Excerpt Browser

This page displays the full text of excerpts.  When viewing a single excerpt, its “Share,” “Switch Article,” and “Comment” functions are accessible.

DEUTERONOMY — 15:8 open

DEUT745 It is a positive commandment to give charity to the poor in Jewry as Scripture states, You shall surely open your hand, etc. [this verse]; and the Sages of blessed memory interpreted (Sifri, ad loc.): "you shall surely open" -- even many times [when necessary]. And Scripture states further, then you shall uphold him, the stranger and the sojourner [which means one who accepted the seven commandments and imposed on all the descendants of Noah--that we have duty to sustain him] that he may live along with you (Va-yikra 25:35). And it is further stated, that your brother may live along with you (ibid. 36). One has to give according to what is suitable for the needy man and according to what he is lacking. If he has no clothing, he has to be clothed, and so provided with other things that he needs. If the donor's means are not enough, he has to give him as he is able to; and even a poor man who is sustained by charity has a duty to give charity to someone else. A poor man who is related to him takes precedence over everyone else. The poor of one's house takes precedence over the poor of his town; the poor of his town have precedence over the poor of another town--for Scripture says, you shall surely open your hand to your brother, your poor man, and to your needy person in your land (D'varim 15:11). If someone sees a penniless person seeking alms and he hides his eye from him and gives him no charity, he disobeys a positive commandment and violates a negative one [D'varim 15:9). This is a very severe transgression, and he is called a scoundrel, a sinner and a wicked person. We are duty-bound to be more careful about the mitzvah of charity than about all the other positive commandments: for charity is a distinguishing characteristic of the descendants of Abraham. The throne of Jewry is not properly established, nor can the faith of truth endure, except through charity; for Scripture says, Zion shall be redeemed with Judgment, and those of her that return, with charity (Yesha'yahu 1:27). So if anyone is merciless, his lineage has to be suspected; for the cruel lack of mercy is found only among the heathen, as Scripture says (Yirmeyahu 50:42). All members of Jewry are as brothers, however: as Scripture says, You are the children of Hashem your God (D'varim 14:1); and if a person won't have compassion on his own brother, who will take pity on him? To whom should the poor in Jewry lift up their eyes beseeching help -- to the heathen who hate them and persecute them? So their eyes only look to their brethren. Now, it is necessary to give charity with a cheerful face, happily. Nothing bad ever results from charity. No one becomes poor from giving it; as Scripture says, the work of righteousness shall be peace (Yesha'yahu 32:17). It is necessary to calm and cheer a poor man with words, and it is forbidden to rebuke him or raise one's voice to him in shouting, because his heart is broken. And woe to anyone who shames a poor man. If a person coerces (persuades) others to give charity, his reward is greater than the reward of the one who gives. And whoever acts with compassion will be treated with compassion; as Scripture says, He shall show you mercy and have compassion upon you, and shall multiply you (D'varim 13:18). As for redeeming people in captivity, there is no greater religious duty than that. Whoever hides his eye from that transgresses many positive and negative commandments.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUTERONOMY — 16:14 rejoice

DEUT832 It is a positive commandment to be happy on the festivals as Scripture says, and you shall rejoice in your festival [this verse]. When the Sanctuary was in existence, the rejoicing was that a sh'lamim (peace offering) was brought in addition to the festival sh'lamim; and this was called the sh'lamim of rejoicing; and women were also obligated in this joy. At the present time, though, happiness is only through meat and wine. Then one has a duty to make his wife happy with pretty clothing, and to distribute sweet tidbits to the members of his household; and he is also obligated to make the poor people happy. If someone does not bring happiness to any poor people, his is no rejoicing in a mitzvah but only the joy of his belly; and a joy like that is a disgrace for him; as Scripture says, and I will spread dung upon your face is, the very dung of your festival (Malachi 2:3). Now, even though eating and drinking on the religious holidays is part of the positive commandment, one should not spend a long time with wine, amusement and frivolity, since that is wild foolishness and silly behavior, whereas we were commanded only about rejoicing that contains in it the worship of the blessed God; and it is impossible to worship Hashem amid unbridled amusement, frivolity or drunkenness, but only amid the happiness of a mitzvah. The happiness that a person enjoys while doing a mitzvah is a great form of worship.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUTERONOMY — 19:14 boundary

DEUT945 It is a negative commandment not to encroach beyond a neighbor's boundary, specifically in the Land of Israel as Scripture says, You shall not move your neighbor's landmark … in your inheritance which you shall inherit [this verse]--which means taking some of his land. If a person entered his neighbor's domain by even the breath of a finger, even outside the Land of Israel -- if it was by main force, he is thus a robber; if it was by stealth, he is a thief.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

DEUTERONOMY — 20:19 trees

DEUT1015 It is a negative commandment not to destroy any fruit–bearing tree in setting siege for Scripture says, When you besiege a city… you shall not destroy its trees [this verse]. This means not at a siege alone but rather wherever a person cuts down a fruit tree destructively, he should receive whiplashes. And if anyone breaks a useful object, tears a garment, demolishes a structure, or ruins food destructively -- he should be beaten with whiplashes of disobedience, by the law of the Sages. However, a non-fruit-bearing tree may be cut down even if there is no need for it; and so to a fruit tree that has aged and produces no fruit except for some small quantity, so that is not it is not worth troubling with it -- which would be less than a quarter of a kav of olives, or a kav of dates. So too, it is permissible to cut down a fruit tree if it has been harming other trees, or because it causes damage to other fields, or because its price [as wood] is high: for the Torah forbad it only as an act of destruction.

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

RSS
123456789101112
Back To Top