B"H

Tuesday, Iyar 9, 5778 (24th day of Sefirah) / April 24 2018

In the third chapter of Pirkei Avot, Rabbi Elazar from Bartusa says, "Give to Him [G-d] of that which is His, for you and everything which belongs to you are His.”

Rabbi Elazar teaches us that the money that the Torah requires us to contribute to charity doesn’t belong to us in the first place. Rather, G-d entrusted us with it to give to the poor on His behalf.

Therefore, say our sages, when we give charity we become G-d's messengers to carry out His will.  When we fulfill G-d’s mission to His satisfaction, he will be happy to entrust him with more missions. The reward for the mitzvah of Tzedakah, is that G-d enables us to perform more of the same mitzvot.

The Talmud tells the following story: Rabbi Elazar of Bartusa was very generous.  Once, he went out to shop for his daughter's wedding.  When the charity collectors saw him, they said to each other, "Let's leave before Rabbi Elazar sees us!  He will give away his last coin for charity."  

When Rabbi Elazar noticed that the collectors were turning away from him, he ran after them and insisted that they tell him about their cause.   "A boy and girl who are orphans want to get married. We are collecting for their wedding."  When Rabbi Elazar heard this, he said, "The orphans are more important than my daughter."  He gave them all the money he had, except for one small coin.

With his last coin, he bought some wheat. He put the wheat in the shed near his house and went to the synagogue to pray.  When his wife came home, she asked her daughter, "Where are the things your father bought?" The daughter answered, "In the shed."  Rabbi Elazar's wife went to the shed but she couldn't open the door. When she managed to open the door, it was full of wheat floor to ceiling.

His daughter ran to tell her father about the miracle that just occurred. "Now we can sell the wheat and we will have more than enough to make the wedding," she said. Rabbi Elazar replied, "This is a miracle and we don't deserve to enjoy it more than others who are in need." He called the poor people of the town and told them that the wheat was theirs as much as his.

On the lighter side: Two poor brothers regularly visited Baron Rothschild for alms.  Once a month, Rothschild's treasurer would give them 200 marks, 100 marks for each of them. 

Then one of the brothers died.  The next month the remaining brother approached the treasurer, and told him of his brother's death.  He was given 100 marks.

"Why only 100 marks," he protested.  "I'm entitled to 200 marks!"   "But your brother is dead.  His 100 marks is withdrawn!" replied the treasurer.

"This is not just," retorted the beggar.  "Who is my brother's heir -- me or Mr. Rothschild?"

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

B"H

Friday, Iyar 12, 5778 (27th day of Sefirah) / April 27, 2018

This Shabbat in the Diaspora we read two Parshiot together; Parshat Acharei & Parshat Kedoshim. In Israel, Parshat Emor is read.

Parshat Acharei begins with the service of the High Priest on Yom Kippur in the Holy Temple. In Parshat Kedoshim, the Torah relates many of the 613 mitzvot of the Torah.

Parshat Kedoshim begins with G-d commanding Moshe, “Speak to the entire congregation of Israel, and say to them: You should be holy, because I, G-d your G-d, am holy. Each person should fear his mother and his father and My Shabbat you shall observe, I am G-d, your G-d.”

We see here that the Torah connects the observance of Shabbat with fearing parents. In the Ten Commandments we find the same. The fourth commandment is: Remember the day of Shabbat to keep it holy.” The fifth commandment is: “Honor your father and your mother, so that the days of your life will be long.”

Q. What is the connection between honoring/fearing parents and observing Shabbat?

A. Our sages tell us that there are three partners in the creation of a child; G-d, mother and father. Mother and father need G-d’s partnership. Our sages explain that the parents contribute the physical part of the child and G-d provides LIFE - the Neshama-soul.

The parents’ contribution in the physical formation of the child is before birth. But G-d’s participation is necessary before, through and after birth. It is needed throughout life.

Thus, when G-d commands us to honor and fear our parents, who brought us into this world, He also tells us how we should honor Him, for His role in our existence. It is through the observance of the holy day of Shabbat.

How does observing Shabbat honor G-d? In the fourth commandment, G-d said, “Remember the day of Shabbat to keep it holy… For in six days G-d made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them and He rested on the seventh day, thus G-d blessed the day of Shabbat and made it holy.

Observing Shabbat and honoring parents are basically the same concept. We honor parents for they brought us into the world. We honor them because they are partners with G-d in our creation. By honoring them we also honor G-d as we give them special recognition for partnering with G-d. We honor G-d through observing Shabbat for it is testimony that G-d created the world.

SHABBAT SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 7:38 / Shabbat ends: 8:46

B"H

Tuesday, Iyar 16, 5778 (31st day of Sefirah) / May 1, 2018

This week’s Parsha is Emor (Leviticus 21-24).  The mitzvah of Tzedakah - giving charity - is one of the greatest mitzvot.  We find this mitzvah in last week's Parsha, Kedoshim, and again in this week's Parsha, Emor.

In Parshat Kedoshim, the Torah commands, "And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not completely reap the corner of your field, neither shall you gather the gleaning of your harvest... you shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger.  I am the L-rd your G-d."

In Parshat Emor, the Torah again commands, "And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corner of your field, neither shall you gather the gleaning of your harvest.  You shall leave them for the poor and the stranger.”

When we give, we should remember that we are not giving ours, but giving back to G-d what is His.  For whatever we own belongs to G-d. 

The correct translation of "Tzedakah" is not charity, but "justice."  Giving Tzedakah is not an act of charity but an act of justice. Conversely, when one does not give Tzedakah, one commits an act of "injustice."

Rabbi Akiva says, "Tithes is a fence for riches."  Although it may seem that withholding charity will bring one more personal wealth, according to the Torah, the opposite is true. According to Torah, “Giving is receiving.”

The Hebrew word for giving is “V’natnu” – “ונתנו”which can be read forward and backward. It alludes to the above mentioned idea, that giving Tzedakah is the key to receiving G-d’s blessings in return.    

On the lighter side:  In the village, the rabbi was taking his daily stroll when he saw the wealthiest Jew of the village lighting up a cigarette. "Why do you smoke," the rabbi asked the man.

"I just had a sumptuous meal, I overate, and the cigarette helps me digest my food," he replied.

Further on, the rabbi met a poor man smoking.  "Why do you smoke?" asked the rabbi.

"I haven't eaten for a while and smoking drives away my hunger pangs," replied the poor man.

"Oy vay, how silly people are," cried out the rabbi.  “If only the rich man would give the poor man some of his dinner, they would both be healthier, happier and never have to smoke again!"

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY