At the Gates of Heaven

Art by Schnette

R' Meir of Premishlan or, as he was fondly known, R' Maer'l, was renowned for his devotion to tzedakah. Any gifts he received from his Chassidim he immediately distributed to the poor. He explained himself in this way:

"Meir'l once went up to Heaven in a dream and observed what happened to people as they came to Heaven after they died.

"The first to appear by the celestial gates was a great Torah scholar, who was not granted immediate entry into Heaven. Instead, he was politely asked to wait outside a while so that the angels could determine whether his studies were pursued with pure intentions or in order to be recognized and praised for his great wisdom.

"The second soul to appear before the gates was that of a tzaddik who devoted his life to leading and advising his flock in their search to serve Hashem. He too was cordially asked to wait outside while his motives were thoroughly investigated.

"The third to arrive was a poor innkeeper who accepted all guests into his inn. If someone had money to pay for his room and board, the innkeeper would graciously accept it. However, if the person were too poor to pay, the host would gladly provide hospitality free of charge.

"The angels immediately decided that he should be ushered into the presence of Hashem without any delay. They had no doubt that his charity was pure because he had not done it for recognition and he helped the poor without expecting any reward in return.

"From this dream Maer'l learnt the enormous importance of tzedakah and decided to become a gabbai tzedakah to distribute Hashem's money among the poor."

Source: Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer

Burning Desire

Art by Olga Levitskiy

Rebbe Nachman taught: "One's heart always yearns and burns. Sometimes that yearning is for holiness, at other times for physical desires, for example: for avarice. There is a ruach (spirit) which can descend and "cool off" that burning heart. This ruach is compared to the Divine Presence and is drawn into the heart through the giving of charity". [Likutey Moharan I 13:1]

Craving and longing are embedded in human nature. Everyone feels pangs of want, but it is the nature of a person's deep desires that will determine whether he yearns for spirituality or for material gratification. Furthermore, a person's desires might grow and become more than he can handle. Even spiritual urges can be dangerous when a person seeks more spirituality than he is intellectually or emotionally prepared for. Thus Rebbe Nachman taught "A person's spirit must be regulated in order for the heart to burn properly (for G-d)".

Rebbe Nachman teaches that a person's heart will sometimes burn for spirituality, while at other times it will burn with desires for the mundane: Torah study has the power to regulate both these types of burning desires. Furthermore, when someone has a burning desire for G-d in his heart, if he wants to study Torah or pray, but is for some reason unable to (in an unsuitable place, or without books), then this burning desire alone inscribes a [new] Torah teaching on High. One's burning desire for Torah and spirituality enables one to draw from the spirituality of the Supernal Heart [Binah].

The Torah consists of Five Books, which correspond to the five lobes of the lung. Since the lungs have a "cooling effect" upon the heart, it follows that the study of Torah can help "cool down" and control one's burning desires, whether they be for materialism, or for a degree of spirituality which is as yet beyond one's grasp.

The Rebbe also teaches that charity has the same power as the Torah in helping to overcome one's lusts. He illustrates this with the case of a person who is filled with avarice, the burning desire for wealth and material possessions. If this person gives charity, he displays his faith in G-d, that it is He Who provides. By giving charity, he temporarily overcomes his material lusts and merits assistance in achieving true spirituality.

Perhaps the most powerful emotion of all is Love. Love can be so all-consuming that nothing can stand in its path. King Solomon understood this well when he said [Songs 8:7] "Many waters cannot extinguish love". This is because human love is rooted in the Divine attribute of Chesed (lovingkindness). Since G-d is constantly bestowing His kindness upon creation, feelings of kindness and love always abound in the world. They can drive man to incredible heights, or to the lowest depths.

Love of money can drive a person to risk his own life - or the lives of others who stand in his way. Sexual immorality is a perversion of love; and love of power has all too often in the annals of history led to open warfare and large-scale bloodshed. Conversely, that same attribute of love, when properly applied, can propel a person to creative heights for the benefit of all mankind.

