My Musing
What is the reward we are promised? More importantly, why are we promised a reward? Should not we want to fulfill the commandments for the simple sake of pleasing the almighty?
The midrash asks us to reflect on the motivation for fulfilling the commandments that relate to social welfare. Do we give large amounts of charity for its own sake or for ours? Perhaps the promise of the reward is more to keep us grounded and not believe our own press.
Hope everyone in Irene's path stays safe and dry.
מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת ראה סימן ה
What is the reward we are promised? More importantly, why are we promised a reward? Should not we want to fulfill the commandments for the simple sake of pleasing the almighty?
The midrash asks us to reflect on the motivation for fulfilling the commandments that relate to social welfare. Do we give large amounts of charity for its own sake or for ours? Perhaps the promise of the reward is more to keep us grounded and not believe our own press.
Hope everyone in Irene's path stays safe and dry.
) דברים יב:כ) "כִּי יַרְחִיב יְדֹוָד אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֶת גְּבוּלְךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ אֹכְלָה בָשָׂר כִּי תְאַוֶּה נַפְשְׁךָ לֶאֱכֹל בָּשָׂר בְּכָל אַוַּת נַפְשְׁךָ תֹּאכַל בָּשָׂר"
When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as He has told you, and you shall say: 'I will eat flesh', because thy soul desires to eat flesh; thou may eat flesh, after all the desire of thy soul.
"כִּי יַרְחִיב יְדֹוָד אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֶת גְּבוּלְךָ" זה שאמר הכתוב (משלי יח:טז) "מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ וְלִפְנֵי גְדֹלִים יַנְחֶנּוּ"
" When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border" this is what the scriptures said, "A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men."
A gift for a person who gives from himself, the Holy One, blessed be He, enlarges his holdings. It happened with Avon Rema'ah who lived in Bozra. The sages went there requesting sustenance. He sat and did not distribute any funds until the citizens gave their funds, because he wanted to know what they would give and then he would give the same amount. Therefore he was called Avon Rema'ah that he would raise himself on all the commandments. Once he knew how much the citizens gave he would match their funds. What did the rabbis do, they took him and sat him on the edge (lip) near them to fulfill the statement "A man's gift makes room for him"
אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא, 'אתה אמרת מחוט, חייך! אני מקיים בו בלשון את בניך. (שיר השירים ז:ב) " מַה יָּפוּ פְעָמַיִךְ בַּנְּעָלִים בַּת נָדִיב חַמּוּקֵי יְרֵכַיִךְ כְּמוֹ חֲלָאִים מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵי אָמָּן"
הוי "מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ".
Another idea, "A man's gift makes room for him" refers to Abraham when he pursued the five kings. The king of Sodom came out and said to him,
And the king of Sodom said unto Abram: 'Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.'And Abram said to the king of Sodom: 'I have lifted up my hand unto the LORD, God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor aught that is thine, lest thou shouldest say: I have made Abram rich;"
Said the Holy One, blessed be He, you said a shoelace, By your Life! I will fulfill this by your children. "How beautiful are thy steps in sandals, O prince's daughter! The roundings of thy thighs are like the links of a chain, the work of the hands of a skilled workman." That is "A man's gift makes room for him"
דבר אחר, "מַתָּן אָדָם יַרְחִיב לוֹ", אלו ישראל, כשאמר להם הקדוש ברוך הוא להביא נדבה מה כתוב שם (שמות לו:ג) " וַיִּקְחוּ מִלִּפְנֵי מֹשֶׁה אֵת כָּל הַתְּרוּמָה אֲשֶׁר הֵבִיאוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִמְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדַת הַקֹּדֶשׁ לַעֲשֹׂת אֹתָהּ וְהֵם הֵבִיאוּ אֵלָיו עוֹד נְדָבָה בַּבֹּקֶר בַּבֹּקֶר"
שני בקרים מה זכו? הרחיב את גבולם. שנאמר, "כִּי יַרְחִיב יְדֹוָד אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֶת גְּבוּלְךָ". בזכות מה הוא מרחיבו? "כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָךְ" בזכות עשרת הדברות שקבלתם.
Another idea, "A man's gift makes room for him" refers to Israel, when the Holy One, blessed be He said to them to bring a voluntary sacrifice what is written there, "And they received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, wherewith to make it. And they brought yet unto him freewill-offerings every morning. (in the morning, in the morning)"
Two mornings they merited? He widened their borders. As it says, " When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border" With what did they merit Him expanding them? "as He has told you" in the merit of the Decalogue (ten utterances) that you accepted.
Another idea, "as He has told you"; as He said in the merit of the Patriarchs.
אין תגובות:
הוסף רשומת תגובה