In this week’s parshah, following the revelation at Har Sinai, when the people of Israel committed themselves to upholding the Torah and received the Ten Commandments, Hashem proceeds to communicate to Moshe Rabbeinu the rest of the mitzvos of the Torah. The Ramban explains that the monetary laws of this parshah were taught immediately following the giving of the Torah on Har Sinai. Why was this so?
Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l explains that from here we learn that our following the Torah’s laws on money matters is a declaration of emunah/faith in Hashem, and transgressing them is a form of k’firah, a denial of Hashem’s existence. Rabbi Moshe Gruenstein explains that if a Jew truly believes that all his money and possessions come from Hashem, and that same Hashem who gave all this to him can take it back, he will never be tempted to take even a penny that’s not rightfully his. The Talmud teaches us (Shabbos 31a) that, after 120 years, when a person will stand in front of the heavenly court, he is asked six questions. The first question is: Did you conduct your business dealings with emunah, which in this context means faithfully and with integrity. However, the word emunah also means faith in Hashem. Meaning, did your behavior with money reflect the notion that you believe in a Hashem who has decreed how much money you are supposed to earn and that you will not gain a penny more than whatever Hashem decreed. (sefer: Living the Parshah)
In T’hilim, David HaMelech declared: “The kindnesses of Hashem I shall sing forever (Chasdei Hashem olam ashirah). To generation after generation, I shall make known Your faithfulness, with my mouth. For I said, ‘Forever will it be built with kindness (olam chesed yibaneh); as the heavens, with which You will establish Your faithfulness.’”
Chazal teach us that chesed was in existence before the Torah and that the act of Creation was in itself Hashem’s ultimate act of Kindness. The B’eir Mayim Chayim explains that the authentic sign of g’milus chasadim (lovingkindness) is that one runs after the unfortunate and dispirited [to help them].
Giving tz’dakah is a mitzvah of great importance and carries consequences when a person is thoughtless. The Midrash explains that when a poor person asks for help, Hashem stands to his right side: “Ki Yaamod Liy’min Evyon” (T’hilim 109:31). If one does not do chesed with the beggar, he should beware: “Ashrei maskil el dal; b’yom raah y’malteihu Hashem–Praiseworthy is he who takes the needy into account, on the day of evil, Hashem will deliver him (41:2).” Tz’dakah protects, tz’dakah engenders material success, tz’dakah saves.
With Hashem’s help, may we pursue lives that represent the highest level of true g’milus chasadim! Amen!
List of People Who Need a R’fuah Sh’leimah
(a complete recovery)
Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.
Yeshayahu Yosef ben Zari
Rachamim ben Sa’eda Mazal
Alter Shmuel ben Chavah Leah
Meir Yaakov ben Esther
Yehudah ben Dinah
Chaim Avraham ben Shifrah Zisel
Yosef ben Basya
Yehudah Yudel ben Miriam Gittel
Yisachar Dov ben Chayah Brachah
Refael Aharon ben Devorah
Meshulam David ben Alta Hendel
Moshe ben Chasiya
Rafael Avraham ben Ivonne
Tinok ben Tzivia
Gideon ben Ludmilla
Yishai ben Moriasha Tovah
Yosef ben Miriam
Rafael Moshe Yehudah ben Feiga Necha
Yerachmiel Daniel ben Tovah Basha
Chaim Meir Binyamin ben Chanah Sarah
Pinchas ben Feiga Dinah
Yitzchak Mordechai ben Rose Nizha
Chaim Menachem ben Leah
Yechiel HaLevi ben Rachel
Moshe Shmuel ben Freida
Sariel Yosef Yitzchak ben Bat-Chen
Lev David ben Chanah
Nisan ben Rachel
Yehudah Uriel ben Yafah
Isaac ben Esther
Tzvi ben Miriam Rachel
Shlomo ben Rachel Dinah
Rivkah Fruma bas Leah Baila
Irina Ester Chayah bas Yafah
Yafah bas Basanda
Chayah Sheva bas Sheina Reizel
Hadassah bas Hennah Rivkah
Ruchamah Perel Malkah Leah bas Chanah Serel
Hinda Zalma bas Sarah
Esther Hadasah bas Devorah
Sarah bas Ilanah
Rechamah bas Feiga Rivkah
Tinokes bas Efrat Tehilah
Efrat Tehila bas Nina
Chayah Esther Yirat bas Feige Dinah
Tziporah Yeta bas Yehudis
Rachel bas Hinda Reizel
Efrat bas Sonia
Gila Glikel bas Feige
Chayah Rachel bas Yafah
Bilyura bas Shurah Shoshanah
Naomi Leah bas Nena
Sarah bas Chanah
Rinah Basya bas Shifrah Rus
Shirah bas Devorah Leah
Adina Aidel bas Sheina Mindel
Tinokes bas Adina Aidel