eliezer
famously made a Brit with Hashem regarding finding a wife for
Yitzchak, Shaul promised that whoever would defeat Goliath
would receive riches and a wife, and Yiftach promised to
sacrifice the first thing that comes out of his house if Hashem
helps him win in war.
The idea of making a covenant with Hashem inherently has
major problems associated with it. Firstly, it is on a certain
level demonstrating disrespect for Hashem and his ways. Who
are we to tell Him that we will perform a mitzvah only if he
does something for us? Consider the following example. A man
makes a deal with G-d that if he wears Tzitzit for the next week,
he will do well on his exam. Doesn’t this seem inherently
wrong? We are so utterly far away from understanding the
system of reward and punishment– how can we decide what
our reward should be?! Furthermore, the famous Mishnah in
Avot 1:3) teaches that we should not serve Hashem for reward
but for the sake of Heaven. Yaakov is seemingly doing just the
opposite by consenting to serve Hashem by giving Tzedakah for
the sake of a reward!
An important distinction that may help answer this question
can be found quoted in the Gemara in Taanit (9a). While it is
generally frowned upon to test (or barter) with Hashem, the
prophet Malachi (3:10) provides the exception: וּביאִ הָ ׳׳
ֶאת־ׇּכל־ ַה ַּמֲע ֵׂשר ֶאל־ ֵּבית ָהאֹו ָצר ִוי ִהי ֶטֶרף ְּב ֵבי ִתי ּו ְב ָחנּונִי נָא ָּבזֹאת ָא ַמר יְהָֹוה ְצ ָבאֹות
Bring : ִאם־ֹלא ֶא ְפ ַּתח ָל ֶכם ֵאת ֲאֻרּבֹות ַה ָּׁש ַמיִם ַוֲה ִריקֹ ִתי ָל ֶכם ְּבָר ָכה ַעד־ ְּב ִלי־ָדי׳׳
the full tithe into the storehouse, and let there be food in My
House, and thus put Me to the test—said G-d of Hosts. I will
surely open the floodgates of the sky for you and pour down
blessings on you.’’
Hashem is begging us to test him when it comes to Tzedakah,
and with that comes the exception to the rule. Making a deal
with Hashem for reward in return for giving Tzedakah is not
only acceptable, it is commanded. Giving Tzedakah is entirely
different from any other mitzvah. In fact, the Gemara states that
Tzedakah is so important that it is equal to all of the other
mitzvot combined! Yaakov, by giving a tithe of his belongings
to Hashem, is not only thanking him for his generous actions
towards him, but also participating in a hugely important
mitzvah! As we enjoy our Thanksgiving break, we should keep
in mind the importance of giving thanks to Hashem, especially
in the form of Tzedakah, modeling our actions after our
forefathers who lived so long ago. Have a Great Shabbos!