RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: NAKDIMON: CHARITY=SALT FOR WEALTH

 

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: NAKDIMON: CHARITY IS SALT FOR WEALTH

 

Jewish  Spiritual  Renewal:

 Derek  Eretz Zuta + Rabbah  :

Shabbat  11/5/11  

 

(aka  Derech  Eretz )

 

The JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL  class list is hosted by _Shamash:  The Jewish

Network_ (http://shamash.org/ )  a service of Hebrew  College/Yeshiva. 

 

Shalom  my dear Chaverim, Talmidim, v' Rabbanim, friends, students and

fellow rabbis: 

 

An oneg, joy-filled, Shabbat, Sabbath, this coming weekend and a belated happy Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan. 

 

 

We continue with our exploration into the Talmudic Tractates of Derek Eretz Zuta and Rabbah. (aka Derech Eretz Zuta, aka Derech Eretz Rabbah.  As was mentioned, zuta is Aramaic for 'small', and rabbah is  'large').

 

Remember that Derek Eretz is not about Jewish ritual. It is  about how we

are to treat one another and what traits of character, middot, we  are to try

to develop. The lessons are universal and ecumenical. The  development of

character traits and Jewish spiritual renewal  transformation is called 

Mussar.

 

For  those new to the class, Baruch ha Ba! Welcome! You can access last 

week's class at  Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL:JEWISH RENEWAL:DON'T CHARGE FOR TEACHING TORAH OR TALMUD or http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2011/10/rabbi-arthur-segaljewish-renewaldont_23.html.

 

From  here you will find links to preceding classes in this series. So, 

together we  continue:

 

TALMUD  BAVLI

 

TRACTATE  DEREK

 

ERETZ  ZUTA

 

(aka  Derech  Eretz)

 

Today we will continue wih CHAPTER 4 of  Talmud  Bavli Tractate Derek Eretz Zuta Verse3 4:3. 

 

''If you have done charity, be sure that you will be favored with money; and if it has been your good lot to acquire money, do charity with it so long as it is in your power. Give it to those who need it in this world, in order that you may get the world to come; for if you do not use it for charitable purposes, it will disappear suddenly,as it is written [Prov. xxiii. 5]: "When thou lettest merely thy eyes fly over it, it is no more." ''

Let us start with some definitions from translation. Charity or caritas means selfless love. It would be wonderful if we all helped one another because of selflessness. The best translation of his in Hebrew is Ahavath Chesed, loving kindness.

But when we read above, the rabbis, knowing most humans hearts, ask us to give to others for what are actually selfish, not selfless reasons. Tsadakkah, defined as righteousness, is the Hebrew word for what is used as charity. In a sense, Judaism believes in wealth redistribution, but, as we see in the verse, with some promise of gain.

I would much rather show you texts that we do have which explain that everything we have is a loan from God...that we gained nothing without God's aid. Since all is a loan, those loans are called occasionally when we need to help others. In fact the Talmud teaches us that if two beggars each have one coin each, each beggars should give the other his coin.

The spiritual aspects of the above help us in times of good as well as in times of not-so-good. We can live with more, we can live with less. We do our best, and do not get attached to results, as results are always in the realm of God.

But let us get back to the verse. If we give away money, money will eventually flow back to us. This is the Chesed Boomerang that Rabbi Doueck  writes about. When we spiritually understand that the money is just  a loan from G!d, and parting with some is not going to harm us, we loosen that tight fist we have hold on to our wallets.

When our hands relax and become open, we are able to receive more blessings from God. Its a spiritual truism. When a salesman goes out believing he has to make 'x' amount of sales, his pressure tactics and his angst is felt my others and no sales are made. But when he is relaxed, without this pressure, he comes across calmly, promotes his product wisely, and sales are made.

The verse then tells us that if we have gained some money, to give some of it to Tsadakkah. This seems to be a universal as when one sees game show contestants or lottery players win money, they usually, when asked, pledge some to help others.

But then the verse tells us if we use our money to help those in this world, we get the benefit of entrance into Olam Ha Ba, the world to come. Indeed we see this in our Yom Kippur liturgy that Tsadakkah and Chesed atone for our sins. As we have learned, they may help make us right with sins we did to God, but with sins we did to another human, we have to face-to-face make ourselves right with him/her.

Now the clincher at the end of the verse. If we do not use some of our money for Tsadakkah it will be taken from us. The Talmud elsewhere talks of Tsadakkah as being 'salt-preservative' for our wealth.

The following is told in the Talmud:

Rabbi Nakdimon ben Guryon was one of the 3 richest men in Jerusalem and helped support the Jews their during the Roman  occupation of Vespasian .  Yet we learn he lost everything.  His daughter was found picking barley seeds from the dung of Arab's donkeys because R. Nakdimon reneged on her dowry of one million gold dinars as he became impecunious.  (Talmud Bavli Tractate Ketuboth 66b)

 

She tells Rabbi Yochanan that charity is the salt, the preserver, of one's wealth.

 

She explained to a shocked R. Yochanan that her father when he walked from the Temple to his house and back, would have his servants, lay silk carpets along the streets for him to walk on.

 

As an act of Tsadakkah, R. Nakdimon, would then have his servants give the carpets to the poor.

 

The Gemorah chides R. Nakdimon  for doing this act out of glorification and for his own ego, and further, while he was very generous, for a man of his wealth, he could have given much more.

 

R. Yochanan  ben Zakkai then burst into tears, and said, "Happy are you, Israel. As long as you perform the will of God, no nation or people can rule over you. But when you fail to perform the will of God, you are delivered into the hands of a humiliating nation; and not only the hands of a humiliating nation, but also into the hands of the beasts of the humiliating nation."

 

While it is a mitzvah, a commandment, to give Tsadakkah, it is still better to give altruistically, and with ahavath chesed.

 

  

We discuss the middot, character traits, of Chesed and Tsadakkah,throughout the 

majority of chapters in  ''The  Handbook to Jewish Spiritual Renewal: A Path

of Transformation for the Modern  Jew'' '

(http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/ )  as well as in most chapters of ''A  Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to

the Torah and Talmud''   _

(http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/index.html#Compendium2 ) .

 

What are your ideas about ahavath chesed and tsadakkah following the advice set out in Derek  Eretz?  How has learning Talmud's Derek Eretz helped you in your 

interpersonal  relationships? How  has understanding the spiritual and ethical

teachings of  Judaism helped you live a more joyous life?

 

Next class, Baruch ha Shem, we will continue with Derek Eretz Zuta,

Chapter Four. Thank you for joining me.

 

For  those who want a d'var Torah on Parashot Lech Lecha from '''A  Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and  Talmud ''

(http://www.jewishspiritualrenewal.net/index.html#Compendium2 ) 

 

please  click  on: Rabbi Arthur Segal: RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL : CHUMASH CANDESCENCE: PARASHA LECH LECHA: GENESIS 12:01-17:27  or http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com/2008/02/chumash-candescence-parasha-lech-lecha.html

      

 

 

Shabbat Shalom:

 

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