Vayikra wrap-up: Here’s what counts

The final chapter of the book of Vayikra delves into the topic of Endowments and Valuations, essentially answering the question of what value humans, animals and properties have if a person makes a pledge to the Mishkan based on the value of another human being, etc. It is not to suggest that a direct monetary value can be assigned to any person, because human beings are priceless, but that a donation based on such a declaration carries with it a measurable value.

“If a man consecrates a field from his hereditary property to G-d, its endowment value shall be calculated according to the amounts of seed (required to sow it), 50 silver shekels for each chomer of barley seed.” Chomer is a measurement of seed that might cover or plant close to four acres of farmland. (See the Living Torah)

Rabbi Akiva Sofer asks a very simple question, and gives a very Hassidic style answer. “Do you want to know the value of the person who sanctifies his property to G-d? Do you want to know if he is complete in his heart, in his fear and reverence of G-d? Then ‘his value should be calculated based on his seed.’”

Rabbi Sofer takes the literal meaning of the text and takes a very simple alternative twist, utilizing another important translation of the word “Zera.”

Pay attention to his children! If he teaches them right, and they are raised to be mentchen, then his own value is affirmed and ascertained. But if he is a failure.

In our time, Rabbi Sofer’s criteria seems a little unfair.

We all know people who are good people, who raised their children properly, who gave them the best education, who provided them with their every need and desire, who did everything they needed to create a solid foundation and Jewish identity, yet whose children have grown to a different path in life, whether on account of substance abuse, or purely and simply “going off the derekh.”

And so, while I like Rabbi Sofer’s idea in a communal ideal sense — if children turn out OK it’s to the parents’ credit — I don’t think it’s fair to automatically declare the reverse to be true, that if children turn out poorly it is their parents’ fault.