Parshas Re'eh 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Aug 22
- 2 min read
כי לא יחדל אביון מקרב הארץ על כן אנכי מצוך לאמר פתח תפתח את ידך ... (טו-יא)
Rashi explains that in commanding us to give Tzedakah, the posuk is also giving us an eitzah tovah, a good piece of advice. For as the posuk states in Tehillim )49:1718( "אל תירא כי יעשיר איש... לא ירד אחריו כבוד" - a person's wealth does not go with him to the Next World; the only currency there is the Torah he learned and the mitzvos he performed in his lifetime. Thus, ironically, it is only the money that he gives away that he gets to "keep" forever. This is the good advice that the pasuk offers, that we should open our hands to give to Tzedakah so that we may truly retain our wealth both in this world and the next.
This concept is illustrated with the following story: The great leader of Spanish Jewry, Rav Shmuel HaNagid zt"l (933-1055), served the local ruler as the Vizier of the Moslem kingdom of Granada. The story is told that one time, Rav Shmuel and the Moslem king were sitting together, having a friendly discussion, when the ruler inquired as to his net worth. Rav Shmuel replied that he would need a few minutes to calculate the value of all his vast assets, and the king waited patiently until he was done. After a few short minutes, he looked up and nodded.
"So, according to my calculations, it comes out to one hundred thousand gold coins," Rav Shmuel said demurely.
The Moslem king looked at him askance. "Come now, Rabi Shmuel. Don't insult my intelligence. You have many properties, vineyards, orchards, olive presses... that amount must only be but a fraction of the worth of your assets!"
Rav Shmuel smiled at the Moslem king, and answered, "Your Highness, I speak the truth. All the riches and assets that you speak of, I don't really consider them to be mine, as there is no guarantee that they won't be taken from me at any time. The only money that I consider truly mine is that which I give to Tzedakah, to charity, because only those assets are the ones which I will possess for eternity!"