בִּצְדָקָ֖ה תִּכּוֹנָ֑נִי רַחֲקִ֤י מֵעֹ֙שֶׁק֙ כִּֽי־לֹ֣א תִירָ֔אִי וּמִ֨מְּחִתָּ֔ה כִּ֥י לֹֽא־תִקְרַ֖ב אֵלָֽיִךְ׃
אױף גערעכטיקײט װעסטו אױפֿגעשטעלט װערן; זײַ װײַט פֿון דריקונג, װאָרום דאַרפֿסט ניט מורא האָבן, און פֿון אַ בראָך, װאָרום ער װעט ניט גענענען צו דיר.
Or HaChaim
We may also approach this verse from a different perspective. Zohar Chadash on Noach discussing Genesis 8,8, states in the name of Rabbi Eliezer that if the leaders of one synagogue or one entire congregation were to become true penitents the Messiah would arrive immediately. Accordingly we must understand the word אביון as anyone who yearns for אחד שעריך, "one of your congregations" becoming true penitents. When this happens the "destitute" Messiah will be able to fulfil his desire to arrive joyfully. The Torah writes בארצך "in your land," in order to define the place the Messiah yearns for "the land which the Lord your G'd is about to give you." He is anxious to find out when תפקוד העיר היונה חמדת הלבבות, "the city of the dove will be redeemed," the city to which all hearts aspire (compare Tzefaniah 3,1). G'd commands all of Israel לא תאמץ את לבבך ולא תקפץ את אחיך האביון "not to be stubborn but to do everything to help your brother, the destitute one," i.e. the Messiah to realise his ambition. The single most potent מצוה which will hasten the arrival of the Messiah is charity as we have been taught in Isaiah 54,14: בצדקה תכונני, "you shall be established through righteousness." The paragraph concludes with the words מאחיך האביון, "from your brother who is destitute," referring to the cause of why your brother the Messiah is destitute, unable to realise his mission.
Rabbeinu Bahya
יברכך ה' אלו-היך, “the Lord your G’d will bless you;” the Torah set aside a special blessing for people who perform the commandment of being charitable. Solomon went so far as to say (Proverbs 11,24) “some people, though they appear to be wasteful with their money actually increase their wealth.” I want to urge you to appreciate another important principle concerning this most important and noble commandment which we have inherited already from our patriarch Avraham. He provided the foundation for the organized giving of charity and its mystical dimension.
We must appreciate that poor people, by reason of their dissatisfaction “spread around” the presence of the attribute of Justice so that it is poised over Israel ready to strike. This is what the psalm 102,1 תפלה לעני, “prayer of the poor,” is all about. The very word תפלה [as opposed to תחנה, בקשה and similar words, Ed.] represents a struggle, a wrangling. It has a negative connotation, is used when two litigants strive against one another. This is what prompted the sages to say that a poor man is considered like a dead man (Nedarim 64). The wealthy man, by contrast, spreads around the attribute of Mercy seeing wherever he goes he reflects blessings received. He may be compared to the sun which enables the moon to at least shine with reflected light. He who dispenses charity is as if illuminating the eyes of the poor when the latter receives his blessing through the rich man. This is why the Torah warns that all the paths of Torah should be paths of loveliness and peace, that people who claim to be Torah-oriented should practice the virtues associated with Torah, and by giving charity in the manner prescribed enable the attribute of Mercy to abound on earth. By doing so he will ensure that the attribute of Mercy at least becomes an integral part of the attribute of Justice which is already poised. This is what ensures the continued existence of the universe. The world cannot exist unless both these attributes are working side by side (Bereshit Rabbah 12,15).
You are aware (of the kabbalistic concept) that the performance of acts of charity on earth will have impact on the attribute tzedek in the celestial regions. According to Zohar Bechukotai 113 the tree of knowledge represents death whereas the tree of life represents life. Giving charity (for the right reasons) saves from the clutches of death and results in the opposing forces of צדק and מלכות being able to function together in harmony for the benefit of all of mankind. Isaiah 1,21 speaks of צדק ילין בה the attribute צדק which once resided in Jerusalem being replaced through the murders committed in that city. The prophet tells the people how to rectify this situation where the Shechinah cannot feel at home anymore in Jerusalem, saying בצדק תכנני “you can be rehabilitated through charity.” (Isaiah 54,14). This attribute צדק is mystically identified with the כנסת ישראל, the spiritual concept of “Israel.” It is also the “mate” of the “Sabbath” (compare Bereshit Rabbah 11,9). All of the above explains Moses’ concern with warning the people to be concerned with fulfilling this מצוה very meticulously.
