Not for its Own Sake

Sources

Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: A person should always engage in Torah study and performance of a mitzva even if he does not do so for their own sake, as through engaging in them not for their own sake, he will ultimately come to engage in them for their own sake. Proof for this can be cited from the example of Balak, as in reward for the forty-two offerings that Balak sacrificed, even though he sacrificed them to facilitate the destruction of the Jewish people, he was privileged and Ruth descended from him…

Sanhedrin 105b:12

Anyone who occupies himself with the Torah in order to receive reward or in order to protect himself from retribution is considered as one who is not occupied for the God's sake.
[In contrast,] anyone who occupies himself with it, not because of fear, nor to receive a reward, but rather because of his love for the Lord of the entire earth who commanded it, is one who occupies himself for God's sake.
Nevertheless, our Sages declared: A person should always occupy himself with the Torah even when it is not for God's sake for out of [service which is not intended] for God's sake will come…

Mishneh Torah, Repentance 10:5

MISHNA: All slaughtered offerings that were slaughtered not for their own sake, i.e., during the slaughtering the slaughterer’s intent was to sacrifice a different offering, are fit, and one may continue their sacrificial rites and partake of their meat where that applies. But these offerings did not satisfy the obligation of the owner, who is therefore required to bring another offering. This is the halakha with regard to all offerings except for the Paschal offering and the sin offering…

Zevachim 2a:1-2

MISHNA: The Paschal lamb that the priest slaughtered not for its own purpose, i.e., at the time of slaughter he said that his intent was to slaughter it as a different offering, e.g., a peace-offering or burnt-offering, rather than as a Paschal lamb; or if the priest received the blood, or carried the blood to the altar, or sprinkled the blood on the altar while saying that it was not for the purpose of the Paschal lamb; or if the priest performed the rites both for its own purpose and not for its own…

Pesachim 59b:11-12

ABSTINENCE IN SECULAR AFFAIRS
Those who practice abstinence in order to secure worldly benefits. Their abstinence is in their limbs but not in their minds and hearts. These fall into three classes: 1) Those who abstain from some of their lusts or pleasures in order to gain a reputation for abstinence, in order to receive praise for their faith and piety, so that through this method they will obtain their full lusts. They are hypocritical in faith and in abstinence. Doing so, in order that men should trust them, deposit their money by them and reveal their secrets to them…

Duties of the Heart, Ninth Treatise on Abstinence 3:16-18

Of the fourth degree are those in whose consciousness the genuineness of the Torah and the truthfulness of reward and punishment in the world to come are firmly established. But their disposition inclines them to love of the world and its lusts; and they use the practices of the service of G-d as snares with which to obtain worldly advantages. They accept the Torah outwardly but not inwardly, with their tongues and not with their hearts. Of such people it is said, "One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he waits in ambush for him" (Yirmiya 9:7)…

Duties of the Heart, Third Treatise on Service of God 4:46-48

He [also] used to say: one who makes his name great causes his name to be destroyed; one who does not add [to his knowledge] causes [it] to cease; one who does not study [the Torah] deserves death; one who makes [unworthy] use of the crown [of learning] shall pass away.

Pirkei Avot 1:13

Relatedראו גם

For its Own Sake

The Performance of a Commandment

Sheetsדפי מקורות

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