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Once I was on an Orthodox Jewish website doing some research. As I read their “Ask the Rabbi” section, an article caught my eye. The question was whether motives mattered when giving tzedakah? The person writing was concerned because they gave regularly, but lately were giving hoping that the Lord would then have their daughter get married. They asked whether giving for this reason was right or whether they were trying to bribe God? The issue on the surface seems to be one of intent. Do our intentions matter when we give tzedakah, charity, or other Mitzvot, good deeds?
We will find our answers in the parasha for this this week, Ki Tavo, which means “when you enter” and covers Deuteronomy 26:1–29:8. Parasha Ki Tavo discusses tithing and contains promised blessings for obedience or curses resulting from disobeying and turning away from the Lord.
Chapter 26 begins with the tithe for the First-fruits of the land. This tithe was a tenth of the produce from the first and best of the crop. The tithe was to be brought into the Temple with a joyful heart. Once at the altar, a formal declaration was to be recited before the priest. This recounted the mighty power and love of Adonai, who had brought us into the Land He had promised us.
We continue with the commandment that in the third year of the seven-year agricultural cycle, we were to give a tithe to support the Levites. This tithe also was for the most vulnerable in society: the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow. When this tithe was presented to the Levites, the worshiper had another declaration they were to recite. They affirmed that the portion was being given in a holy way and in accordance with the commands of Adonai. We were to declare that it was not eaten while in mourning, that it was clean, and that this offering was for the disadvantaged in society.
Moses concludes chapter 26 with another warning that we were to perform these commandments with careful intent – with the totality of our being. He reminds those about to take the Promised Land that they have declared the Lord to be their God and are expected to follow His ways. The Lord in turn has promised to bless them, keep them, and make them a holy people if they abide by the terms of the Covenant.
Chapter 27 continues with Moses instructing us to seriously obey the teachings of Adonai. The Lord instructed the Levites that when our people were assembled together to declare and affirm that we would not commit idolatry, indulge in sexual immorality, and not to pervert justice for those who are vulnerable.
Chapter 28 is devoted to the blessings that were to be recited on Mount Gerizim and the curses on Mount Ebal, once our people entered the Land. The blessings of the Lord included physical wealth and prosperity for the Land of Israel and a promise of numerous offspring. We were also promised that the Lord would raise us up over all the other nations. We would then be greatly respected and feared throughout the world. The blessings in this parasha are very wonderful, but the curses in these chapters greatly outnumber the blessings and are incredibly specific.
The curses for disobeying the Lord become increasingly severe and begin with the reversal of the blessings to the Promised Land and people. Where once the Lord had blessed us with children and food, there would be a barren land and a barren womb. The curses continue to escalate with invasions by foreign countries, exile, famine, cannibalism, and plagues such as those the Lord struck Egypt with when He freed us. These curses are shared in specific detail as a warning of what would happen if we broke our covenant with God. Through our history we see how these curses were literally fulfilled, as we continually broke the Mosaic Covenant. Our parasha ends in Deuteronomy 29 with Moses reminding us once again to carefully follow the commands of Adonai so that we may prosper and not be punished.
So, do our motives matter? The rabbi’s response to this question was “No”. Citing the Talmud, he argued that the outcome, not the intent, is what matters. He wrote, “Don’t get too preoccupied with intentions. When it comes to helping others, actions count more. If you’re doing something good, even for selfish reasons, it is still good. If selfish motives are what it takes to keep you giving charity, so be it.”
The Rabbi’s answer is a common one, what we do is “good enough”. Pridefully we believe that God’s perfect standards are negotiable. But intentions absolutely matter, we cannot change God’s Truth for our own.
In His Word we cannot approach Adonai on our own terms nor follow His commands any way we want. We are also responsible for helping those who are deeply in need, not ignoring the plights of those around us. The Lord has made clear that blessing follows obedience and destruction follows disobedience. We can choose which path to follow but we cannot make our own.
Therefore, as the High Holidays approach let us clearly examine ourselves and our motives. We need to make sure we are not exchanging God’s Truth for the lies of this world. If we have strayed from the Lord’s standard, we have the invitation through Messiah Yeshua to repent and return to Him. The Lord does not change, He still desires to make all of us, Jew and Gentile, a holy people and have us repent and turn back to Him. “Return to me and I will return to you,” says the Lord in Malachi.
May each of us have pure hearts and clean hands as we live lives pleasing to the Lord. May we return to the Lord if we have strayed and be willing to see and receive all the Lord has for us through His Word.