At the time of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, every landowner would mark his earliest blossoming fruits, and, after they ripened, bring them with great pomp and ceremony to the Temple.
The Torah explains that these fruits are a gift to G-d, and therefore they are given to the kohanim, His priestly representatives. The giver then makes a verbal statement that thanks G-d for all of His kindnesses.
At first glance, the timing of this declaration seems inappropriate. Certainly we must thank G-d and acknowledge His role in providing for our needs. It would seem more fitting, though, to do so at the moment one first receives such a benefit.
However, in this case, instead of expressing one's thanks at the time of blossoming or at the time of harvest, one does so at the moment that the food is given away. Why do we give thanks when we give, rather than when we receive?
To answer this question, we must first compare the psychology of a "giver" to that of a "recipient." The Torah actually considers the desire to constantly receive more as natural, stating, "One who has 100 desires 200. One who has 200 desires 400."
What is the source of this natural desire?
People usually have quite high opinions of themselves, sometimes deservedly so. This being the case, their sense of justice requires that their reward be commensurate with what they deserve. Since there is no end to their imagined worth, there is also no end to their desire. And this desire comes almost as a demand, since it is "deserved."
Judaism, however requires a different approach, one of humility. Being humble does not mean feeling useless. The humble individual is well aware of his positive aspects. However, he is also aware of his awesome potential. The comparison between what he is and what he could be leads to a feeling of humility.
Such an individual is not unhappy when he lacks certain possessions, etc. He is thankful for what he has, wondering whether even that is really deserved. This kind of attitude fosters a desire to give to others. A person who thinks he deserves everything always thinks about what he is receiving and what he doesn't yet have. One who feels undeserving, however, looks to become more deserving, and therefore looks for the opportunity to give to others.
This attitude is an essential characteristic of holiness. The Talmud gives the example of a certain insect which "only takes in, but doesn't give out." This is described as the lowest realm of existence, because the higher, holier levels are characterized by the fact that they give.
The Torah explains that the Jewish people were chosen to be a holy nation because "you are small among the nations." This is meant not only statistically, but because we "make ourselves small," with our humility.
When we ponder the purpose of our creation, we must ask ourselves, "Was I brought into this world to take, or was I brought here to give?" For a Jew, the answer is clearly the latter. Therefore, when one gets the opportunity to give, it is the perfect time to offer thanks to G-d.
Adapted by Rabbi Berel Bell from the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
The Torah explains that these fruits are a gift to G-d, and therefore they are given to the kohanim, His priestly representatives. The giver then makes a verbal statement that thanks G-d for all of His kindnesses.
At first glance, the timing of this declaration seems inappropriate. Certainly we must thank G-d and acknowledge His role in providing for our needs. It would seem more fitting, though, to do so at the moment one first receives such a benefit.
However, in this case, instead of expressing one's thanks at the time of blossoming or at the time of harvest, one does so at the moment that the food is given away. Why do we give thanks when we give, rather than when we receive?
To answer this question, we must first compare the psychology of a "giver" to that of a "recipient." The Torah actually considers the desire to constantly receive more as natural, stating, "One who has 100 desires 200. One who has 200 desires 400."
What is the source of this natural desire?
People usually have quite high opinions of themselves, sometimes deservedly so. This being the case, their sense of justice requires that their reward be commensurate with what they deserve. Since there is no end to their imagined worth, there is also no end to their desire. And this desire comes almost as a demand, since it is "deserved."
Judaism, however requires a different approach, one of humility. Being humble does not mean feeling useless. The humble individual is well aware of his positive aspects. However, he is also aware of his awesome potential. The comparison between what he is and what he could be leads to a feeling of humility.
Such an individual is not unhappy when he lacks certain possessions, etc. He is thankful for what he has, wondering whether even that is really deserved. This kind of attitude fosters a desire to give to others. A person who thinks he deserves everything always thinks about what he is receiving and what he doesn't yet have. One who feels undeserving, however, looks to become more deserving, and therefore looks for the opportunity to give to others.
This attitude is an essential characteristic of holiness. The Talmud gives the example of a certain insect which "only takes in, but doesn't give out." This is described as the lowest realm of existence, because the higher, holier levels are characterized by the fact that they give.
The Torah explains that the Jewish people were chosen to be a holy nation because "you are small among the nations." This is meant not only statistically, but because we "make ourselves small," with our humility.
When we ponder the purpose of our creation, we must ask ourselves, "Was I brought into this world to take, or was I brought here to give?" For a Jew, the answer is clearly the latter. Therefore, when one gets the opportunity to give, it is the perfect time to offer thanks to G-d.
Adapted by Rabbi Berel Bell from the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
No comments:
Post a Comment