DEUT657 We must be merciful. The Talmud cites this verse to show that one of the basic traits of the Jewish people is that of being merciful (Yevomos 79a). The essence of compassion is being able to imagine yourself in someone else's situation. It is the resulting softness of the heart that makes one sensitive to the suffering of others. (Ali Shur, p. 148). ... If you know that someone has a special problem and you are unable to speak to him in person, you should at least write him a letter call him up on the telephone to offer words of encouragement. Some people have a tendency to analyze the problems of others behind their backs, which often leads to loshon hora. A person who is merciful will try to help the person with constructive assistance or advice.

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DEUT685 One who shares one's money with the needy will attain wealth. One who shares one's Torah knowledge with others will attain greater wisdom. On this verse the Talmud (Taanis 9a) states, "Tithe in order that you become wealthy." Rabbi Shimon Shkop wrote that we must realize that one of our main functions in this world is to help others. This is included in our obligation to emulate God who constantly aids mankind. Just as a person who was appointed to be in charge of dispensing a certain amount of money and properly carries out his duties will be entrusted with large amounts of money in the future, so too does God deal with man. If a person takes tithes from his income, that is, he distributes part of his wealth to the poor and to other worthy causes, he shows that he is a reliable treasurer and God will entrust him with greater wealth. The same applies to Torah knowledge. The Talmud (see Makos 10a) states that a person can derive more knowledge from his students than from colleagues or teachers. This can be understood on a simple level. When students ask questions, they stimulate the teacher to think and search for answers. But this can also be understood on a deeper level. A person is not given wisdom solely for himself. He must share his Torah knowledge with others. If someone will prove himself to be a reliable custodian of Torah knowledge and will transmit this knowledge to others, God will bestow upon him even greater wisdom. (Rabbi Shimon Shkop in Introduction to Shaarey Yoshor). Rabbi Moshe Feinstein has said in regard to teaching: "There is no question that a person's primary obligation is to his own (Torah) studies." One can never say that he has amassed enough to meet his personal needs, for the Torah is longer than the earth and broader than the sea (Eyov 11:1). One must therefore give his own studies precedence, but this must not be absolute. A person must also act on behalf of others. "In the case of charity, one must give a tenth of one's income to the poor (Yorah Daiah 249:1). Likewise, one must spend one-tenth of one's time working on behalf of others, bringing them close to the Torah. If a person is endowed with greater resources, he must correspondingly spend more of his time with others." (Jewish Observer, June 1973).

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DEUT731 We are forbidden to fail to aid the poor. If you are able to aid someone who is poor and you fail to do so, you violate a Torah prohibition. (Chinuch 478). If a person closes his eyes from giving charity, it is as if he has committed idolatry. (Ksubos 68a). You must take care to give charity to the poor because failure to do so immediately could cause the death of that person, as was the case with Nochum, ish gam zu. (Yorah Daiah 247:1) [See Taanis 21a] ... If a person realizes that all of his faculties are given to him for one purpose, to fulfill the will of God, he will gladly share all that he possesses with others. This applies to both his wealth and his knowledge. (Introduction to Shaarey Yoshor).

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DEUT752 We are obligated to give charity to the poor. You shall give charity to a poor person. If, however, he does not want to take the money as a present, give it to him as a loan. (Rashi). It is a positive commandment to give charity to the needy with happiness and a good heart. The mitzvah of giving tzedakah (charity) does not only apply to giving aid to the poor. To aid a wealthy person when he needs assistance is also a fulfillment of the mitzvah of tzedakah. Furthermore, whenever you give pleasure to others, whether it be through money, food, or comforting words, you fulfill this mitzvah. The Rambam (Hilchos Matnos Aniyim 9:3) writes that he never saw or heard of a city in which there lived ten Jews that did not have a charity fund. (Chinuch 479). The word the Sages use for charity is tzedakah, which literally means righteousness or justice. The term elucidates the Torah concept of charity. It is not merely a charitable act to give to the poor; it is the obligation of every single person. (Yad Haktanan, Hilchos Daios 8:1) [Transcriber's note: Author discusses Rambam's (Hilchos Matnos Aniyim 10:7-14) eight levels of charity, with numerous examples. Author then provides an extended discussion of the basic laws pertaining to this commandment, with examples.]

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DEUT763 We must refrain from slandering a poor person to whom we did not give charity. This verse warns against two things: not giving charity to a needy person and having an evil eye against him. The Dubno Magid explains the latter point in the following manner. The Sages (Pirkei Avos 5:13) state that someone who does not give charity himself and stops others from giving is wicked. Very rarely will someone explicitly tell others not to give charity. But in view of the above-mentioned verses, we can understand how the statement of the Sages has a wider application. There are people who are miserly and do not want to give to the poor. They are honest about their stinginess and will openly admit that they do not want to part with their money. There are other miserly people who are embarrassed to explicitly say that they are stingy. They therefore slander the poor person and say that he is unworthy of receiving help. The difference between these two is this. If someone admits that he is stingy, others will have mercy on the poor man and will give him financial assistance. But if someone slanders the poor man, others might believe him, and although they might have previously been prepared to offer assistance, now they will refuse. It is these misers to whom the Sages refer when they say that someone who prevents others from giving charity is wicked. This is alluded to in our verse: "Your eyes be evil against your needy brother," meaning that you will maliciously slander him and tell others that he is unworthy of receiving charity. (Ohel Yaakov, on this verse). Rabbi Shmelke of Nicolsburg said, "When a poor man asks you for aid do not use his faults as an excuse for not helping him. For then God will look to your offenses, and He is certain to find many of them. Keep in mind that the poor man's transgressions have been atoned for by his poverty while yours still remain with you." (Fun Unzer Alter Otzer, vol. 2, p. 99)

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DEUT827jj By helping the needy we merit that our needs are taken care of. Rashi cites the Sifre which points out that in this verse we have a list of four members of a person's household: a son, daughter, servant, and maid. We also have four that are needy: the Levite, convert, orphan, and widow. The Almighty says, "If you take care of My four, I will take care of your four."