Thus the awesome power of love - both its constructive and its destructive aspects - is best explained by Chesed's approximation to Binah [it immediately follows Binah]. The higher Sefirot [Keter, Chochmah and Binah] are concealed. The very first manifestation of those awesome powers in the lower Sefirot is through the Sefirah of Chesed, which indicates reaching out towards others and extending oneself on behalf of others. Seen in another light, Chesed is higher than Gevurah, indicating that it is "above and beyond" restraint, which is evidence to the great power of love. A parallel exists between good and evil - whatever power exists for good can contain the very same potential for evil. Thus, if love is not harnessed properly - through Gevurah, i.e. awe and fear of G-d - it can be most destructive.

If love is properly controlled, it is the most effective tool for the building of humanity and peace. Thus the verse states "The world is built through Chesed". [Psalms 89:3] One who spreads love and brings peace between people effects great rectifications Above [Likutey Moharan I, 75:4] Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

Source: "Anatomy of the Soul" - Chaim Kramer - from the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

Tzedaka: Testing God

No-one ever became poor by giving charity. [Gittin 7a; Yoreh Deah 249]

The basic law of charity is to give one-tenth (ma'aser) of the income.  A higher level is chomesh or one-fifth [Yoreh Deah 249:1]. 

The Talmud teaches that one should give tithes in order that one become wealthy [Taanith 9a].

There was a wealthy man who commanded his son to give tithes. The field yielded one thousand kurim a year.  After his passing, the son felt that one hundred kurim was too much to give away so he did not tithe that year.

The following year, the yield was one hundred kurim. When confronted with the poor yield, his family said "Last year you gave tithes, the field was yours and the tithes G-d's.  This year the field is G-d's and the tithe yours." [Tosafot]

The Talmud further states that one is permitted to test G-d in giving tithes, to see whether one's income will increase. [Tosafot]  Conversely, any loss of income a person will sustain is decreed on Rosh Hashanah.  If he merits, it will go to charity [Bava Basra 10a]. "The door that does not open for charity will open for the doctor" [Yerushalmi]

Source: "The Master of Prayer"  by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, commentary by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan

How to Give, and Give, and Give

Yesterday I watched (via the internet) an amazing man give an amazing speech.  I highly recommend you watch the videos below, and be totally inspired.

The speaker is Philanthropist Gennady (Zvi Hirsch) Bogolubov, one of the biggest supporters of Chabad shluchim worldwide - the guest speaker at the banquet of the Kinus Hashluchim (Annual Convention of Chabad Emissaries).

Mr. Bogolubov was born in 1962 in the city of Dniproderzinsk, Ukraine. After graduating from the local high school, he moved to the city of Dnepropetrovsk – the Rebbe’s hometown, where he continued his studies at the Institute of Civil Engineering. Upon graduating with honors in 1988, he assumed a position as construction engineer in one of the local corporations. Four years later he co-founded Privatbank.

In 1998, Mr. Bogolubov was elected President of the Jewish Community in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. With his election, Mr. Bogolubov began to invest in the Jewish community in Ukraine by directing resources to the future generation – specifically through advancing education and Jewish pride. His approach has become a model for leaders in other Jewish communities.

Over the years, Mr. Bogolubov became much closer to Judaism through the rav of the community in Dnepropetrovsk, Shliach Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky. The long relationship developed into a close friendship between the two, and Mr. Bogolubov became acquainted with the activities of Chabad shluchim worldwide.

His love and affection for the shluchim has been evident since his early years, when he did everything he could to help them build synagogues, schools and more. In 2008 he established the Bogolubov Simcha Foundation, which was established to help shluchim celebrate family simchas. Since the establishment of the fund, grants were given to 3,952 shluchim all over the world, for births, bar mitzvahs and weddings – totaling over $10 million.

