20 May A PLANE WITH STRINGS ATTACHED: WHEN A GIFT IS NOT A GIMME

Heads turned last week
at the news that
President Trump is
planning to accept a
$400 million luxury
plane, as a gift from
the Qatari government,
to serve as Air Force
One. The Constitution
forbids public office holders from accepting a
present “of any kind whatever, from any King,
Prince, or foreign State.” The president has
argued that this gift does not violate that
provision since it is going to the Department of
Defense and not to him personally and that,
moreover, it will be decommissioned after his
term for his presidential library, and promises
that he will not use it after leaving office.
I’m not qualified to weigh in on whether the
gift is legal or illegal, but I do know that at a
minimum it is a very bad look and raises
suspicions about what is expected in exchange
for the gift.
When challenged as to the judgement of
accepting such a large gift from one of the
world’s greatest sponsors of terror, President
Trump said, “They’re giving us a free jet. I
could say, ‘No, no, no, don’t give us, I want to
pay you a billion, or $400 million,’ or whatever
it is. Or, I could say, ‘Thank you very much.’”
To support his judgment and approach, he
invoked the alleged saying of a golf great.
“There was an old golfer named Sam Snead.

Old Sam Snead had a motto. They give you a
putt, you say, ‘Thank you very much.’ You pick
up your ball, and you walk to the next hole. A
lot of people are stupid. They say, ‘No, no, I
insist on putting it.’ Then they putt it, they miss
it, and their partner gets angry at them.
Remember that.”
The President essentially shared his philosophy
of accepting gifts. You would be stupid to ever
turn one down. Treat it like a gimme putt, take
it and move on no matter who it is from or what
may be implied is owed in return.
What should our view be? Should we accept
all gifts or do the source, intent, and
circumstance matter? What if the gift could
potentially influence our judgement or cause us
to find favor?
The Torah’s view is very different than
President Trump’s. In Mishlei (16:27), Shlomo
HaMelech taught, “Sonei matanos yichye, he
who despises gifts will live.” The Gemara
(Sota 47b) reports that when people began to
accept gifts, they started to live shorter lives.
Does this mean we should rejects all gifts?
Should we reject a gift when we host someone
to sleep in our home or have them for a meal?
Should we send a gift back if a person we did a
favor for wants to show their appreciation?
Should we insist on paying for ourselves at the
end of each meal, even if we are being treated
for our birthday, a special occasion or no
reason at all? Should those celebrating a
simcha not accept gifts?

Rashi explains that the inclination to reject
gifts conditions you to avoid what isn’t yours
and therefore protects one from being tempted
to steal. Rabbeinu Yonah explains that rejecting
gifts will help a person avoid desiring that
which isn’t theirs and protects one from being
influenced by flattery. Rabbeinu Bechayei
gives an altogether different reason. He says
that if someone has true faith in Hashem, they
rely only and exclusively on Him and have no
interest in gifts or handouts from others.
The Rambam (Hilchos Zechiya U’matana
12:17) and Shulchan Aruch (CM 249) codify
that it is a midas chasidus, a righteous practice
not to receive gifts, and to trust that Hashem
will provide what we need without relying on
fellow man.
However, the Chida (Teshuvos Chaim Sha’al
1:74:42) writes that today, not receiving gifts is
a noble practice for those who want to
volunteer, but the masses do accept gifts and it
is not considered a breach in faith in Hashem.
Rav Wosner and Rav Shternbuch both say that
receiving a gift for a wedding is not only
permissible, it is a mitzvah, as there is an
obligation to bring simcha to the bride and
groom.
The reality is that not all gifts are the same.
They come in different sizes and values, they
come from different sources, they are given for
different reasons, and they may or may not
come with strings attached. These variables
could determine the merit or ethic or

appropriateness of accepting a gift.
Perhaps that is why Avraham graciously
accepted gifts from Pharaoh and Avimelech,
yet he told the King of Sedom that he wouldn’t
so much as accept a shoelace from him.
Additionally, Avraham refused to accept
Ma’aras HaMachpeila as a gift from Efron and
insisted on overpaying for it. Each context
must be judged individually.
Rejecting a gift from a guest or someone
simply trying to show appreciation, or turning
down a gift given for an occasion in your life,
is ungracious and can hurt the feelings of the
other. One isn’t compromised by accepting it,
and assuming it isn’t large enough to impact
one’s need to earn a living and depend on
Hashem, it doesn’t pose a threat to one’s faith.
Accepting gifts when they could compromise
judgement or constitute a bribe, however,
taking something so significant it can alter a
lifestyle or sense of dependance on Hashem,
can be problematic. In benching, we ask of
Hashem, lo liydei matnas basar v’dam, may we
never get to a point of needing to rely on the
gifts and handouts of other people. May we
have the wisdom and insight to know which
gifts to graciously accept and which to
principally turn down. When to pick up the
ball and move to the next hole, and when to
insist we putt it ourselves.