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| Gift of Nicanor Gate |
Parshas Mispatim, literally "statutes",
contains 53 mitzvahs, which broadly cover the conduct of man in society. Much
of the text deals with the restitution a criminal must make to his victim. It
also includes laws for the protection of the weak, legal and ethical
obligations, judicial procedure, and national holidays. The mitvahs are
basically an expansion of the Ten Commandments. In the conclusion of this
exposition there is a mitzvah for all men to come to the Temple three times a year on the Pilgrim
Festivals with a gift for G-d.
Rashi understands this text as an
obligation to bring a burnt offering on Pesach, Shavuos, and Succos. One of my
rabbis, Eli Chaim Carlebach, once homiletically explored the verse, "Do
not appear before Me empty handed" (ולא-יראו פני ריקם).
The verse can also be read as, "you will not appear [with] an empty
face". From this Eli Chaim explained that every time a person learns
something new it shows on his face. Therefore during the interim between the
Jewish holidays there is an obligation to learn something new.
How are we to understand a gift
to G-d? As rendered in Psalm 50:10, 12, G-d owns all the animals in the forest,
all of the livestock on every hill, all of the birds, everything that moves in
the field . . . the entire world and everything in it. A partial answer is to
be found in Ethics of our Fathers 3:8, "Rabbi Elazer the man of Bartosa
says give Him from that which is His, for you and what is yours is His and
likewise says [King] David for from You is everything and from Your hand we
give to You".
The Sforno explains this verse as
a servant visiting his master. One can also look at it like an apprentice
giving a gift to the master craftsman who is training him. There are similar
situations in life. For example a little child will give his father a birthday
gift. In fact all of the money the child has was given to him by his father.
Not only that if the father needed something, he could just buy it himself.
Never the less the gift is desired and warmly received. This is because the
physical object is a token of love and respect.
Young students often give their
teacher a small gift at the end of the term. The teacher typically likes the
gift but the fact that it is a gesture of appreciation for having been taught
basic skills and values is more important. In addition the teacher desires that
his students should be wise and righteous more than he desires this minor
gratuity.
When a citizen gives the Kaiser a
gift it is not because the Kaiser is in need. The Kaiser is a rich man and if there
is a worthy project he has the right to tax the people. Rather the gift is an
expression of the love of living in an orderly and enlightened society to the
one who has made this possible. The Kaiser is pleased with the gift because it
shows that his leadership on behalf of the nation is noticed and appreciated.
The physical object, though, is not of such great importance to him. However a
good subject of the kingdom is.
The message of this parsha is
that The Holy One blessed, be He, desires the gifts that the Jewish people make
to the Temple
and to those that maintain it. What is more important is that they should be
wise and righteous individuals who recognize the blessings that come from
religion. Thus it is stated in Micha 6:8, "what is good and what does
Hashem seek from you? It is to have principles, love kindness, and modestly
walk with G-d."
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To view on YouTube click: http://youtu.be/uD1z0usxAjE
A
discussion of how a gift to G-d would include both a contribution to the Temple תו
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