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Can someone who took a vow forbidding benefit from another person still fulfill mitzvos through that person? The Gemara (גמרא) distinguishes between benefiting from a friend versus benefiting from the shofar itself. The shiur explores whether mitzvos require intent (kavanah), analyzing cases of forced matzah-eating and the principle of mitzvos lav lehanot nitnu—mitzvos are not given for enjoyment.
This shiur delves into Rosh Hashanah 28a's discussion of a person who vows not to receive benefit (mudar hana'ah) from another individual and whether this prohibition extends to mitzvah (מצוה) performance. The Gemara (גמרא) presents two cases: one who is forbidden benefit from his friend may still fulfill the mitzvah of tekiat shofar through him, and one forbidden benefit from the shofar itself may still be yotzei the mitzvah. Tosfot asks why the second case is necessary if we already know from the first that "mitzvos lav lehanot nitnu"—mitzvos are not given for pleasure. The shiur suggests that the first case might only apply where the issur derives from the person, not from the object of mitzvah itself. Rabbi Zweig examines whether the principle of "mitzvos lav lehanot nitnu" means there is literally no pleasure in performing mitzvos, or whether it means that even when there is physical pleasure, it doesn't constitute prohibited benefit because the Torah (תורה) commands the action. He explores this through the Gemara's case of one forbidden benefit who goes to the mikvah: in hot weather (geshem) the immersion is permitted, but in cold weather (cham) when there is physical pleasure from cooling off, it is forbidden. Rashi (רש"י) explains that the mitzvah itself provides no benefit, but the bodily pleasure of cooling off is real hana'ah.
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Rosh Hashanah 28a
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