Do You worship idols?

“From The beginnings of your dough you shall give to G-d. “

Literally, this verse is talking about the portion allocated by G-d as support for the Priests in the Temple, called Challah. In Hebrew, the word for dough (arisah) can also mean “beds”. The Torah would be saying then, early in the morning, right when you come out of bed, one should dedicate the beginning of the day to G-d in prayer and gratitude.

The Talmud says, anyone who gives Challah - this first portion to G-d, it’s as if they negated idol worshiping, while anyone who does not give Challah, it’s as if they worshiped idols!!! Heavy words.

The negation of idol worshipping is a cornerstone and foundation of our faith. So, how do we ascribe what appears to be the observance of one commandment with the foundation and main pillar of our faith???

Dough represents sustenance and life itself. To make dough one must plow the ground, place the seeds, harvest the kernels, make the flour, etc.  According to nature, much effort on the part of a person.

It would be very easy for a person who sits down to some bread after working so hard to think that what he has is a product of his own hard labor and he is self-made. Even while believing the world had to be made by an infinite intelligence, and reflecting on the circumstances of life, a person concludes that certainly G-d is behind so much of what happens, he may still attribute the results of his own very hard labor to himself.

If a person thinks all that he has was earned is to his own credit, there is no reason to give away what is mine to someone else. Even if I do give anything away, it has to be self-serving. This then is precisely the theme and concept of idol worshipping.

Idol worshipping is when a person attributes power and influence in his life, outside of G-d. When a person thinks, there is G-d and then, there are other influences to either blame or give credit to, such as my competitor, the enemy, the employer; he denies G-d in certain areas of his life and puts his faith – worries, in “Idols”.

When a person believes everything in his life is the direct results of an infinite G-d “there is nothing else but Him”, this would mean, whatever a person has, the circumstances that he is in, is totally to the credit and attributable to G-d.

If I understand, my parents brought me into the world, educated me, cloth me, gave me the money for my business, advise me etc., I don’t have a problem with giving them FIRST their due and then, enjoying some for myself.

A person who worships Idols has many gods, and his world is very fragmented. There are so many influences, and he can be torn and dragged into so many directions. A person who realizes and understands that notwithstanding his own effort which is also to the credit of G-d, everything around him is always influenced by the will of G-d, this person will have an integrated and cohesive life.

That is why according to the law; the portion dedicated to the Priest must come not from the flour – the fragmented particles, but from the kneaded dough. The unity of one’s belief “G-d is one and everything all around is only Him”, leads easily to dedicating time and resources to G-d, to helping others first, for its own unselfish sake.