EXOD184 R. Me'ir said: Whoever occupies himself with the study of Torah for its own sake merits many things; and not only that, but the entire world is worthwhile because of him… Pirkei Avot, Perek VI, mishnah 1. When a child is circumcised, to share in Jewry's age-old covenant and compact with the Almighty, all who are present bless the infant: "Just as he has been entered into the Covenant, so may he be entered into Torah study, under the marriage canopy, and into good deeds." Again at a pidyon ha-ben, when a first-born son is redeemed from the Cohen at the age of thirty days, the Cohen blesses the child: "May be His [the Almighty's] will that even as he has been entered into [the rite of] redemption, so may he be entered upon the study of Torah, under the marriage canopy, and into good deeds; Amen." The Hatham Sofer movingly interpreted these blessings: When a father has his child circumcised or gives a Cohen five dollars to redeem it from the first-born's innate state of consecration [this verse, Exodus 13:15; 22:28; 34:20; Numbers 3:13, 40; 8:17; 18:15), neither father nor child can have the slightest personal, ulterior motive; they gain nothing for themselves: circumcision is painful; the pidyon ha-ben costs the father money. Both mitzvot are fulfilled, beyond any doubt, with the purest of motives--each lish'mah, for its own sake. So the child is fervently blessed that he may similarly enter the other covenants of his faith which await him through life. As he grows of age to begin learning the Torah, then to marry, and then to do good deeds as a member of his faith, may the same quality of lish'mah abide in all he does. This is perhaps the finest blessing his people can give him. Let him not study Torah merely in order to fashion himself a career or to seek titles of honor, but only lish'mah, for its own sake. With the same purity of motive, may he enter into marriage later in life, imbued with the wish to fulfill the Almighty's command to "be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28); may it be his earnest desire to build a Jewish home as a dwelling in place for the Divine Presence, where he can forge the next link in his chain of Jewish tradition. And with the same purity of motive may he do good deeds. May he always give charity because it is a mitzvah, not to bask in glory or publicity, or to enjoy tax benefits.