מעשר כספים

Rav Avraham Yosef, the son of Rav Ovadia זצ״ל, made an interesting observation regarding מעשר כספים, the obligation to give one tenth of our income to צדקה.Although there are three opinions on the subject, Torah obligation, rabbinic obligation, or custom, Rav Yosef emphatically claims it is a rabbinic obligation for the simple reason that the מעשר that we take for fruits and vegetables, are also rabbinic nowadays. When the majority of Jews were farmers, the tithing was taken from crops. For others whose income may have come from commerce, the מעשר was paid with money.Rav Yosef goes on to say that because it is rabbinical, families who are struggling and have difficulty in "finishing the month", they should view their charity as supporting the members of their households. They do not need to give outside of their homes.The obligation to give ten or even twenty per cent of income, applies only to those who can afford it. His opinion makes sense and is worth sharing. But, on the other hand, we should bear in mind the importance of charity and the power it gives. The rabbis say, צדקה תציל ממות, charity saves one from death.One needs to do careful soul searching to be certain that this Mitzva is not taken lightly.

ערלה

We came across some interesting details about the Mitzva of ערלה in our Talmud class today. It is well known that we must wait three years before the fruit of a newly planted tree may be eaten.What is not so well known is how to calculate these three years. The Halacha is that the counting goes from Rosh Hashana. This means that as long as a tree was planted thirty days before Rosh Hashana, it counts as one year. Therefore, the shortest amount of time to eat from the fruit of a new tree would be twenty five months.The longest amount of time would theoretically be thirty six months and twenty nine days.This thirty days before Rosh Hashana rule also applies to the year of Shmitta. If planting took place thirty or more days before Rosh Hashana that would begin the Shmitta year, the planting would be considered a sixth year planting. If planting took place less than thirty days before, it would be viewed as seventh year planting, which is forbidden. In such a case, whatever was planted would have to be uprooted. Interesting Halacha.

Rebuke Brings Peace

Shavua Tov. One final message from the Parsha from the של״ה הקודש. There is a Pasuk that says והוכיח יצחק את אבימלך, that Yitzchak rebuked Avimelech about the wells that belonged to Yitzchak that Avimelech filled up.This section is followed by a treaty that followed between them. From here the Rabbis learn that תוכחה מביא לידי שלום, that sincere rebuke leads to peace. It's preferred that when someone wrongs us that we not keep this to ourselves, but let the other side know what they've done.This is especially true when the wrong done is caused by monetary loss, bodily harm or shaming. One of the classic brilliant remarks made by Shlomo Hamelech in Mishlei is, "Rebuke a wise man and you gain a friend. Rebuke a fool, and you gain an enemy."Pirkei Avot also lists אהוב את התוכחות, loving rebuke, as one of the forty eight ways to acquire the Torah.

Outsmarting Eisav

The story of Yakov taking the Bracha from Eisav is one of the more puzzling stories in the Torah. And despite this incident, we say תתן אמת ליעקב, that Yakov stands out for his truthfulness.The של״ה הקדוש tries to explain this from a more mystical level in terms of how Eisav represented the קליפה and the pollution brought into the world by the snake. The snake is known for its trickery and deceit. Yakov had to defeat the evil of Eisav with some trickery of his own.Another explanation comes from the Tehillim and the Book of Shmuel. There is a clear recommendation that one has to know what he's dealing with. If one's interaction is with a Tzaddik, he could let down his guard and be totally open. But when dealing with an evil crook like Eisav, you have to outsmart him as Yakov did. Shabbat Shalom

מאה שערים

There is an interesting Pasuk in this week's Parsha, תולדות. Speaking of Yitzchak's tremendous wealth it says, "וימצא בשנה ההיא מאה שערים", that he found that year 100 measures. (The word שער can mean "gate" or "measure" as in שער יציג).The Midrash says that Yitzchak received 100 times more than what was reasonably expected. The Torah bothered to give a measurement in order to tell us that the Patriarchs were careful to set the example of giving tithes or a tenth of their earnings.Avraham gave 10% to מלכי צדק who was referred to as a כהן. (The של״ה הקודש claims that אהרון הכהן was a reincarnation of מלכי צדק). Yaakov made a pledge to Hashem that he would give מעשר, or a tenth of what he received. And Yitzchak carefully measured his harvest to be sure that he gave his מעשר.The message here is to emphasize the importance of giving our own מעשר to צדקה. We see from Yitzchak the abundant blessings that are received because of the fulfillment of this difficult Mitzva.

