Kaisipang Hudyo sa 1 Cronica 29:9: Akeidat Yitzchak

Something which appears impossible when viewed within a narrow context, may nevertheless be found possible when viewed within a larger context. Although in Proverbs 24,11, Solomons states "sometimes dispersal may result in additional accumulation," meaning that even in accordance with natural law, there can be results which seem quite the opposite of what the original action had called for, we need to approach the problem on a different plane. Although according to the ways of providence, i.e. hashgachah peratit, the trial method is forbidden, when one combines both principles known from natural law and principles of hashgachah peratit, the statement of our sages will be seen to be correct. Remembering that deeds performed on a regular basis, make such deeds second nature to the one who performs them regularly, i.e. they become natural and therefore evoke responses from G'd as a kind of encouragement, the receipt of ever increasing quantities of G'ds largesse will not be seen as something unusual. It is essential that the primary motivation for performing the good deed, i.e. tithing, had not been the reward expected. The result of generous behaviour then is the exact opposite of the miser described in Berachot 3, who became progressively more impoverished until he was described as kohen, i.e. the recipient of hand outs instead of remaining a donor. The Talmud based this interpretation on the verse in Numbers 5,10, "a man's holy things will remain his." The child in our story had already recognised that in money matters, the apparent paradox is true., i.e miserliness results in loss of one's wealth. Generosity to the poor, on the other hand will result in increasing wealth. It is the acquisition of the good and moral characteristics that result in G'ds response, not the experiment to test G'ds keeping His promise. It also teaches that trying to hold on to one's money is no insurance against loss. The Midrash in Parshat Eykev describes Rabbi Pinchas as getting rid of the mice in a mice infested town by persuading the inhabitants to give their tithes. -lema-an tifmad le-yir-ah, in order that you may learn to fear. This mitzvah is designed to implant true yir-at shamayim, since the giving away of hard earned produce needs disciplining oneself, something that man can only achieve through steady habit. When the unexpected result is increased wealth instead of impoverishment, true faith in G'd will be acquired. The shemittah legislation (law to let your field lie fallow every seven years) follows, as well as the laws about not demanding repayment of overdue interest free loans which have been cancelled by the advent of the shemittah year. These are all additional demands made on the Jew to train him in the habit of foregoing what he might rightfully have considered his. Permission to charge gentiles interest on loans extended to them, and not to release overdue loans in the shemittah year, is a concession to our natural instincts. Only in this way can one prove one's restraint in money matters when dealing with a fellow Jew. There is, however, a proviso. Should you be afraid that the calls on your willingness to extend interest free loans will become too frequent, and will occur at times when the borrower can easily avail himself of the shemittah year cancelling his indebtednes to you, the Torah assures the potential lender "there will hardly be a destitute person since the Lord will bless you collectively." No one will be that destitute that he has to default on loans extended to him. Therefore, you will not really face any losses due to this legislation. In effect, therefore, what sounds at first glance like a colossal demand on our generosity, will in fact prove to be quite minor and insignificant. Therefore, the Torah continues "if you will listen," you will be in a position to extend loans to many nations, have spare capital that you can employ profitably. (2) "There will not cease to be destitutes in the land" This refers to gentiles, the ones to whom you can lend charging interest. . However, there will not be destitutes amongst you, meaning your own fellow Jews. "You will rule over many nations, and they will not rule over you." (15,6) If you have to assert your authority over your own people instead of asserting it over other nations, that is a tragedy, not a blessing. U-vecha lo yimsholu. The meaning of these words is "no overlordship of one Jew over another Jew." This is also the subject matter of the High Priest's prayer on the Day of Atonement when he enters the sanctuary. Details about the character building properties of the shemittah legislation, have been discussed in chapter sixty nine. All the examples the Torah lists in the event ki yihyeh becha evyon, if there is a destitute in your midst, are based on the assumption of ki yihyeh becha chet, if sin is rampant amongst you, if you are remiss in some way. Economic hardship amongst you is evidence of social wrongs being committed within your society, such as non observance of the shemittah legislation or the ma-asser legislation. Should you fail to respond to the request of the poor,- though he may not be in a position to demand something