Net Worth

The final Perek in Sefer Vayikra speaks about the Halachos of Hekdesh, a topic which seems to dovetail well with other subjects discussed in this Sefer . The Pessukim discuss voluntary Hekdash, when one wishes to be Makdesh an animal for the Mizbeach, as well as Ma’aser Beheima, which is a form of Hekdish as well, though it is more of a Chiyuv. The very first Pessukim in this Perek, however, discuss a type of Hekdesh specific to humans, called Erechin. As is the case with many topics discussed in Sefer Vayikra, we may have a difficult time extracting meaning from the Mitzvah of Erachin, as it applies only when there is a Bais Hamikdash, there is a message to be found within in these Halachos that can resonate quite loudly even in our times.

The Passuk begins: “Ish Ki Yafli Neder B’Erkecha Nefashos LaHashem”, referring to a person makes a Neder to give his, or someone else’s, “Erech” to Hekdesh. The word can be literally translated as “Erech” value or worth, and this individual can be understood to be pledging the value of the person mentioned, be it himself or another, to Hekdash. Now, generally when we are to determine the value of a person, to assess civil damages for exampl, the metric used is his value on the slave market, which is subject to the person’s specific situation. In this case however, the Torah gives us prescriptive values for each person, based on their gender and age. Thus, when a person says “Erki Ali”, pledging his own Erech to Hekdesh, he is responsible to pay the amount that the Torah establishes for his age group, regardless of his own capabilities or disabilities.

Though these Pessukim do seem very well placed in Sefer Vayikra at large, as they discuss Halachos of Hekdash, one wonders why the Torah told them to us here specifically. The balance of the Parsha is dedicated to Brachos of “Im Bechuksai Teleichu” as well as the Klalos of the Tochecha, scores of Pessukim speaking of the calamities which will befall us if we stray from the proper path. What then is the connection between those Pessukim and these? One would expect to find these Halachos in the first half of the Sefer, which deals largely with Inyanei Hekdash, as well and Tumah and Tahara, but not in the second half which turns to topics related to Kedusha, and other non-Hekdash Mitzvos, and certainly not here, immediately following the Tochecha. Why then is the Parsha of Erachin in fact placed here?

The Ramban does seem sensitive to this question, and addresses the connection from the point of view of Pshat. He notes that the Halachos of being Makdish a Sdei Mikneh, which are described later in the Perek, are tied to Yovel, and the Tochecha itself is tied to a lack of observance of Shmitos and Yovlos, as the Pessukim seem to indicate. Therefore since those Hilchos Hekdesh are related to the Yovel, and the Torah wished to include all Dinei Hekdesh in one section, these Pessukim are written here, following the Tochecha.

We still must understand, however, why the Torah then chose to put the Halachos of Erachin pertaining to humans, which are not at all tied to Yovel, first. If the connection between Hekdeshos and the Tochecha lies in their mutual relationship to Yovel, then the Halachos of Sdei Mikneh, which are the ones dictated by when in the Yovel cycle the Hekdesh occurs, should follow the Tochecha. Why then are the Dinim of Erachei Adam placed first?

in order to answer the same question, The Ba’al HaTurim points out a unique connection between Erachin and the Tochecha. As we said, each person has a different set value based on their age, each of which is specified in the Pessukim. If all of those values are added up, notes the Ba’al Haturim, the sum is one hundred and forty-three—a number that corresponds to the amount of Klalos included in both Tochachos, forty-five here and in ninety-six Sefer Devarim. There seems then to be a specific connection between the Klalos found in the Tochecha and Dinei Erachin as they pertain to humans. This would certainly help us understand why the two Parshios are then placed adjacent to one another, and perhaps give us a better insight into the whole Parsha of Erachin in general.

The Ba’al HaTurim does not himself discuss why this connection in fact exists, and so it is left to us to try to explain. In order to do so, it would seem necessary to further explore the true message of the Mitzvah of Erachin.

Rav Hirsch, in his Pirush on these Pessukim, explains that the word “Erech” refers to placing two similar items next to one another, specifically for the purposes of comparing the two. Thus, when the Passuk in Tehillim says “Ain Aroch Lecha Hashem Elokim”, we meant there is nothing to equate Hashem to in any way, for there is no item that is comparable. In the context of value, the word then refers to that which can be placed next to an item to express its value—what amount of money would be comparable to that item. Thus when the Pessukim in Iyov speak of Chachama and say “Lo Yarkena Zahav”, it means that even gold is not valuable enough to express the worth of Chachma.

