1. Who are the players in this text – seen and unseen?
2. In what ways are these things not measurable?
3. How does a person reap benefits from these acts?
Translation | Original |
---|---|
If a person of learning participates in public affairs and serves as judge or arbiter, he gives stability to the land... But if he sits in his home and says to himself, “What have the affairs of society to do with me?... Why should I trouble myself with the people’s voices of protest? Let my soul dwell in peace!”—if he does this, he overthrows the world. [translation by Hazon] |
מַלְכָּהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, בְּמִשְׁפָּט שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֵׂה, מַעֲמִיד אֶת הָאָרֶץ... אִם מֵשִׂים אָדָם עַצְמוֹ נַפְשִׁי! הֲרֵי זֶה מַחֲרִיב אֶת הָעוֹלָם.כִּתְרוּמָה הַזּוּ שְׁמוּשְׁלֶכֵת בְּזָוִיוֹת הַבָּיִת וְאוֹמֵר: מָה לִי בְּטוֹרַח הַצִּבּוּר ?מָה לִי בְּדִינֵיהֶם? מָה לִי לִשְׁמוֹעַ קוֹלָם? שָׁלוֹם עָלֶיךָ
|
When do you sit at home when you might stand up and make a difference?
What does this text say about the relationship between power and responsibility?
1. Who are the players in this text – seen and unseen?
2. What power dynamics are at play?
3. The text calls on us to behave in certain ways that now that we've been created. What are those ways?
1. What reason is given for upholding commandments regulating human behavior? What are our reasons for behaving well with one another?
2. Have you experienced a situation where your good interpersonal ethics led to your recieving better treatment? The opposite?
3. What does it mean to say that all commandments about human relations are in the category of loving kindness? Do you agree?
Translation | Original |
---|---|
Our Sages taught: Gemilut chasadim (acts of loving kindness) is greater than tzedakah in three ways: Acts of tzedakah involve only one’s money – gemilut chasadim can involve both money or one’s personal service. Tzedakah can be given only to the poor – gemilut chasadim can be done both for the rich and for the poor. Tzedakah can be given only to the living – gemilut chasadim can be done both for the living and the dead. [AJWS translation] |
תנו רבנן: בשלשה דברים גדולה גמילות חסדים יותר מן הצדקה, צדקה - בממונו, גמילות חסדים - בין בגופו בין בממונו. צדקה - לעניים, גמילות חסדים - בין לעניים בין לעשירים. צדקה - לחיים, גמילות חסדים - בין לחיים בין למתים.
|
1. In what ways can acts of lovingkindness be done for the wealthy?
2. How can we add lovingkindness to our tzedakah?
3. How can we add lovingkindness to our foreign assistance policies? to our domestic policies?
Translation | Original |
---|---|
It is a positive mitzvah to lend to the poor, as it is said, “You should lend money to my poor, the poor of your people.” One might have thought this was a discretionary act. But the Torah teaches, “You must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs” (Deuteronomy 15:8). And this mitzvah is greater than [giving] tzedakah to the poor who ask for it, for he is already at the stage where he must ask, while this one has not yet reached that stage. And the Torah specifically rebukes one who refrains from loaning [to the poor in this manner], as it is said, “[If] you are mean to your kinsman and give him nothing, he will cry out to God against you, and you will incur guilt.” (Deuteronomy 15:9). [AJWS translation] |
מצות עשה להלוות לעניי ישראל שנאמר אם כסף תלוה את עמי את העני עמך, יכול רשות תלמוד לומר העבט תעביטנו וגו' ומצוה זו גדולה מן הצדקה אל העני השואל שזה כבר נצרך לשאול וזה עדיין לא הגיע למדה זו, והתורה הקפידה על מי שימנע מלהלוות לעני שנאמר ורעה עינך באחיך האביון וגו'.
|
1. What are some of the difference between tzedakah-giving and money lending?
2. What are the ramifications of debt to the world's poorest countries?
3. When is it better to give than to lend?
והנה השכל מבין שיש ליתן, אבל לבבו חושב מחשבות און ומצטער, כי קשה עליו וכו'. ועל זה בא הפסוק לא תאמץ את לבבך, אלא תאמץ את שכלך.
The person’s intellect tells him to give, but his heart feels distress in giving to the poor. Therefore, the verse tells him, “do not harden your heart,” only your intellect. [Hartman translation]
1. Who are the players in this text – seen and unseen? 2. What power dynamics are at play? 3. What does it mean to harden your intellect? How it help the poor for us to harden our intellects but not our hearts?