Ki Tavo

This week my dear nephew sent out his first weekly dvar Torah to family and friends. I’m proud of him and also happy to have a new great source of Torah. The following will be some of what my nephew put together based on a presentation of Rabbi Reuven Taragin, as well as other ideas.

When maasrot-tithes are brought, a declaration is made, stating among other things that his mitzvah was performed correctly. The Rabbis have dubbed this declaration as “Vidui Maaser” – “The Tithe Confessional.” Given that this expression - and indeed even a hint of confession – does not appear in the text - why did Chazal choose to call Devarim 12-17 a confession?

The Sforno explains that this declaration is appropriately coined a confession/vidui because under the surface it relates to a sin. Before the cheit ha’eigel - sin of the golden calf, the bechorim - first borns were meant to receive the maaser - tithes. After they participated in the cheit ha’egel, they lost this opportunity, and the Levi'im were given the right to maaser in their stead. According to the Sforno, we are confessing the sin which caused us to have to give maaser to the Levites and not the first born.

In the Stone Chumash, Rabbi Nosson Scherman sums up this approach and spotlights the tragedy it depicts: "Had Israel not worshipped the Golden Calf, the Divine Service would have remained the privilege of the firstborn, and every Jewish home could have been a sacred temple...For this we confess"

Rabbi Hershel Reichman cited Rav Soloveichik in saying that teshuvah often comes due to low times. However, during high times a person can come to feel that he is not worthy of all the good that G-d has given him. From this humbled state he can be inspired to confesses his shortcomings, having realized he is so blessed to receive the good he’s gotten – despite his shortcomings. Rabbi Reichman ties this in to the idea of the Shem Mishmuel that Shabbat is related to the word shev, to return to G-d. On Shabbos we take a step back and enjoy our family and our life, and say thanks to G-d. We are then inspired to correct any mistakes we’ve made, to confess, and return to G-d.

Rav Kook, in a unique approach, writes that we need to focus on the positive, as much or even more than on the negative of our actions. In the tochacha (48:47) we are chastised for not serving G-d in happiness, for not appreciating the mitzvoth we do. When we appreciate the good we’ve done it snowballs and encourage us to do more good. The word vidui is related to the word hoda'ah, which means to recognize or admit (and is often used in the context of giving thanks).

According to Rav Kook Vidui Maaser, more than being a confession in the literal sense of the word, is admittance that we performed the mitzvah of maaser with full heart sand souls. Since maaser is a consecration one's money and giving it consistently throughout the 7 years of Shmitah, it is a great mitzvah for the Torah to choose as the outlet through which to express how correctly we observed the mitzvah and how proud of it we are.

May we all be blessed with the ability grow in our avodat Hashem through being aware of and excited about the mitzvot that we do well.

Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Neil Fleiscmann