from you legally,- and should he complain to G'd about your attitude, about G'd having granted wealth to such tightfisted people, his plea will result in ve-hayah becha chet, sin will be found in you. You will then be to blame for the chilul hashem, desecration of the Lord's name by causing the poor to question G'ds justice! Therefore, the Torah urges you not only to give, but to give gladly! When the Torah says al yera levavcha betitcha lo, do not be displeased when you donate to him, this refers to those people to whom "giving" has not yet become a habit. After the third time, one establishes a habit, i.e. chazakah. The Talmud on this matter can be understood quite literally. The first donation, being an exceptional act, hardly counts in establishing a pattern of giving. The second donation may arouse feelings of displeasure. Only by the time one donates a third time, can the act be construed as truly positive, from a character building point of view. From that point on, the satisfaction felt when giving increases. See Chronicles I, 29, 9, "the people rejoiced when they donated." Since these actions are character building, the Torah says "for the sake of this thing the Lord will bless you in all your undertakings." (15,10) The word ma-assim, unless applied to specific actions, always means deeds that are character building, ki lo yechdal becha evyon, "for there will never be an absence of destitutes." The presence of the destitute enables the wealthy to improve his character. We observe many people who feel superior when they see a poor man in tattered clothing; people feel superior when they encounter someone of unbalanced mind. This is wrong, of course, and one way of curing a person from such a distorted viewpoint is to enjoin him to help the destitute in such manner as to bring him up to his own socio economic level. (dey machsoro, verse 8) One's attitude should not be one of revulsion at having to help an inferior person, and by so doing wiping out the social gap between him and you. The destitute gentile in your country then will be the catalyst that ensures that you do not allow a fellow Jew to fall into economic distress. If a situation has arisen however, when a fellow Jew has been sold into service to you, your treatment of him must demonstrate that you do not view him as inferior to you in any way. (Kidushim 15) He does nof receive inferior food, perform menial tasks, have inferior bedding, or even drink poorer quality wine. You also provide him with capital so that he can establish himself independently once his years in your employ are over. Since all this sounds quite demanding, the Torah adds a rationale. "Remember! you yourself used to be a slave in Egypt; the Lord your G'd freed you. Therefore, I can command you this matter this day!" (verse 15) The recollection of the Jewish experience in Egypt serves two purposes. 1) G'd who became your Master is entitled to order you to do the things that are easy as well as the ones that seem hard on you. 2) Your experience enables you to feel empathy with slaves and to understand their despair. This will help you to do what is asked of you. (3) If you treat the servant in the manner the Torah prescribes, he may at the end of the term of service have grown to love you, and be anxious to remain your servant for the rest of his life. If this thought prompted you to treat him so, remember you have to treat a servant maid in the same manner, although in her case, continued service in your household under such conditions is not permitted. (4) Whichever way things turn out, the end of the term of service should not become a source of bad feeling for you. Since a day labourer hires himself out only for the daylight hours, the night being completely his own, the situation of the servant who must remain in service during six years makes him subservient to you at nightime also. Should his employer call on him to perform certain tasks at night, the servant is obliged to do so. In this way the servant really rendered the master double the service of a hired hand, mishneh sechar sachir, that an ordinary labourer would render for that amount of pay. The passage commencing with verse nineteen, warns against abuses of the firstborn that can occur easily through oversight. Either the priest works the animal before he slaughters it, or the owner has worked it before handing it over to the priest. Other aspects of this passage have been dealt with on the occasion the subject had first come up. Ve-hayita ach sameach, be only joyful. The word "only" reveals that joy must not replace "fear," reverence, but that the two have to go hand in hand. The expression ach is always a limitation of some kind. The commandment of the pilgrimage to Jerusalem is to accomplish three purposes. 1) To thank G'd for our liberation from Egypt. 2) Renewed experience of the miracles constantly occurring in Jerusalem, which strengthen one's faith. 3) Strengthening the feeling of brotherhood among the entire nation. Socialising on joyous occasions helps reinforce this bond. This occurs in even greater degree every seven years at hak-hel, when not only the males but the entire nation meets in Jerusalem for the festival of sukkot, Tabernacles.