Sukkah 3:1
Do mitzvot require background checks?
诇讜诇讘 讛讙讝讜诇 讜讛讬讘砖, 驻住讜诇. 砖诇 讗砖专讛 讜砖诇 注讬专 讛谞讚讞转, 驻住讜诇. 谞拽讟诐 专讗砖讜, 谞驻专爪讜 注诇讬讜 – 驻住讜诇. 谞驻专讚讜 注诇讬讜, 讻砖专. 专讘讬 讬讛讜讚讛 讗讜诪专: 讬讗讙讚谞讜 诪诇诪注诇讛. 爪谞讬 讛专 讛讘专讝诇, 讻砖专讜转. 诇讜诇讘 砖讬砖 讘讜 砖诇砖讛 讟驻讞讬诐 讻讚讬 诇谞注谞注 讘讜, 讻砖专.
A stolen lulav, or one that is all dried out, is invalid [for use to fulfill the mitzvah of waving the four species of palm, myrtle, willow, and etrog on Sukkot]. If it comes from an ahsera [a tree used for idolatry] or an idolatrous city, it is invalid. If its tip is cut off, or its leaves are split, it is invalid. If its leaves are separated, it is valid. Rabbi Yehudah says that he should tie it above. Stone palms fromare valid [despite being short]. A lulav that is at least three hand breadths, and thus long enough to shake, is valid. Mt. Barzel
Comments
The Torah (Lev. ) commands the Israelites to 鈥渢ake for yourselves on the first day [of Sukkot]鈥� four species that were identified as palm, myrtle, willow, and the etrog. These plants are held together and waved in thanksgiving for the harvest. But what if the objects used in this ritual were stolen, or came from a place of idolatry, or were damaged goods? This Mishnah (and those that follow it) establishes a high standard of integrity for the materials used in this popular ritual.
Questions
Our Mishnah raises troubling questions about religious rituals鈥攊t is apparently not enough to do the ritual in the designated fashion. We must be concerned with the origin of the materials used in our rite鈥攚hat laws and morals were compromised to obtain these goods? What standards are necessary to serve God with integrity? In our day, similar questions are emerging regarding kashrut. What moral and religious standards do we apply to our food beyond its ritual kashrut?
