A Strange Confession

Rabbi Reuven Mann

This week’s Parsha, Ki Tavo, discusses certain Mitzvot (commandments) that come into play when Bnei Yisrael (the people of Israel) live in the land Hashem has granted them, Eretz Yisrael. Farmers must bring their first fruits to the Temple in Jerusalem and express their gratitude to Hashem for the gift of this bountiful homeland.

There is another Mitzvah called Vidui Maaser (Confession of Tithes). This takes place after the third year of the Shemita seven-year cycle, when one must dispose of all his tithing obligations. After seeing to it that all the special priestly gifts have been given, the owner must pronounce the following declaration:

“I have terminated all the holy things from my house and I have given it to the Levite, the convert, the orphan, and the widow in accordance with all the Mitzvot that You commanded me; I did not violate any of Your commandments, nor have I forgotten. I did not eat of it in a state of bereavement, nor did I consume it while ritually impure, nor did I use it for the needs of the deceased; I have listened to the voice of Hashem, my G-d, and I have acted in accordance with everything He has commanded me. Look down from the abode of Your holiness, from the heavens, and bless Your nation, Israel, and the land which You swore to our fathers, a land that flows with milk and honey. (Devarim 26:13-15)”

At first glance, this “Confession” seems somewhat strange. If it is vital for a person to declare his scrupulous observance of G-d’s commands, why is this only required with the giving of the Maasrot (Tithes)? There are numerous other laws that require exactitude in their performance. Passover, for example, is not an easy holiday, especially regarding the removal of Chameitz (leavened products) from one’s possession, the Kashering (rendering kosher) of utensils, and the preparation of strictly kosher meals. Yet the Israelite makes no declaration about the conscientious manner in which he fulfilled all his Passover obligations; to actually do so would seem, to say the least, a bit immodest.

Yet here, the Israelite landowner confidently asserts, “I have done all that You have commanded me!” That may be truly wonderful, but shouldn’t a pious individual maintain a modicum of humility and refrain from boasting about his religious accomplishments? What is the meaning behind this seemingly strange practice?

In my opinion, the underlying purpose of this “Confession” is to express the genuine significance of the Mitzvot. Many people resist this aspect of Judaism, essentially because it impinges on their freedom to do as they please.

According to Rashi, when the people complained in the Wilderness that “We remember the fish that we ate in Egypt for free…” (BaMidbar 11:5), they really meant, “free of the Mitzvot” (Rashi). People, in general, want to have G-d on their side, but they don’t want to be burdened with all types of obligations and certainly don’t want to be told what to do, even by the Creator of the Universe.

Notice that all religious movements that “grew out” of Judaism curtailed the quantity and quality of the 613 Commandments—not to mention the numerous Rabbinic ordinances that were intended to bolster the observance of G-d’s laws. Once the Christian religion sought to attract gentile members, it canceled the applicability of virtually all the Mitzvot.

Today’s Conservative and Reform Jewish sects have jettisoned traditional Torah positions on vital matters such as abortion (“Choice”), gay, lesbian, and queer sexual orientation, and transsexualism. Their “theological” positions reflect the contemporary liberal orientation and not scrupulous adherence to Torah. If they were thoroughly honest, they would admit that they reject the Torah and longingly hearken back to “the fish they consumed in Egypt for free!” They believe that abandoning the Covenant is actually the pathway to “freedom.”

In my opinion, the objective of the “Confession” is not to boast of how efficiently I have performed the required procedure. To the contrary, it is a statement that means I am, by nature, disinclined to be generous and give away whole portions of my hard-earned yield. Were it not that G-d gave me no choice, I would have kept everything for myself, family, and friends. Maybe I would have left a little something in the charity box, just to make me feel good.

But if that is not what I actually did, it is for one reason only: I had no choice but to “give to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow according to the Mitzvah which You commanded me. I did not deviate from Your Mitzvot, nor did I forget” (Devarim 26:13).

Judaism does not believe in the “natural goodness” of man. In fact, one can say that Yahadut (Judaism) is very suspicious of the human being. How can one not be? Consider the atrocities that have been committed throughout history—not the least of which were perpetrated by zealous adherents of various religions. While man has free will, he simply cannot be trusted to overcome his base instincts and behave with justice and compassion.

