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!