Parashat HaShavua - Ki Tavo

How often do we do something because of its inherent meaning to us – to derive satisfaction from the action itself – rather than out of concern for a particular outcome? In other words, where the action is the end in itself? This week in Parashat Ki Tavo we are told:

וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־שָׁמ֤וֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע֙ בְּקוֹל֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֤ר לַֽעֲשׂוֹת֙ אֶת־כָּל־מִצְו‍ֹתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָֽנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם…: וּבָ֧אוּ עָלֶ֛יךָ כָּל־הַבְּרָכ֥וֹת הָאֵ֖לֶּה וְהִשִּׂיגֻ֑ךָ כִּ֣י תִשְׁמַ֔ע בְּק֖וֹל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ:

It will be if you diligently listen to the Lord, your God, to observe to do all His commandments I command you this day… All these blessings will come upon you and reach you, because you listen to the Lord, your God. (Deut. 28:1-2) 

Nechama Leibowitz notes that it seems superfluous at the end of this passage to reiterate the idea of listening to God that was already mentioned at the beginning. The first time, listening leads to observing the commandments which then brings blessings, and at that point the thought seems complete; so why mention listening again? Leibowitz offers the commentary of Moshe Alshich (Tzfat 1508-1593) to explain: “Worldly blessings are not meant as an end in themselves, as the final reward for obedience, since there is no earthly reward for obedience; they constitute the means facilitating our progress towards eternity.” In other words, we are reminded to listen to God a second time, after the blessings are mentioned, so we don’t mistake those blessings for the ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is to be able to listen even more. (Devarim p. 284)

For Leibowitz, this lesson is reminiscent of a teaching by Ben Azzai in Pirkei Avot that, “one commandment leads to another commandment, and a transgression leads to another transgression; for the reward for performing a commandment is another commandment and the reward for committing a transgression is a transgression / שֶׁמִּצְוָה גּוֹרֶרֶת מִצְוָה, וַעֲבֵרָה גוֹרֶרֶת עֲבֵרָה. שֶׁשְּׂכַר מִצְוָה, מִצְוָה. וּשְׂכַר עֲבֵרָה, עֲבֵרָה.” (Ethics 4:2) Our system is not one where we should think in terms of performing a commandment to be rewarded, and avoiding transgression to avoid punishment. Rather, the purpose of any action is the action itself, and an action of one type begets more actions of that same type.

There is a minhag embedded in the reading of the Shema at the end of the third paragraph that echoes this same message. One of the passages we read tells us to tie tzitzit to our garments so “you remember and perform all My commandments; and you will be holy to your God / לְמַ֣עַן תִּזְכְּר֔וּ וַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֶת־כָּל־מִצְו‍ֹתָ֑י וִֽהְיִיתֶ֥ם קְדשִׁ֖ים לֵאלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם.” (Nu. 15:40) When the second word is recited – tizkeru/תִּזְכְּר֔וּ – it is customary to emphasize the “z” sound, lest one instead say the word with an “s” or ״שְּׂ״ sound, because that would change the meaning from “so you remember” to “so you are rewarded.” Even with all the blessings we are promised for fulfilling mitzvot, and the warnings of what will happen if we do not, those potential blessings and curses are not meant to be our motivation.

In his book “Drive,” Daniel Pink explores in depth the importance of intrinsic, rather than extrinsic, motivation. He writes: “For artists, scientists, inventors, schoolchildren, and the rest of us, intrinsic motivation – the drive to do something because it is interesting, challenging, and absorbing – is essential for high levels of creativity.” (p. 46) He proceeds to make an observation that is directly on point here: “When the reward is the activity itself – deepening learning, delighting customers, doing one’s best – there are no shortcuts. The only route to the destination is the high road. In some sense, it’s impossible to act unethically because the person who’s disadvantaged isn’t a competitor but yourself.”

This clearly sets a very high standard for what should ideally motivate us. While it is hard to think of when we have any chance of finding the space to meet this standard without the distraction of extrinsic motivators, to me it seems that in our religious lives such space is abundant. Divine reward and punishment are real to those of us who believe in them, but they are so abstract as to make them much less influential than intrinsic meaning and motivation. Whether outside the context of religion or within, may we find intrinsic motivation and meaning in more aspects of our lives, especially during this season of reflection, repentance and renewal.

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Jack Nahmod
Middle School Judaic Studies Head
Rabbinic Advisor