Parshat Re’eh
A major theme that is discussed in various ways in the portion of Re’eh is that of charity, tzedakah. The root of the word also means to be righteous. In Jewish tradition a righteous person gains that description through acts of kindness and charity. We are taught in Pirkei Avot (1:2) that the world stands on three principles: Torah study, service of God through fulfilling mitzvot and prayer and acts of loving kindness.
Among a number of tzedakah/acts of kindness types of mitzvot mentioned in this portion are the importance of giving tithes of all produce which help to support the Levites, Kohanim and the poor, the importance of lending money to those in need, cancelling debts in the Sabbatical year, and being generous with a servant when he finishes his years of service.
A very important verse concerning the need to be generous with others reads: “If there will be among you a needy person, from one of your brothers in one of your cities, in your land that God, your God, is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, and you shall not close your hand from your needy brother. Rather, you shall open your hand to him, and you shall lend him sufficient for his needs, which he is lacking” (Deuteronomy 15:7-8).
In this second verse, the commandment, “to open your hand,” (patoach tiftach), is stated in a doubled expression. Since the first verse implies that one’s obligation is to support the poor of one’s own city, the Torah repeats the word to be forthcoming in charity even to those not of one’s own city. A second opinion regarding the reason for a doubled language is also given by the Sages. One might think that his or her obligation is only to give if they can afford a large gift, therefore the Torah informs us that even if one cannot afford a large gift one is still obligated to give a small gift to the poor (Bava Batra 31b).
When freely giving of one’s time, money, or energy to others, one is actually receiving as well. By assisting others, we often take or receive more than we give, as confirmed by the Sage’s statement: “The poor man who receives charity does more for the rich man than the rich man does for him” (Vayikra Rabbah 34).
The Ba’al Shem Tov explains that giving charity is not only a Godly act but actually corresponds directly to the four letters of God’s name. The relatively small sized coin being given as charity resembles the letter yud – י, the smallest of the Hebrew letters. The coin is held in the five fingers of the giver and thus corresponds to the second letter of God’s name, the hei – ה – which equals five. The giver, when stretching forth his arm, forms the shape of the third letter, a vav – ו, which is shaped as a straight line. Finally, the receiver takes the money with his five fingers, the final hei – ה of God’s name.
Corresponding the four letters of God’s name to the act of giving charity expresses the basic belief in God’s ongoing acts of charity that continuously create and sustain the world, granting us life. As the verse states: “A world of chesed He builds” (Psalms 89:3). More so, it is one of the most important ways in which we fulfill the command to emulate God. The Sages explain that “Just as He is merciful, so you be merciful. Just as He is kind, so you be kind.”
It is interesting to note that in the time of the Mishnah, a poor person who was permitted to be supported by tzedakah, charity, was one who had less than 200 zuz (a monetary amount). The root of the name of the letter reish, which equals 200, is the same as rash, a poor person. Although poor, one who had 200 zuz or more could not take from the public coffers. The word for charity – tzedakah – צדקה – equals 199. Thus, one who has 199 zuz or less could take from communal monies as he was a poor person in need of extra assistance.
The beginning of the portion mentions God placing before us a blessing and curse. It continues by simply stating that the blessing comes when we listen/observe the mitzvot of God and the curse comes when we do not listen. In the following verse God assures Israel that His blessing will come when we fulfill the Torah’s commandments and are generous and compassionate with others: “At the end of three years, you shall take out all the tithe of your crop in that year and place it in your cities. And the Levite because he has no portion or inheritance with you and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are in your cities, will come and eat and be satisfied; so that God, your God, will bless you in all the work of your hand that you will do” (Deuteronomy 14:28-29).