מאה שעריםThere is an interesting Pasuk in this week's Parsha, תולדות. Speaking of Yitzchak's tremendous wealth it says, "וימצא בשנה ההיא מאה שערים", that he found that year 100 measures. (The word שער can mean "gate" or "measure" as in שער יציג).The Midrash says that Yitzchak received 100 times more than what was reasonably expected. The Torah bothered to give a measurement in order to tell us that the Patriarchs were careful to set the example of giving tithes or a tenth of their earnings.Avraham gave 10% to מלכי צדק who was referred to as a כהן. (The של״ה הקודש claims that אהרון הכהן was a reincarnation of מלכי צדק). Yaakov made a pledge to Hashem that he would give מעשר, or a tenth of what he received. And Yitzchak carefully measured his harvest to be sure that he gave his מעשר.The message here is to emphasize the importance of giving our own מעשר to צדקה. We see from Yitzchak the abundant blessings that are received because of the fulfillment of this difficult Mitzva.

שכל and יצר

The ספר הישר of Rabbeinu Tam speaks of the war between the יצר הרע and one's שכל. Sometimes we use the word שכל to mean common sense but here it means more in that the שכל if used properly will help a person make the right choices.Rabbeinu Tam is reminding us that the יצר and the שכל are two powerful sources within every human being. The struggle between the two is described as an all out war. We should never give ourselves the credit for overcoming the יצר.It is Hashem's kindness that allows us to be victorious over the יצר. It is likely that Hashem sees how hard we are trying to walk in His ways and may appreciate the acts of kindness that we do for others that gives the שכל the edge in this battle.Humility is the key in every situation and without Hashem's love and direction, we would not succeed.It is even written that Rabbi Akiva could also have fallen with the other three rabbis that entered the Pardes. Only because of Hashem's mercy, was he able to come out unscathed.

More on Laziness

We mentioned the problem of עצלות or laziness as a major obstacle in the performance of Mitzvot. We also defined זריזות or alacrity as the opposite positive trait to laziness.The Orchot Tzaddikim describes the עצלן as the master of making excuses to get out of doing things that he knows he ought to do. One of his best excuses is that there are others that are lazier than him, so considering everything, he's not so bad.A person must take hold of himself to be self motivated. Many shy away from a religious way of life because they don't have the proper discipline.The Orchot Tzaddikim says that one can direct his laziness in a positive way. If he is being enticed to do a sin, or to go somewhere that he knows is bad for him, that's the time to use laziness skills to prevent oneself from doing the wrong thing.If the rabbis wrote so much about laziness, then it must be something to be very much aware of.

חברון

The importance of the city of Chevron is wmphasized in פרשת חיי שרה. It is the second holiest city in Israel and the first area that was purchased by a Jew, Avraham Avinu.Avraham understood that there was something special about this city as it was the gateway to the Garden of Eden. He was offered it as a gift but insisted on paying an exorbitant amount so that it was known that it belonged to the Jews.The Midrash says that Adam and Eve felt they were unworthy to be buried together with such special people as Avraham and Sarah. The latter appeased Adam and Eve and assured them they would be good neighbors in eternity.Every morning in the Beit Hamikdash, the Kohanim looked to the south to Chevron, to see the first signs of morning. When they did, they shouted the word, "Barkai" to announce the morning. Chevron was and is a very special place, indeed.

Sarah's Fulfilled Life

Shavua Tov. There is an interesting explanation to the death of שרה אמינו. Most commentators connect her death to עקידת יצחק and the grief she felt caused her soul to leave her.Another way of looking at this episode was that the Akeida was the very incident that gave Sarah, the ultimate satisfaction and contentment as a Jewish mother.The goal of every Jew is to raise their children and grandchildren in the way of Judaism according to the example they set and the values they instill in them. This is a lifelong task that is usually never completely fulfilled.In Sarah's case, Yitzchak was everything she had in terms of the future. When she heard of her son's incredible faith and willingness to sanctify Hashem's name at the Akeida, her life was done. Yitzchak had surpassed her in a way beyond anything she could have taught him. She died a happy woman.We should follow Sarah's example of making it our biggest priority to never stop trying to teach our children right from wrong, holy from profane, and important from unimportant. Hopefully, our children will listen and glean from our wisdom and experience.