The question thus arises: If man is to be the instrument through which G-d’s plan for the perfection of the world is to be achieved, and man himself is corrupt, how can the world ever be redeemed?

The answer is Mount Sinai. A small group of people were chosen from the human species because they were descendants of G-d’s spiritual elite: Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. These moral giants attained, through their own prodigious efforts, the most perfect understanding of G-d and the type of life that was pleasing to Him.

In addition, they strove to transmit this lifestyle to their children.

“Hashem said (regarding the destruction of Sodom), ‘Shall I hide from Avraham that which I am about to do? Avraham is going to be a great and mighty nation, through which all the nations of the world will be blessed. For I am [close to him] because he commands his children and household to guard the way of Hashem, to perform charity and justice, in order to bring onto Avraham that which Hashem said concerning him’” (Bereishit 18:17-19).

Since children are most likely to follow in the pathways of their illustrious parents, He chose their descendants to be the bearers of His special Covenant and, through their exalted wisdom, illuminate the pathways of mankind.

However, the question still remains: What will cause the descendants of the Patriarchs to follow in their footsteps, especially after thousands of years, when it is natural for each new generation to carve out its own distinctive identity and lifestyle?

The answer is, that it is their acceptance of the system of Mitzvot which established Bnei Yisrael as G-d’s Chosen People. This idea can be seen in the “Confession of Tithes.” The confessor is declaring the extraordinary bountifulness with which he has donated to the various classes of people in need. Is this because he is just a naturally wonderful and giving individual? The answer is, decidedly, not! In fact, he is a selfish and greedy person who wants to keep what he has earned for himself and those close to him.

However, he says, I did not follow my base inclinations but listened to Hashem’s statutes and was excruciatingly careful to act precisely as He instructed. Thus, the Vidui Maaser is not a glorification of one's ego but, to the contrary, is an expression of humility and a recognition that only the divinely ordained Mitzvot constitute a program that can effectuate spiritual transformation. The Mitzvot make the foolish wise, the selfish generous, and give clarity of purpose to those who drift aimlessly.

We can now understand why this “Confession” of the successful discharge of responsibilities is required in the matter of the Tithes. It is precisely in the area of sharing one’s hard-earned wealth that emotions of greed come to the fore. The person is affirming that without the commandments, he would not have attained the appropriate level of generosity to give what he has given.

And that is why he makes the bold declaration: “Look down from Your holy abode in the heavens and bless Your nation, Israel, and the land that You have given us, as You swore to our fathers, a land that flows with milk and honey” (Devarim 26:15). According to Rashi, it is as if he is saying: “We have done what You decreed upon us, now You do what is upon You to do, as You said, ‘If you walk in my Statutes… then I will give you the rains in their seasons’” (VaYikra 26:3-4). Talk about bold! Does one presume the temerity to remind G-d of what He must do?

However, the intention is not to be inappropriate. Rather, the person expresses the fact that he serves Hashem according to the terms of the Covenant which He has established. For, “Were it not for the Covenant, day and night [says Hashem], I would not have set up the laws of Heaven and earth” (Yirmiyahu 33:25). It is only via the Covenant—which means the Taryag (613) Mitzvot—that man can find favor with Hashem and endure.

The goal of Judaism is to transform a person from a non-thinking instinctual being into a rational, just, and compassionate individual, i.e., into one who functions as a person who possesses a Tzelem Elokim (divine soul). This great change comes about as a result of the person’s dedicated commitment to the system of Mitzvot.

In the “Confession,” the person is saying that he realizes he is not by nature a righteous being. However, he has been forced into goodness by virtue of the “decree” that Hashem has imposed on him in the Covenant, which is what makes human existence possible. As a result of studying the Torah and consistently performing the commandments, he has elevated himself to a higher spiritual level of existence.

He now calls upon G-d to do what He has promised: “If you keep my commandments…” (VaYikra 26:3). He does this in order to affirm his absolute faith in the validity of the Brit (Covenant) through which Hashem relates to the humans He has created and wishes to sustain.

May we merit to appreciate the supreme value of Torah and Mitzvot and achieve the level where we will be worthy of all His blessings.

Shabbat Shalom.