Decent Despots and More Zevachim 112-113

Zevachim 112 — “The Firstborn Opportunity Cost”

Our Gemara on Amud Beis discusses that prior to the inauguration of the Mishkan, sacrificial service was performed by the firstborn. They lost this privilege due to the sin of the Golden Calf.

The Divrei Dovid (Toldos 25:31) asks how Yaakov could purchase the birthright from Esav. It is forbidden for a non-cohen to perform the sacrifices; likewise a non-firstborn should also be in violation. He answers that prior to the appointment of the Levites, anyone could serve; the firstborn merely had priority out of respect.

Related to the loss of first born privilege, the Seforno (Devarim 26:13) has a creative derash to explains why the declaration of having fulfilled all the tithing at the time of bringing the first fruits to the Temple is called viduy. Viduy classically means more than just a declaration; it means confession. What sin is being confessed? The phrase “I have cleared out the sacred from my home” hints at the loss of firstborn service after the Golden Calf. Every family lost a local source of holiness, because every family could potentially have had a first born who served in the Temple.

Combining these ideas, the lament becomes personal. Not only could the first born serve, but anyone really. The confession is: “I could have served God, and I drove that opportunity out of my home.”

Rabbenu Bechaye (Devarim 26:1) says any special talent that a person has, e.g. a good singing voice, he should dedicate it in service of God, and this is a broader application of the concept of Bikkurim. When contemplating the moment of dedicating and being thankful for the first fruits, we also contemplate potential fulfilled and not fulfilled. This is the time to think, how did I miss holy opportunities and drive it away from my home?

Zevachim 113 — “Decent Despots”

Our Gemara on Amud Beis relates the Aggadah that Og, King of Bashan, survived the flood by hanging on to the ark. Even Yisrael (Noach) asks, why did Noach need the Raven and the Dove—why not send out Og? He answers that Noach did not want to give him any opportunity to receive merit, as he saw him as evil and unworthy.

When we combine this idea with the Aggadah (Niddah 61a) that Og merited a long-lasting kingdom because of the steps he took to warn Avraham about Lot’s capture, it is even more powerful. We see that in the end, by hook or by crook, so to speak, Og got his merit. Noach might have sensed this potential via Ruach Hakodesh and wanted to avoid it. By the way, this merit came even though, according to the Aggadah, he had an ulterior motive. He was hoping Avraham would die in battle and he could possess Sarah as a wife.

While the traditional thought is that this shows how great the reward for a mitzvah is, even when woefully lacking in motivation, I have a different idea. Perhaps the true merit was that he had some deeper sense and inner dignity to realize who Sarah was, and his yearning to attach to a great person nudged his personality just a bit in the direction that allowed him to benefit from a divine flow.

This is consistent with a few other notable evil despots who merited reward for having done relatively small acts of decency:

Sotah (47b) tells us that Pharaoh merited a long, successful dominion over the Jews because he took four steps to honor and accompany Avraham and Sarah. Nevuchadnezar also took four steps to honor God by having the order of a royal communiqué changed so that God was put before Chizkiyahu.

True, these actions were small compared to their sadistic evil, but in the end, they all consisted of recognizing something sacred or holy. The spiritual connection that ensues, and its resulting benefit, is automatic and inevitable. As Avos (4:2) states, “The reward for a mitzvah is another mitzvah.”