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DEUT927 Although we must judge people favorably, we should always be on the alert not to be cheated. The Chofetz Chayim used to say, "The Torah obliges us to trust wholeheartedly in God, but not in man. A person must always be on the alert not to be cheated." (Chofetz Chayim al Hatorah, on this verse). The Chofetz Chayim devoted his life to spreading the principle of brotherly love, the prohibition against speaking against others, and the commandment to judge people favorably. Though he was not the least bit cynical, he was also not naïve. He understood the world and human weaknesses. ... In Mesichta Derech Eretz Rabbah (ch.5) it is stated that we should honor every person we meet as we would Rabbi Gamliel [head of the Sanhedrin] but we should nevertheless be suspicious that he might be dishonest.

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DEUT939 We must do chesed every single day of our lives. The Chafetz Chayim notes that the Torah stresses that we must walk in God's ways all the days. The Sages explain that walking in God's ways means that we must emulate Him by bestowing kindness and being compassionate. Some people mistakenly think that if they do someone a favor, especially a major one, they have fulfilled their obligation to do chesed for the next few weeks. Therefore, the Torah stresses that the obligation of chesed is all the days. Every single day of our lives we must go out of our way do someone a favor. (Ahavas Chesed, ch. 12)

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DEUT980 We must do everything possible to protect people from being shamed. The Torah (verses 2-8) states that before the Jewish Army went to war it was announced that certain categories of people should return home: he who has built a new house, but has not dedicated it; he who has planted a vineyard but has not partaken from the fruits; he who has betrothed a wife, but has not taken her. In verse eight, a fourth category is mentioned: he who is fearful and fainthearted should also return home. Rabbi Yosi Haglili explains (Sotah 44a, cited by Rashi) that the fourth category refers to someone who fears that he is unworthy of being saved because of his transgressions. Rabbi Yosi adds that this is the reason why the other three categories were told to go home. If someone would leave the ranks because of his sins, he would feel embarrassed. But since other groups were also sent home, people would not know which individuals were leaving for which reasons. This is truly amazing. A large number of soldiers are sent home in wartime in order to save a sinner from humiliation. We must learn from here that we must do everything possible to protect people from shame.

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DEUT1117 We must help someone with a heavy load. 1) If you see someone who needs help in loading or unloading an animal, you are obligated to help him. Failure to do so is a violation of a Torah prohibition. (Choshen Mishpot 272:1). 2) The Chinuch (540-1) adds that the same applies when we see a person carrying a load that he is unable to handle himself. Therefore, if you see someone carrying a heavy package or suitcase, you should give him a helping hand. 3) If someone needs help loading an animal, and another person needs assistance in unloading an animal, you are obligated to help unload first. The reason for this is that when it is necessary to unload, the animal also suffers. The Talmud (Bava Metzia 32b) states that even so, if your friend needs aid in unloading and someone you dislike needs aid in loading, you must help your enemy first in order to overcome your evil inclination (Choshen Mishpot 272:10). When you aid someone you dislike, your actions will have an effect on your feelings and you will begin to feel love toward that person. (Michtav MaiEliyahu, vol. 1, p. 37). The Minchas Chinuch (80) explains that although this will lengthen the period of suffering of the animal, it is nevertheless permissible. We are permitted to utilize an animal for our physical needs even if the animal might suffer, although we are forbidden to needlessly cause an animal to suffer. All the more so, we are permitted to passively let an animal suffer for a spiritual need, such as overcoming hatred toward a fellow man. 4) If an elderly person or a scholar who would not load or unload an animal for himself sees someone who needs help, he is not obligated to do for someone else what he would not do for himself. If a Torah scholar wants to go beyond the letter of the law and help, there is a difference of opinion as to whether he is permitted to do so. (Choshen Mishpot 272:3). 5) You are obligated to help the same person as many times as needed. (ibid. 272:4). 6) The Aruch Haschulchan (Chosen Mishpot 272) writes that because of this commandment we are obligated to help someone if a wheel of his wagon breaks and he needs assistance in fixing it. This has a very practical application today. Many people are unable to fix flat tires on cars by themselves. It is a very great service to help someone who is stranded on the road with a flat tire. 7) If several people are traveling together on donkeys and the foot of one donkey is injured and therefore it goes much slower than the rest, the travelers are not permitted to go ahead of the rider of the injured donkey. If, however, the injured donkey is completely unable to travel, the others are permitted to continue. (Choshen Mishpot 272:12). The same would apply if several people are traveling together in wagons when there are a number of wagons, each holding a few people. If one wagon is delayed because something needs to be repaired, the other wagons must wait for that wagon. (SMA, Choshen Mishpot 272:20)

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