This year before Tishrei, in honor of the birth of his daughter Dina, Mr. Bogolubov bestowed a one-time grant of $500 to all Shluchim for the holidays, amounting to a total of $2 million.

During the upcoming banquet, the culmination of the annual Kinus Hashluchim at which more than 4,000 shluchim and their guests are expected to attend, Mr. Bogolubov will share the story of his relationship with Chabad, as well as his personal perspective on the activities of shluchim around the world.

Mr. Gennady Bogoliubov speaks at the International Conference of Shluchim 2010 from Jewish Educational Media on Vimeo.

The Eight Levels of Charity

Rambam: Hilchos Matanos Aniyim: Laws of Gifts to the Poor

Level One: A Helping Hand

There are eight levels of charity - each one higher than the next. The greatest form of charity, which is unsurpassed by any other, is to give a helping hand to a Jew who is on the verge of financial ruin. This may be accomplished by giving him a gift or a loan, by entering into a partnership with him, or by providing him with gainful employment. Any of these efforts should be undertaken to strengthen this person before he would have to ask for charity. This is what the Torah means when it says: "If your brother becomes impoverished and his means falter in your proximity, you shall strengthen him so that he can live with you" [Leviticus 25:35] In other words, support him before he falls and becomes needy.

Upholding a poor person to save him from falling below his level has priority over supporting a wealthy person from slipping from his level of prosperity, even if the wealthy person is a neighbour or a relative [Ahavas Chesed 1 note 25]

The Chofetz Chaim [Ahavas Chesed 21:1] says that the conclusion of this verse - "so that he can live with you" can be explained by reference to the verse: "The rich man and the pauper meet: Hashem is the maker of them all" [Proverbs 22:2]. The Sages expound: "When the poor man approaches the rich man and pleads "Support me!" - if the rich man supports the poor, well and good. If not, then Hashem is the maker of them all. The very same G-d who made this man rich, can turn around and make him poor!

Thus, says the Chofetz Chaim, whenever a poor man approaches you, you should imagine that your own finances are also insecure. And it really is so, because if you do not respond positively to the pauper, your financial position may collapse like his, Heaven forbid. If, however, you do help him to stabilize his position, both of you together will endure and prosper, thereby fulfilling the Scriptural pledge, so that he can live with you.

Sefer Chassidim writes than an excellent form of charity is when the poor man attempts to sell an article that no-one wants to buy, but the rich man nevertheless purchases it from him. This is a supreme act of charity because the pauper does not feel that he has received alms.

Level Two: Double Anonymity

The next level, a step lower, is to give a charitable gift to the poor in such a way that the donor is unaware of the identity of the recipient, nor does the recipient know his benefactor. This is pure charity (lishmah) performed for its own sake. An example of this was Lishkas Chasholm - "The chamber of the Discreet" - in the Temple. The tzaddikim would deposit money into it quietly, and the poor sons of good families supported themselves from it discreetly [Mishnah, Shekalim 5:6]. The closest thing to this (today) would be the community charity chest. However, one should not contribute to the community charity chest unless he knows that the person in charge of it is as trustworthy and wise and capable of administering it properly as Rabbi Chananya ben Teradyon [Bava Basra 10b].

Level Three: Incognito Benefactor

The next level, a step lower, is when the donor knows to whom he is giving, but the poor man is unaware of the identity of his benefactor.

This means that when a gabbai tzedakah is not available to serve as a middle-man and the donor must personally allocate the charity, he should still attempt to deliver it in secrecy. He can, for example, throw the money into the poor man's house or send it with a messenger or a mailman who will not divulge who sent the money.

The Talmud [Kesubos 67b] relates how Mar Ukva was accustomed to secretly placing a sum of money on a poor man's doorstep every day. One day the poor recipient decided to discover the identity of his mysterious benefactor. The man waited behind his front door until Mar Ukva and his wife approached. When the poor man flung open the door, Mar Ukva and his wife fled at top speed lest their identity be discovered. In order to elude the poor man who was running after them, they both dashed into a burning furnace to hide, saying that it was preferable to throw oneself into an inferno than to embarrass a poor recipient.

