B"H

Thursday, Iyar 20, 5780 / May 14, 2020 (35th day of the Omer)

This Shabbat we will read the final two Parshiot of the Book of Vayikra (Leviticus); B'Har & Bechukotei.

One of the many mitzvot in B'Har is to help another person in need. "And if your brother becomes poor and his strength fails him, you shall support him, whether a stranger or a sojourner, so that he may live with you..." 

The Talmudic sage, Mar Ukva, had a neighbor who was a very poor person.  Each day, Mar Ukva threw four zuzim (coins) through a hole in the man's door and ran away, so that he would not know who his benefactor is.

One day, Mar Ukva and his wife stopped by the neighbor's house to throw in the four zuzim.  But as they did, the poor man opened the door. Afraid that the man would be embarrassed to see his benefactor, Mar Ukva and his wife ran and hid in a large oven used for baking bread.  The coals in the oven were still hot and Mar Ukva burnt his feet. His wife's feet were not affected at all and she suggested that he place his feet on hers to avoid further pain.

"We both give charity, so why is it that my feet burnt while yours didn't?" asked Mar Ukva.

His wife replied: "The reason is that you perform the mitzvah of charity by giving the poor people money.  Yet, they cannot benefit from this immediately for they must still buy food.  But I am in the house and when a poor person comes for help, I give them food which they eat right away and benefit immediately!"

Mar Ukva's charity was legendary. Every year before Yom Kippur, he would send a poor person a certain amount of money.  Once, he sent the money with his son, but the boy brought the money back.  "The person doesn't need your money,” he said.  “When I came to his house, I saw him eating a festive meal and drinking expensive wine!"

"I didn't realize what this man's needs were," Mar Ukva said to his son.  "Obviously he needs more than what I gave him." Mar Ukva then doubled the amount and told his son to bring it to the person!

Before Mar Ukva passed away he asked that an accounting of all the money he distributed for charity be brought before him.  It amounted to a very large sum. Yet, Mar Ukva wasn't satisfied.  "I'm taking too little with me for such a long journey," he stated.  He then took half of his possessions and distributed it to charity.

This is why at times the Torah refers to giving charity as “taking.” For the truth is that when we give, we really “take.” G-d pays back many times over in this world and in the World-to-Come.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY