Rambam stated that the law concerning “property consecrated to the Temple, the poor, and vows are not the same as those involving ordinary people.” Although when a person transfers an object that has not yet come into existence he is not bound by that statement, when it comes to consecrated property he must fulfill his word.
The spiritual significance of this is as follows: There can possibly be an individual who is not only unable to transform his very being—like the tzadik does—so that his essential character becomes holy, but he does not even have jurisdiction over his self as it relates to his “produce”—as the beinoni does. A person in such a predicament seems to have no ability to ensure that his future actions will be in accordance with G-d’s will, and presumably, such an individual is doomed to renew his battle with his evil inclination every time a challenge arises.
The idea of “property consecrated to the Temple, the poor, and vows are not the same as those involving ordinary people” teaches, that though concerning his personal preoccupations he cannot ensure the future, concerning his holy endeavors he can.
In relation to the positive holy resolutions that he made, he must fulfill his word. So, although he cannot transfer the object itself into a holy domain, there lies a responsibility on the individual to fulfill his words.
The explanation of this is as follows: There is a difference between one’s personal endeavors (even when they are done in the proper manner) and those things that are holy from the onset, such as Torah and mitzvos.
Personal endeavors: These are primarily an extension of the nature of one’s body and animal soul. Even when the G-dly soul affects in the person that his personal pursuits are performed for a G-dly end, they remain the actions of the individual. The following verse expresses this idea:
Text 14
All your deeds should be for the sake of Heaven.
Pirkei Avos 2:12
From the wording of the above statement it can be observed, that even when one’s actions are for the sake of Heaven, they are nevertheless called “your deeds,” i.e., actions that are expressive of the body and animal soul, not the G-dly soul.
Torah and mitzvos: These are inherently deeds that are G-dly and expressive of the G-dly soul. The manner in which the evil inclination prevents a person from doing a mitzvah is by preventing the G-dly soul from expressing itself. This concept is expressed in Rambam regarding the law of a Jewish divorce:
Text 15
When a man whom the law requires to be compelled to divorce his wife does not desire to divorce her, the court should have him beaten until he consents, at which time they should have a get (bill of divorce) written. The get is acceptable. This applies at all times and in all places... he wants to be part of the Jewish people, and he wants to perform all the mitzvos and eschew all the transgressions; it is only his evil inclination that presses him. Therefore, when he is beaten until his [evil] inclination has been weakened, and he consents [to the divorce], he is considered to have performed the divorce willfully.
Rambam, Laws of Divorce 2:20
As Rambam expresses, a Jew inherently desires to do G-d’s commandments. He, at times, does not do so only because his evil inclination prevents him from fulfilling these mitzvos. When that inhibiter is removed, he reverts to the person that he truly is.
This is the difference between “consecrated property” and “ordinary property” in one’s service to G-d: When a Jew accepts upon himself a resolution concerning his ordinary affairs, he cannot guarantee that they will come to fruition. Since these endeavors are matters relating to his body and animal soul, which are not under his jurisdiction, he cannot be certain that in the future he will act in a positive manner.
However, concerning G-dly endeavors, which are primarily an extension of the nature of his G-dly soul, this is not the case. The resolution that an individual makes concerning G-dly pursuits obligates the individual to fulfill his obligation.
Concerning the article itself and “ordinary property” he cannot guarantee its future, as the person has an evil inclination, which can prevent the matter from coming to be and therefore there can be no “acquisition.”
However, the soul, which naturally desires to do G-d’s wishes, has a personal obligation to fulfill its word concerning matters of Torah and mitzvos, “consecrated property.”
This responsibility that the Torah places on him to fulfill his words is itself an assistance and support for his soul to be able to overcome all obstacles that the body may place upon it. He receives the necessary strength to be able to fulfil his word concerning these matters that pertain to his soul.
May it be G-d’s will that through studying the matters concerning acquisitions, we should merit the time when “the Lord shall...acquire the rest of His people” with the coming of Moshiach! We will then merit the rebuilding of the Third Temple, which is as well referred to as “the acquisition of the Almighty.”
(Based on Likutei Sichos 27, Behar 1, reworked by Rabbi Dovid Markel. To see other projects and to partner in our work, see: www.Neirot.com.)