If someone gives charity on earth he influences the relative position of the emanation צדק=מלכות, bringing it closer to the emanation צדקה=רחמים or vice versa. Concerning this phenomenon we must understand the statement by the Kabbalists that גדולה צדקה לשמה, “that charity when performed for the appropriate reasons is a great thing.” They meant that the emanation חסד also known as גדולה will pour out blessing on the terrestrial part of the universe, i.e. the emanation מלכות. In Psalms 119,48 David phrased this as ואשא כפי אל מצותיך אשר אהבתי, “I stretch out my palms to fulfill Your commandments (charity) which I love.”
We must appreciate that poor people, by reason of their dissatisfaction “spread around” the presence of the attribute of Justice so that it is poised over Israel ready to strike. This is what the psalm 102,1 תפלה לעני, “prayer of the poor,” is all about. The very word תפלה [as opposed to תחנה, בקשה and similar words, Ed.] represents a struggle, a wrangling. It has a negative connotation, is used when two litigants strive against one another. This is what prompted the sages to say that a poor man is considered like a dead man (Nedarim 64). The wealthy man, by contrast, spreads around the attribute of Mercy seeing wherever he goes he reflects blessings received. He may be compared to the sun which enables the moon to at least shine with reflected light. He who dispenses charity is as if illuminating the eyes of the poor when the latter receives his blessing through the rich man. This is why the Torah warns that all the paths of Torah should be paths of loveliness and peace, that people who claim to be Torah-oriented should practice the virtues associated with Torah, and by giving charity in the manner prescribed enable the attribute of Mercy to abound on earth. By doing so he will ensure that the attribute of Mercy at least becomes an integral part of the attribute of Justice which is already poised. This is what ensures the continued existence of the universe. The world cannot exist unless both these attributes are working side by side (Bereshit Rabbah 12,15).
You are aware (of the kabbalistic concept) that the performance of acts of charity on earth will have impact on the attribute tzedek in the celestial regions. According to Zohar Bechukotai 113 the tree of knowledge represents death whereas the tree of life represents life. Giving charity (for the right reasons) saves from the clutches of death and results in the opposing forces of צדק and מלכות being able to function together in harmony for the benefit of all of mankind. Isaiah 1,21 speaks of צדק ילין בה the attribute צדק which once resided in Jerusalem being replaced through the murders committed in that city. The prophet tells the people how to rectify this situation where the Shechinah cannot feel at home anymore in Jerusalem, saying בצדק תכנני “you can be rehabilitated through charity.” (Isaiah 54,14). This attribute צדק is mystically identified with the כנסת ישראל, the spiritual concept of “Israel.” It is also the “mate” of the “Sabbath” (compare Bereshit Rabbah 11,9). All of the above explains Moses’ concern with warning the people to be concerned with fulfilling this מצוה very meticulously.
If someone gives charity on earth he influences the relative position of the emanation צדק=מלכות, bringing it closer to the emanation צדקה=רחמים or vice versa. Concerning this phenomenon we must understand the statement by the Kabbalists that גדולה צדקה לשמה, “that charity when performed for the appropriate reasons is a great thing.” They meant that the emanation חסד also known as גדולה will pour out blessing on the terrestrial part of the universe, i.e. the emanation מלכות. In Psalms 119,48 David phrased this as ואשא כפי אל מצותיך אשר אהבתי, “I stretch out my palms to fulfill Your commandments (charity) which I love.”
Rabbeinu Bahya
והנה נשחתה, “and here it had become corrupt, etc.” What precisely did this “corruption” consist of? כי השחית כל בשר את דרכו על הארץ, “for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.” They were all destroying their own seed. They did not want to procreate and used sexual union for pleasure only. This is what is meant by Isaiah 57,5 שוחטי הילדים, “the ones who slaughter the children.” Our sages (Niddah 13) comment on this that a preferable reading to the word שוחטי would be סוחטי, i.e. they squeezed out their semen before impregnating their wives. Seeing that they had become guilty of destroying semen which becomes a fetus after forty days, they were punished with a deluge which poured rain on them for forty days (based on Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer chapter 22).
Actually, the people of that time were guilty of four sins: 1) idolatry; 2) sexual licentiousness including incest; 3) murder; 4) gratuitous violence. The reason for the forty days of rain may be broken down as follows: thirty days of continuous rain descended because of their idolatry, i.e. the worshiped the sun for thirty days; however seeing the sun’s influence on earth commences already five days before it becomes visible to us and it continues for five days after it has ceased to be visible, it was proper that they be punished on account of sun-worship for forty days. Whatever is true of the visible effect of the sun as well as its invisible effect, applies equally to the stars so that in respect of every form of worship of celestial constellations the number forty represented מדה כנגד מדה, “the punishment fitted the crime.” Similar considerations apply to the sin of sexual licentiousness and murder as in both instances the gestation period of the human being was forty days before it became a real fetus. As to the violence, their fourth sin, the number forty is appropriate for the duration of the days of rain as the Torah containing this legislation was given to Moses after he had spent forty days on Mount Sinai.
