Thursday, April 26, 2007

Each mitzvah stands on its own

B"H

Vaikra (Leviticus) Chapter 19:8 reads as follows:
ואכליו עונו ישא כי את קדש ה` חלל

Loosely translated:
v. 8: And whoever eats it shall carry his iniquities, for he has profaned that which is holy to G-d.

Rashi explains (and indeed proves from scripture) that this verse requires that a person should have the intention of eating the sacrifice in the alloted place (i.e., the Temple.)

From Rashi's explanation we can actually see that a person who goes ahead and eats the sacrifice outside the alloted place is not liable of כרת (=being spiritually cut off) as is the case of פִּגּוּל (see verse 7.)

Verse 8 appears to deal with a more pragmatic, specific and practical rule pertaining to sacrifices, as opposed to a general principle in- (or indeed the whole concept of) sacrifices -- hence the leniency.

So, actually eating the sacrifice at the wrong place does not invalidate the entire sacrifice, and albeit the sacrifice has not been offered in the most perfect or ideal manner, it is nonetheless accepted. (Perhaps a bit more effort is needed next time to make things perfect.)

We can also learn a lesson from this something relating day-to-day Jewish life:
A person might have some issues with the the pragmatic & practical observance of some of the 613 Mitzvot (G-d's commandments). This analogous to eating the sacrifice at the wrong place: perhaps his observance is not most perfect and ideal.

Nonetheless he/she is not in odds with the general principle of Mitzvot (analogous to having the wrong temporal intentions of verses 6 and 7). For that reason, his sacrifice, as it were, is accepted nonetheless. And indeed it's precious to Hashem -- the fact that he/she has issues with one Mitzvah, or another, does not detract from the value of his/her observance of yet a third Mitzvah.

Each Mitzvah stands on it's own and each one is wholly pleasurable to Hashem. Perform a Mitzvah when you get an opportunity, even if you do not feel you can commit to continuously performing it, and even if you do not feel the difference.

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