פרשת חיי שרה

Parshat חיי שרה speaks of the tragic death of שרה אמנו. The main explanation is that her soul left her when she heard of עקידת יצחק. She is praised for her modesty, humility, and saintliness.There are two unusual Midrashim related to this Parsha. One speaks of the special magical trees that surrounded Avraham Avinu's tent. The trees told Avraham if the people who sat under the tree were righteous or not. If they were righteous, the tree spread open its branches. If they were not, the tree contracted. This is why the angels were asked to sit under the tree so that Avraham could check them out.The other Midrash had to do with Lavan's blessing to Rivka. When he told her אחותינו, את היי לאלפי רבבה, that she should be the mother of tens of thousands, he really intended the descendants of עשו as well. Eisav's descendants are referred to as אלוף, which instead of referring to generals, it means that thousands descended from Eisav, just as Lavan hoped. Shabbat Shalom

Embracing Judaism

The ספר הישר makes an interesting analogy between beginning a new career and embracing Judaism. There are similar pitfalls and obstacles that need to be overcome in order to achieve success.In both situations, it is essential to focus on the goal. With a job, one needs to be reminded constantly of the ultimate potential that this particular work can lead to. It could be financial independence, or satisfaction and enjoyment at what one is doing. There could even be the feeling that the world could be a better place because of what this career choice can bring.With Judaism, the focus would be on spiritual contentment and a sense of purpose in knowing that an individual is taking his rightful place among the Jewish people.The other similarity mentioned by Rabbeinu Tam is how to deal with the frustrations along the way. If the career choice required an investment of many years, there will be obstacles. Perhaps the long hours involved or the fact that it's taking longer than one thought might make one want to quit.With Judaism as well, many find the change in lifestyle to be difficult. They may despair of ever reaching that level of peace of mind.In both situations, the worst thing to do is quit. When frustration is at its peak, do not disconnect completely. Maybe lightening one's load for a while might help. After this slight break, one will be able to come back with renewed vigor, where now all of the goals will be met. In other words, when one feels a sense of "burnout", ease up a bit and then try again.More sage advice from a great sage.

Sleep and Laziness

The ארחות צדיקים devotes an entire chapter to the subject of laziness. Often laziness can become a serious obstacle towards achieving one's goals. The lazy person is expert at finding excuses to avoid doing what he needs to do.It is most interesting that the ארחות צדיקים says that there is a connection between laziness and sleep. The best way to hide from responsibilities is to convince oneself how tired he is and how badly he needs rest. Sleep begins to be an obsession.On the other side of the coin, you have a person who is filled with energy and motivation. He often pushes himself further than his own limitations. He tends not to look after himself as he should. For him, sleep is a necessity because he probably doesn't get enough.But for the lazy person, sleep is a huge hindrance. This is another example of the wisdom of the rabbis and their keen insights to human nature.

Categorizing Mitzvot

The Rambam gives very definite guidelines as to how we are to know which Mitzvot are part of the 613 and which are not. He claims that there is great ignorance regarding the way to categorize the various commandments.One such mistake comes from the specific blessings known as ברכות המצוות. It is only logical to assume that if a ברכה begins with the words, אשר קדשנו במצוותיו, where we bless Hashem for sanctifying us with His Mitzvot, that we are speaking of a Torah Mitzva and one of the 613.This is not always the case. For example, we use this format for saying Hallel or lighting Shabbat candles or Chanukah candles or reading the Megillah on Purim. We even use it when we wash our hands.All of these are rabbinical laws but we say אשר קדשנו במצוותיו, because we are following the Torah commandment to listen to the teachings of the rabbis.Being able to properly organize and categorize is important for us to be able to know how to prioritize the various Mitzvot.