This sin of corruption did not only include human beings but it had also corrupted the behaviour of the animals. This is why our sages (Sanhedrin 108) explained ברותחין קלקלו וברותחין נדונו, “the ones who had become guilty of wasting hot semen were punished by a deluge of hot water.” This fact is based on a similarity of the words וחמת המלך שככה, and the king’s anger “cooled off,” and the words used at the end of the deluge in 8,1 וישכו המים, “and the waters cooled off.”
As to the line ותשחת הארץ לפני האלוקים, “the earth had become corrupt in the presence of G-d,” this is a reference to the idolatry practiced by man. The Torah alluded to then fact that the sins of mankind included both trespasses against G-d as well as trespasses against society. They corrupted religion and they corrupted the basics of procreation. These latter sins also included indiscriminate robbery amongst the people. The Torah refers to this by writing ותמלא הארץ, “the earth became filled with violence,” and the repetition כי מלאה הארץ חמס. Seeing that the Torah reports G-d’s decision to bring on the deluge in connection with the report of the violence it is clear that this sin weighed most heavily and that the decree to destroy mankind was not sealed until G-d had reviewed the indiscriminate violence on earth (compare Sanhedrin 108). We find support for this view in two verses in the Book of Isaiah. In Isaiah 54,14 we read רחקי מעושק כי לא תיראי וממחתה כי לא תקרב אליך. “You shall keep away from oppression (do not engage in it) and you shall have no fear, and from ruin and it shall not come near you.” The same prophet had said a few verses earlier (verse 9) כי מי נח זאת לי, “that this is like the deluge to Me, etc.” In other words the prophet (in the name of G-d) warns the people that the deluge had been due to the violence and oppression practiced by people against each other. The reason that this was the “straw that broke the camel’s back,” i.e. the most critical sin was that it is a trespass against common sense. If there were no G-d at all, mankind would have to legislate laws controlling violence as otherwise civilisation would collapse of its own. A society which did not even observe such a code flaws could not expect to endure.
Actually, the people of that time were guilty of four sins: 1) idolatry; 2) sexual licentiousness including incest; 3) murder; 4) gratuitous violence. The reason for the forty days of rain may be broken down as follows: thirty days of continuous rain descended because of their idolatry, i.e. the worshiped the sun for thirty days; however seeing the sun’s influence on earth commences already five days before it becomes visible to us and it continues for five days after it has ceased to be visible, it was proper that they be punished on account of sun-worship for forty days. Whatever is true of the visible effect of the sun as well as its invisible effect, applies equally to the stars so that in respect of every form of worship of celestial constellations the number forty represented מדה כנגד מדה, “the punishment fitted the crime.” Similar considerations apply to the sin of sexual licentiousness and murder as in both instances the gestation period of the human being was forty days before it became a real fetus. As to the violence, their fourth sin, the number forty is appropriate for the duration of the days of rain as the Torah containing this legislation was given to Moses after he had spent forty days on Mount Sinai.
This sin of corruption did not only include human beings but it had also corrupted the behaviour of the animals. This is why our sages (Sanhedrin 108) explained ברותחין קלקלו וברותחין נדונו, “the ones who had become guilty of wasting hot semen were punished by a deluge of hot water.” This fact is based on a similarity of the words וחמת המלך שככה, and the king’s anger “cooled off,” and the words used at the end of the deluge in 8,1 וישכו המים, “and the waters cooled off.”
As to the line ותשחת הארץ לפני האלוקים, “the earth had become corrupt in the presence of G-d,” this is a reference to the idolatry practiced by man. The Torah alluded to then fact that the sins of mankind included both trespasses against G-d as well as trespasses against society. They corrupted religion and they corrupted the basics of procreation. These latter sins also included indiscriminate robbery amongst the people. The Torah refers to this by writing ותמלא הארץ, “the earth became filled with violence,” and the repetition כי מלאה הארץ חמס. Seeing that the Torah reports G-d’s decision to bring on the deluge in connection with the report of the violence it is clear that this sin weighed most heavily and that the decree to destroy mankind was not sealed until G-d had reviewed the indiscriminate violence on earth (compare Sanhedrin 108). We find support for this view in two verses in the Book of Isaiah. In Isaiah 54,14 we read רחקי מעושק כי לא תיראי וממחתה כי לא תקרב אליך. “You shall keep away from oppression (do not engage in it) and you shall have no fear, and from ruin and it shall not come near you.” The same prophet had said a few verses earlier (verse 9) כי מי נח זאת לי, “that this is like the deluge to Me, etc.” In other words the prophet (in the name of G-d) warns the people that the deluge had been due to the violence and oppression practiced by people against each other. The reason that this was the “straw that broke the camel’s back,” i.e. the most critical sin was that it is a trespass against common sense. If there were no G-d at all, mankind would have to legislate laws controlling violence as otherwise civilisation would collapse of its own. A society which did not even observe such a code flaws could not expect to endure.