freewill

In Jewish tradition

A freewill-offering was a gift to God that a person chose to bring, not one required by law or by a vow.

Interpretation. Tradition separates it from a vow: a vow must be paid exactly, while a freewill-offering is generosity, so some flaws were allowed in it.

Meaning

given or done by your own choice, not because you were forced (usually written "free will") tree →

Examples

• And they brought yet unto him freewill-offerings every morning. (Torah EXO.36.3, JPS 1917) tree →
• beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill-offerings, which ye give unto the LORD. (Torah LEV.23.38, JPS 1917) tree →
• Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing too long or too short, that mayest thou offer for a freewill-offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted. (Torah LEV.22.23, JPS 1917) tree →
• Accept, I beseech Thee, the freewill-offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me Thine ordinances. (Writings PSA.119.108, JPS 1917) tree →
• With a freewill-offering will I sacrifice unto Thee; I will give thanks unto Thy name, O LORD, for it is good. (Writings PSA.54.8, JPS 1917) tree →
• And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter at the east gate, was over the freewill-offerings of God, to distribute the offerings of the LORD, and the most holy things. (Writings 2CH.31.14, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

A record of the Judaism dictionary, written from the corpus.