Holy Haughtiness
Vayikra
Sefer Vayikra is referred to as Toras Kohanim as it discusses the laws of the sacrifices and the laws of purity. The opening Parshios begin with the Torah’s discussion on the various Korbanos which would be brought on the Mizbeach.
When describing the Mincha flour-offerings, the Torah warns כי כל שאר וכל דבש לא תקטירו ממנו אשה לה‘, “any leaven and any honey, you shall not cause to go up in smoke as a fire-offering to Hashem”.
According to most commentaries, honey here refers to the sweet juice which come from fruits.
It is for this reason, that the Mincha offerings in the Beis Hamkidash, including the Lechem Hapanim, were baked as Matzah.
In the very next Posuk, the Torah writes קרבן ראשית תקריבו אותם לה‘. “You shall bring the first offering for Hashem”. This refers to the Bikkurim and to the two loaves that were brought on Shavuos.
The Bikkurim came from the 7 Species of Eretz Yisroel. These include dates which have honey. And in contrast to the other Menachos, the two loaves of Shavuos had to be made as Chometz.
Rashi points out the contradiction of these juxtaposed verses, explaining that the Bikkurim and the Shtei Halechem are exceptions to the normal rule specified in the earlier Posuk.
In these Pesukim, the Baal Shem Tov (Kesser Shem Tov 2:393) finds a deep insight into how we should approach our service of Hashem.
The Baal Shem Tov explains that honey and leaven represent the Middah of arrogance and haughtiness. Leaven rises and puffs itself up. Similarly, when honey boils it also bubbles up. On a deeper level, the Posuk is teaching us that on the altar of Avodas Hashem, arrogance has no place.
But, there is an exception. The Bikkurim and Shtei Halechem are referred to as the Korban Reishis (literally the first offering). The Baal Shem Tov explains that this refers to a person who is at the beginning stage of serving Hashem.
At the beginning of one’s Avodah an element of pride (a subtle form of arrogance) is needed to stand up to our Yetzer Hora. The Yetzer Hora tries to sway us away with thoughts of “who am I and what am I to be able to approach Hashem.” This type of humility is wrong and misplaced. We need to have a healthy does of haughtiness to overcome it.
But even then, the continuation of the Posuk warns; ואל המזבח לא יעלו לריח ניחח. The Middah of pride may be appropriate as a Korban Reishis, when first approaching the service of Hashem, but it cannot go up onto the altar of Avodas Hashem.
The subsequent Posuk teaches us that if one continues to serve Hashem as an expression of self-pride or arrogance, it will not be a pleasing fragrance before Him.
The Rebbe expands this theme. Sweet honey represents pleasure. At the beginning of one’s Avodas Hashem it may be necessary to learn or keep Mitzvos because of the personal pleasure they derive. But this is Shelo Lishma and only appropriate as a start. Ultimately, our Avodas Hashem should be purely Lishma, for Hashem’s sake alone.
The Baal Shem Tov’s message is very relevant in our Chinuch approach. In their formative years we are initiating our children into the experience of serving Hashem, a Korban Reishis.
It is necessary for them to be given a strong sense of pride in being frum children to be able to overcome peer pressure, society’s perspectives and a host of other challenges. A small dose of haughtiness is appropriate to achieve this.
We also have to give them a Geshmak in Torah and Mitzvos so that they feel its sweetness and enjoyment. There are a lot of competing pleasures the world has to offer and if we want our children to “buy-in” to Yiddishkeit, they need to feel personal enjoyment in it.
This is the Reishis. Long term, we need to inculcate the value of Kabolas Ol, serving Hashem for His sake. Our personal enjoyment is not the ultimate and certainly not the objective. And we need to ensure that their pride does not become elitism or arrogance, feeling better than others. Then they will climb the altar of Avodas Hashem and be a true pleasing fragrance to Him.
When describing the Mincha flour-offerings, the Torah warns כי כל שאר וכל דבש לא תקטירו ממנו אשה לה‘, “any leaven and any honey, you shall not cause to go up in smoke as a fire-offering to Hashem”.
According to most commentaries, honey here refers to the sweet juice which come from fruits.
It is for this reason, that the Mincha offerings in the Beis Hamkidash, including the Lechem Hapanim, were baked as Matzah.
In the very next Posuk, the Torah writes קרבן ראשית תקריבו אותם לה‘. “You shall bring the first offering for Hashem”. This refers to the Bikkurim and to the two loaves that were brought on Shavuos.
The Bikkurim came from the 7 Species of Eretz Yisroel. These include dates which have honey. And in contrast to the other Menachos, the two loaves of Shavuos had to be made as Chometz.
Rashi points out the contradiction of these juxtaposed verses, explaining that the Bikkurim and the Shtei Halechem are exceptions to the normal rule specified in the earlier Posuk.
In these Pesukim, the Baal Shem Tov (Kesser Shem Tov 2:393) finds a deep insight into how we should approach our service of Hashem.
The Baal Shem Tov explains that honey and leaven represent the Middah of arrogance and haughtiness. Leaven rises and puffs itself up. Similarly, when honey boils it also bubbles up. On a deeper level, the Posuk is teaching us that on the altar of Avodas Hashem, arrogance has no place.
But, there is an exception. The Bikkurim and Shtei Halechem are referred to as the Korban Reishis (literally the first offering). The Baal Shem Tov explains that this refers to a person who is at the beginning stage of serving Hashem.
At the beginning of one’s Avodah an element of pride (a subtle form of arrogance) is needed to stand up to our Yetzer Hora. The Yetzer Hora tries to sway us away with thoughts of “who am I and what am I to be able to approach Hashem.” This type of humility is wrong and misplaced. We need to have a healthy does of haughtiness to overcome it.
But even then, the continuation of the Posuk warns; ואל המזבח לא יעלו לריח ניחח. The Middah of pride may be appropriate as a Korban Reishis, when first approaching the service of Hashem, but it cannot go up onto the altar of Avodas Hashem.
The subsequent Posuk teaches us that if one continues to serve Hashem as an expression of self-pride or arrogance, it will not be a pleasing fragrance before Him.
The Rebbe expands this theme. Sweet honey represents pleasure. At the beginning of one’s Avodas Hashem it may be necessary to learn or keep Mitzvos because of the personal pleasure they derive. But this is Shelo Lishma and only appropriate as a start. Ultimately, our Avodas Hashem should be purely Lishma, for Hashem’s sake alone.
The Baal Shem Tov’s message is very relevant in our Chinuch approach. In their formative years we are initiating our children into the experience of serving Hashem, a Korban Reishis.
It is necessary for them to be given a strong sense of pride in being frum children to be able to overcome peer pressure, society’s perspectives and a host of other challenges. A small dose of haughtiness is appropriate to achieve this.
We also have to give them a Geshmak in Torah and Mitzvos so that they feel its sweetness and enjoyment. There are a lot of competing pleasures the world has to offer and if we want our children to “buy-in” to Yiddishkeit, they need to feel personal enjoyment in it.
This is the Reishis. Long term, we need to inculcate the value of Kabolas Ol, serving Hashem for His sake. Our personal enjoyment is not the ultimate and certainly not the objective. And we need to ensure that their pride does not become elitism or arrogance, feeling better than others. Then they will climb the altar of Avodas Hashem and be a true pleasing fragrance to Him.