Acharei Mot (Diaspora): The Torah's travel insurance

• Published date: 29 April 2022
• Publication title: Israel National News (Israel)

"Shluchei mitzvah einan nizokin." – "People who are on a mission to perform a good deed on behalf of others will come to no harm."

With this in mind, sometimes when people are going on a journey, family or friends might give them some money, asking, "When you reach your destination please give this to charity." With this they're giving the traveller their blessing that no harm will befall them.

This is one of many examples of the concept of 'shlichut', where we ask people to carry out good deeds on our behalf. The Talmud teaches,

"Shlucho shel adam kemoto." – "One's representative is just like oneself."

That person becomes your 'yada arichta' – your extended arm. The concept of shlichut therefore has numerous blessings. It's great for those who are asking others to perform good deeds because it means that their output of goodness is increased. They don't have to carry out every single deed themselves, and those who carry out the deeds are blessed as a result.

The Torah, in Parshat Acharei Mot however, gives one notable exception to the concept of shlichut, of delegation. We're presented with laws concerning inappropriate sacrifices and the Torah tells us that somebody who brings...