The Pessukim here speak of “Erech Nefashos LaHashem”, connoting the value of a person in the eyes of Hashem, and the Torah assigns a value to each person based on their Erech. That means, explains R’ Hirsch, that the Torah places a monetary value on each Neshama because each one has a value in the eyes of Hashem. These amounts are not at all subject to a person’s abilities or strengths, as would be the case if someone made a Neder of “Kesef” or “Damim”, which are subjective amounts. Rather, the Erech is an inherint value, based only on the existance of the Neshama and not it’s abilities. The Torah tells us in this Parsha that each member of Klal Yisroel has an intrinsic value to Hashem just because they are Nefashos.

How then are these values determined? What makes a person more or less valuable in the eyes of Hashem. R’ Hirsch notes that because the only factors that alter a person’s Erech are ones age or gender, the Erech Nefashos LaHashem must be based on what a person is expected to accomplish when they are in a specific age bracket, according to their gender. A young person is not expected to accomplish a lot, and therefore has a lower Erech, while a person in the prime of their life is expected to accomplish more and therefore has a great Erech. The differences between male and female Erechin correspond to this ideal as well: a male, who is expected to accomplish not only in his own home but in the outside world as well, has a higher Erech than a female whose main arena of activity is in her home and with her family.

Rav Hirsh goes on to explain how each number in the Erachin system relates to one another and to this idea, but the concept itself is clear: the Mitzvah of Erachin shows us that each person has a value in the eyes of Hashem that is tied to what he is capable of in that part of his life. The Erech is not merit based—one is not “worth” more if he does more, but each of us has a value based on our abilities to accomplish.

The Netziv, in Haamek Davar, expresses a similar thought, with a bit of a different focus. He explains that the purpose of Erachin is to provide the Ne’erach with Hatzlacha in that which they are meant to accomplish at that time of their life. A child therefore has a lower Erech because at that stage of his life we do not expect mush accomplishment, and his need for Bracha is lower. Similarly, an elderly person, whose central focus is not his activities in the outside world, but just staying well and healthy, has a lower Erech and in fact at this stage of life, the Erech is the same for males and females because their goals are aligned.

We see then that the purpose of Erachin is to highlight not what a person has done, but what he can do, his Erech in the eyes of Hashem is tied not to his accomplishments, but to his potential. With this in mind, let us look back at the Tochecha.

There Rambam, in Hilchos Teshuva, raises a question: If we know that the ultimate Schar for Mitzvos is Olam Habah, and the punishment for Aveiros is exclusion from, or the diminishment of ones share in, Olam Habah, why does the Torah tell us that if we listen to Hashem good things will happen to us, and if not the opposite will be true? Schar and Onesh should not be visible on this world at all?

He explains that the Torah is not threatening us, or delineating a punishment, but rather explaining how the world works. Eitz Chaim Hi, the Torah is the source of all good and positive in the world. Those who are among the Machazikim Bo, will experience the Brachos that come with this relationship, and those who stray from the path will face destruction, not as a punishment, but because they have let go of their lifeline, so to speak.

The implication of the Rambam’s words is at once frightening yet empowering. We must know that the ability to affect that which happens in the world lies within us. The Klalos mentioned in the Torah as being tied to our Shemias Hamitzvos run the gamut, from natural disaster to geopolitical strife Brachos are a veritable wish list of bounty and tranquility. These are not small, localized, events and phenomena—they are on the global scale and they are the results of our actions.

It follows then that the Tochecha comes when we fail to realize the wider implications of our actions. If each of us thinks that we are responsible only for that which happens in our own lives, we will be more likely to stray from the Derech Hashem, thinking that we put only our own destiny at stake. But if we realize what we really are capable of, and culpable for, our entire life’s mission changes—one is less likely to be lax in his own Shemiras Hamitzvos if he considers the worldwide results of his actions.

The message of the Tochecha and Erachin thus merge with one another. The Tochecha tells us what will happen if we fail to recognize what we are capable of on a wider scale, and what is expected of us as a result. The Mitzvah of Erachin serves to reinforce this message, by teaching us that in the eyes of Hashem we are all worthy of accomplishment, and our value to Him is based on what we can achieve and not what we already have. The value of all Erachin thus corresponds to the Klalos found in our Parsha as well as in Sefer Devarim for if we fail to heed the message of Erachin, and recognize how much we are capable of in our own lives and on a wider scale, we risk exposing ourselves to these same Klalos.

Erachin is then a most relevant Mitzvah even in our times. Who among us has not at one time or another doubted their own abilities? The Satan convinces us that circumstances—natural, manmade, or other—preclude us from accomplishing, or that we just aren’t the ones for the job. At these times we can cling to the message of Erachin, knowing that we each have a value based on what we can accomplish, and that these accomplishments will yield Bracha for us and the entire world. Enouraged by these thoughts, we will succeed beyond our wildest dreams, bringing to life all the glorious Brachos of Im Bechukosai Telechu.