From: TorahFax <torahfax@netaxis.qc.ca>

bs"d.

Friday, Kislev 10, 5764 / December 5, 2003

In this week's Parsha, Vayeitzei, when Yaakov wakes up following 
his dream he makes the following vow, "If G-d will be with me and 
will protect me in this way which I go, he will give me bread to 
eat and clothing to wear and I will return to my father's house 
in peace, and the L-rd will be my G-d...
From everything which You will give me, I will surely give 
one tenth to You".  

Tzedakah (charity) is an important mitzvah and has special powers, 
as we see from the following Talmudic sayings:  Rabbi Assi said, 
"The mitzvah of Tzedakah is compared to all other mitzvot put 
together".

Rabbi Yehuda said, "Great is the power of Tzedakah for it hastens 
the Redemption".

In the name of Rabbi Elazar, "Why is charity likened to armor ?  
Just like the coat of armor is made of many small pieces, so too, 
every peruta and peruta (small coin) adds up to a great total."

Rabbi Chanina said, "Why is Tzedaka compared to a garment ? 
Just like a garment is made up of many threads, so too, each coin 
and coin given to charity adds up to a great amount."

Rabbi Dustai ben Reb Yanai explains the greatness of Tzedakah as 
follows:
"When a simple person presents a gift to a great king, the gift may 
or may not be accepted by the king.  Even if it is accepted, 
one is still not guaranteed the privilege of meeting the king.  
But the Holy One blessed be He acts differently.  One who gives even 
a peruta (small coin) to a poor person automatically acquires great 
merit and enters the presence of G-d.
As is written in Psalms (17:15), "Through Tzedek (from the word 
Tzedakah) I will see Your face!".

Rabbi Yishmael explains the benefit of giving charity, rather than 
saving the money, as follows: "Whoever trims their possessions and 
gives away to charity will be saved from harsh judgment in the after-life.  
This is similar to two sheep who were crossing the water.  
One was sheared and one was not.  The sheared lamb will easily pass 
through the water, while the other one will be weighed down by all the 
water that was absorbed in its wool."

In Isaiah (chapter 10) the prophet uses the expression, "plant your
charity..."  Our sages explain this as follows:  If a person walks 
down the street and loses $100, he/she will, naturally, agonize over it.  
Even if the person later finds $200, he/she might think, "If I didn't 
lose the $100, I would now have $300!"  

However, when a person loses the contents of a sack of wheat 
while walking through his field and next year finds his field full of 
freshly grown wheat it would be foolish to think that had he not lost 
the sack of wheat last year he would have more now!  
For everything he has now is a direct result of the "loss" which he had.  
This is the Jewish way of viewing charity. This is why Isaiah states; 
"Plant your charity." 

SHABBAT  SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 3:55 / Shabbat ends: 4:58

***************************

In loving memory of  Kurt Schlimper - Chaim ben Shalom - of 
blessed memory.
 Yartzeit is today.
May his soul rest in peace in Gan Eden.  May his memory be a 
blessing.
Dedicated by his family.

************************************
Rabbi Zalmen Marozov

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