"לתת מתוך הכרת טובה או מאשמה"
"Giving With Gratitude Or Guilt"
Parashat HaShavua Ki Tavo / When You Enter In
This Week's Reading List:
Devarim / Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8
Yeshayahu / Isaiah 60:1-22
Ma'asei Talmidim / Acts 7:30-36
Devarim {26:1} It shall be, when you have come in to the land which HaShem your G-D gives you for an inheritance, and possess it, and dwell therein, {26:2} that you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you shall bring in from your land that HaShem your G-D gives you; and you shall put it in a basket, and shall go to the place which HaShem your G-D shall choose, to cause His name to dwell there. {26:3} You shall come to the cohen (priest) who shall be in those days, and tell him, “I profess this day to HaShem your G-D, that I have come to the land which HaShem swore to our avot (fathers) to give us.” {26:4} The cohen shall take the basket out of your hand, and set it down before the mitzbe’ach (altar) of HaShem your G-D. {26:5} You shall answer and say before HaShem your G-D, “A Syrian ready to perish was my 'ab (father) ; and he went down into Mitzrayim (Egypt), and sojourned there, few in number; and he became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous. {26:6} The Mitzrim (Egyptians) dealt ill with us, and afflicted us, and laid on us hard bondage: {26:7} and we cried to HaShem, the G-D of our avot, and HaShem heard our voice, and saw our affliction, and our toil, and our oppression; {26:8} and HaShem brought us forth out of Mitzrayim with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terror, and with signs, and with wonders; {26:9} and he has brought us into this place, and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. {26:10} Now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, HaShem, has given me.” You shall set it down before HaShem your G-D, and worship before HaShem your G-D:
Is your giving meaningless? Do you give out of guilt or out of gratitude? Sadly, when we give, most of us we give out of guilt. G-d commanded us to give, so we give expecting, of course, to be blessed in return. However, we can see from our Scripture passage this week that we are to give out of gratitude not guilt. It is out of our appreciation for what HaShem has done for us that we are to give, and give generously for that matter.
HaShem has done so much for us. He redeemed us from the slavery of sin to be free to worship Him and follow His commandments through Yeshua HaMashiach. He heard our cries, He saw our tears and He witnessed our sleepless nights. HaShem grieved at how HaSatan’s (the devil’s) oppressed us and He redeemed us with His mighty hand. Yet most of us still tithe because we feel obligated to.
HaShem has brought us into His Kingdom. It is truly a place of blessing. The Kingdom is not somewhere off in our distant future. It is right here, right now living -- within us. We, believers in Yeshua HaMashiach, are the Kingdom of G-d. Therefore, we contain in ourselves the Kingdom qualities, of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are the fruits of the Ruach (Spirit), G-d’s Ruach that took up residence inside of us upon salvation. Therefore, G-d’s Kingdom is alive and well living here on earth and we are it.
One day, some time after the return of Yeshua HaMashiach, there will be a judgement of the wicked. Those found to be unworthy will be consigned to a place of spiritual darkness, a place of hopelessness -- a place without G-d. However, those judged to be righteous will be saved and become part of the Kingdom of G-d. At that time the Kingdom will encompass the entire earth. Until that time, however, it is limited to those of us who believe. We owe tremendous gratitude to HaShem for all He has done for us and He has told us in His Word:
Devarim {8:11} Beware lest you forget HaShem your G-D, in not keeping His mitzvoth (commandments), and His chukim (judgements), and His statutes, which I command you this day: {8:12} lest, when you have eaten and are full, and have built goodly houses, and lived therein; {8:13} and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; {8:14} then your heart be lifted up, and you forget HaShem your G-D, who brought you forth out of the land of Mitzrayim, out of the house of bondage; {8:15} who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, [in which were] fiery serpents and scorpions, and thirsty ground where was no water; who brought you forth water out of the rock of flint; {8:16} who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your avot did not know; that He might humble you, and that He might prove you, to do you good at your latter end: {8:17} and [lest] you say in your heart, “My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth.” {8:18} But you shall remember HaShem your G-D, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth; that He may establish His brit (covenant) which he swore to your avot, as at this day.
I think we need to examine our hearts as we bring our tithes and offerings to the L-rd. In fact perhaps we should modify and personalize these portions of Scripture quoted from our Parasha this week and determine to repeat it every time we give. Here is a suggestion:
“I was a debtor in bondage to sin. Sin dealt with me and afflicted me and laid hard bondage on me and I cried to the G-d of our forefathers and HaShem heard my voice and saw my affliction and my toil and oppression and HaShem brought me out of it by the blood of Yeshua HaMashiach shed for me at Calvary. He has brought into a place of joy and peace. Now, I have brought the first fruit of my labour which you, HaShem have given to me, as a token of thanksgiving and appreciation.”
So next time you give unto the HaShem, instead of just throwing you gift into the collection basket or placing it into the Tzadaka Box (as we do here at Melech Yisrael), recite the above as you bring your first fruits to HaShem. What a difference it will make.
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Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Ya'acov Farber
Hallelujah for our Lord, our Teacher,our Rabbi, "YESHUA" King Messiah for ever and ever!!!