Level Four: Unknown Recipient

The next level, a step lower, is when the recipient knows from who he is receiving, while the giver is unaware of the identity of the recipient. This was the practice of certain great Sages who would wrap money in their cloak and throw it over their shoulders behind them so that the poor could take the money without being seen, thus avoiding embarrassment.

Another example of this level of giving is described in the Talmud [Berachos 58b] regarding R' Chana bat Chanilai who left bags of grain outside his home every night during years of famine for the benefit of those indigents who were too embarrassed to personally beg for food in the daytime.

This level of giving is a degree lower than the preceding one because here the poor person feels somewhat embarrassed and beholden to his patron. This method is, however, preferable to the following level, because the poor man is spared the need to confront his benefactor face to face.

Level Five: Giving Before Being Asked

The next level, a step lower, is for the donor to present the money directly to the poor man, but to give it to him before he asks.

When a confrontation between the donor and the poor recipient is unavoidable, one should make a special effort to enhance his mitzvah by giving before being asked. With this sensitivity and kindness one emulates the ways of the Almighty Who says "And it will be that before they call I will answer" (Isaiah 65:24)

Level Six: A Generous Response

The next level, a step lower, is to give an appropriate amount to the poor after being asked.

Level Seven: Bestowing Words of Comfort: (11 blessings)

The next level, a step lower, is to give the poor man less than the appropriate amount, but to give with a smile and a pleasant disposition.

Sometimes, even a person who is usually a generous donor, is incapable of giving a generous amount. Embarrassed by his inability to respond in a dignified way, this donor may feel that it is better to give nothing at all. That is incorrect. Better to give a small amount with sincere apologies and regret than to give nothing at all, thus losing the mitzvah and depriving the poor of everything.

Even if a person is unable to give anything because of his own poverty, he can still offer encouraging words of comfort to the unfortunate collector. The Talmud [Bava Basra 9b] teaches that when a person offers kind words, even without any financial aid, Heaven bestows eleven blessings upon him. Encouraging the poor man should be a primary objective in giving tzedaka.

Level Eight: Giving With Misgivings

The next level, a step lower, is to give charity with sadness.

The very lowest level of tzedakah is to give with hidden, unexpressed feelings of reluctance.

If the donor openly expresses his annoyance and dislike of giving, then he loses the entire merit of his tzedakah, even if he gave a large, generous amount. This type of callous contribution is not even considered among the Rambam's eight levels of charity, for it is actually a sin. The giver transgresses the prohibition "Let your heart not feel bad when you give him" [Deut 15:10]

Source:  Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer "The Tzedakah Treasury" Published by Artscroll

Justice, Charity and Illegal Earnings

"Justice, justice shall you seek, that you may live..." [Deut 16:20]

The evil inclination may put the following thought into your head: "He who hates gifts shall live" [Proverbs 15:27]. How can I give a gift to the poor if it means taking his life away?"

The Torah teaches: "You shall surely give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing Hashem your G-d will bless you in all your work and in all that you put your hand to" [Deut 15:10] - and through G-d's blessing, you will get back more than you gave.

As our Sages taught "More than the rich do for the poor, the poor do for the rich" [Vayikra Rabbah 34:10]. The money you give the poor is therefore not called a gift.

What if the rich man received his money illegally?   In this case, G-d will not reward him for giving, since G-d  "hates robbery [even] in an offering" (Isaiah 61:8). When the rich man gives to the poor and receives nothing in return, there is a problem of "He who hates gifts shall live".

The verse therefore warns the poor man "Justice, justice shall you seek, that you may live..."

You shall seek and accept charity that comes from just and honest money. Then you shall be counted among those who hate gifts, and you shall live.

Aderet Eliyahu, Shoftim - from the writings of the Ben Ish Hai