עקידת יצחק

There are many mystical explanations to עקדת יצחק, the binding of Isaac. The של״ה הקודש describes intense crying by both Avraham and Yitzchak.The whole incident was instigated by the שטן who challenged Avraham's dedication to Hashem now that he finally had a son. The tragedy of the whole episode led to the death of Sarah Imeinu.The one who was affected the most by the Akeida was Yitzchak. Some opinions say that he actually died and was brought back to life, while others say that that he was transformed into a different type of being. The holiness was like Adam before the sin.He was referred to as an עולה תמימה, a holy sacrifice. A man who achieved that level of holiness was not allowed to leave Eretz Yisrael.The Akeida stands out as the outstanding episode of faith and devotion that has brought great merit. Therefore, we read it daily in our morning prayers.

Lessons from פרשת וירא

The של״ה הקודש lists certain lessons to be learned from פרשת וירא. Here are a few:When one does a favor for someone as Avraham did for the angels, he should make the recipient feel that it is actually HE that is doing the favor.Avraham fulfilled the Mishna in Pirkei Avot, אמור מעט ועשה הרבה, "Say a little. Do a lot." He told the angels he was giving them a little bread. His meal was a feast.It is important to have good manners in someone else's home. The angels pretended to eat in order to be good guests.And lastly, a father should write written instructions for his children to read after his death as to how to lead their lives. We learn this when Hashem says that He knows what Avraham will instruct his children.Interesting and practical lessons from a very holy rabbi. Shavua Tov

פרשת וירא

There are two ideas to share from פרשת וירא. The first is learned from Avraham Avinu and the manner in which he prayed for Sdom and Amora. We learn from this that we are never supposed to pray that our adversaries or those that cause us grief should perish. Even for the biggest רשעים, we should sincerely pray that they do Teshuva. This is not always easy to do but something to strive towards.We also learn from Yitzchak how because of the merits of the Akeida he was the only one of the Patriarchs who was able to save עם ישראל. There is a Midrash that says that Hashem turned to all three of the Avot and told them that בני ישראל had sinned and they needed to be destroyed. Yitzchak's successful argument that saved the nation was that he said to Hashem, "But they're your children, too." Important messages from the Parsha. Shabbat Shalom

Maintaining Our Faith

Continuing with the ספר הישר from yesterday, a further clarification is in order. If an individual is seeking truth and he is convinced of the truth of the Torah, which he would now like to begin observing, Rabbeinu Tam suggests two preliminary ideas before commencing with actual observance.He first gives a list of fourteen items that are potential pitfalls that might prevent this newfound observance from coming to fruition. He includes such obstacles as lust, anger, bad choice of friends as examples in this category.The second category are a list of things to be aware of that will help maintain this new observance. His advice here would be to study Torah on a regular basis. Or, to read stories of heroism and faith that shows Hashem's special bond with the Jewish people. And a third example would be to concentrate when one prays.There are many examples in both categories but the ones mentioned are to show how our sages tried to help their students keep their direction and grow in spirituality.

Breaking Bad Habits

The book ספר הישר, written by Rabbeinu Tam, the grandson of Rashi, has some unique insights into human nature. He is very much in tune with human failings and the difficulties that people need to overcome.An example given by ספר הישר refers to a person who is convinced of the truth of the Torah and he wants to begin observing Mitzvot diligently. He even learns about all of the pitfalls that could turn a person away from observance. He is now completely ready to start his spiritual, observant life.Rabbeinu Tam points out that his next major obstacle is to break his previous bad habits. Discipline and creating new good habits, is very hard to attain. So many people want to do the right thing but are so fixed in their ways that they are unable to make the changes they desire.The suggestion is to first get psyched up to make the transition and then resolve to discipline oneself. This can lead to success in one's spiritual mission.

Two Aspects of Shabbat

Regarding the laws of Shabbat, it is often overlooked that there are two aspects to these laws. The first are the 39 מלאכות that are learned from the construction of the Mishkan. These carry with it very severe punishments from the Torah. One can get סקילה if warned and כרת if not warned and a קרבן חטאת if violated accidentally.The other aspect of laws is learned from Isaiah 58 where the words אם תשיב משבת רגלך come into play. This refers to the idea that our overall demeanor is meant to be different from the other days of the week. The way we walk and the topics of conversation and the emphasis on even having our animals rest, falls under this category. This is where we learn the idea of not doing things that are not "in the spirit" of Shabbat.