Prologue: Chapter 18

He who rejoices on festivals, but does not give to the poor

Synopsis

If a person is joyous over his own lot in life but does not share any portion of it, great judgment can befall him. Moreover, sharing for purposes of recognition and honor is worthless in the Upper Worlds. Genuine sharing involves self-sacrifice and giving of oneself beyond that which is comfortable. True generosity occurs when the benefactor does not know to whom he gave, and the recipient does not know who has given unto him. Understanding this precept can greatly enrich our appreciation for the importance of sharing, which is the most effective way to remove any judgments that hang over us.

Evil Eyes Hatred Satan, The

174. Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion by saying that he who rejoices on festivals, but does not give his portion to the Holy One, blessed be He, then that Evil Eye - Satan - shall hate and persecute him, and shall take him out of this world. And he will bring many miseries upon miseries.

174. פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וַאֲמַר, כָּל מָאן דְּחָדֵי בְּאִינוּן מוֹעֲדַיָּא, וְלָא יָהֵיב חוּלָקֵיהּ לְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הַהוּא רַע עַיִן שָׂטָן שׂוֹנֵא אוֹתוֹ וְקָא מְקַטְרֵג לֵיהּ, וְסָלֵיק לֵיהּ מֵעָלְמָא, וְכַמָּה עָקוּ עַל עָקוּ מְסַבֵּב לֵיהּ.

Poor Vessels

175. The portion of the Holy One, blessed be He, is to make the poor happy, according to his ability. Because on these days, DURING FESTIVALS, the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to see all His broken vessels. He comes to see them, but then realizes that they have nothing to be happy ABOUT. And He weeps over them, before ascending back above, to destroy the world.

175. חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לְמֶחֱדֵי לְמִסְכְּנֵי כְּפוּם מַה דְּיָכֵיל לְמֶעְבַּד. בְּגִין דְּקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּיוֹמַיָּיא אִלֵּין, אָתֵי לְמֶחֱמֵי לְאִינוּן מָאנִין תְּבִירִין דִּילֵיהּ, וְעָאל עָלַיְיהוּ, וְחָמֵי דְּלָא אִית לְהוֹן לְמֶחֱדֵי, וּבְכֵי עָלַיְיהוּ. סָלֵיק לְעֵילָא לְחָרְבָּא עָלְמָא.

Angels Creation Love Mercy Poor Satan, The Universe Yeshivah

176. The members of the Yeshivah then stand before Him, saying, Master of the Universe, You are called gracious and merciful. So, apply Your mercy on Your children! He said to them: 'Have I not created the world based upon love?' As it is written, "For I have said, the world is built by love" (Tehilim 89:3). So the whole universe is established upon it. BUT IF THEY DO NOT LOVE THE POOR, THEN 'I SHALL DESTROY THE WORLD.' The heavenly angels then say to Him, Master of the Universe, there is a certain person who has eaten and drunk to his fill and could have been kind to the poor, but did not share with them anything! Then the "Accuser" comes and obtains permission to persecute that person.

176. אֲתָאן בְּנֵי מְתִיבְתָּא קַמֵּיהּ, וְאָמְרֵי רִבּוֹן עָלְמָא רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן אִתְקְרִיאַת. יִתְגַּלְגְּלוּן רַחֲמָךְ עַל בְּנָךְ. אֲמַר לוֹן: וְכִי עָלְמָא לָא עֲבֵידַת לֵיהּ אֶלָּא עַל חֶסֶ"ד, דִּכְתִיב אָמַרְתִּי עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה, וְעָלְמָא עַל דָּא קָיְימָא. אָמְרֵי קַמֵּיהּ מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי, רִבּוֹן עָלְמָא, הָא פְּלַנְיָא דְּאָכֵיל וְרָוֵי, וְיָכֵיל לְמֶעְבַּד טִיבוּ עִם מִסְכְּנֵי וְלָא יָהֵיב לוֹן מִידֵי. אָתֵי הַהוּא מְקַטְרְגָא וּתְבַע רְשׁוּ, וּרְדַף אֲבַתְרֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא בַּר נָשׁ.

Abraham Children House Isaac Mercy Poor

177. Whom do we have in the world greater than Abraham, who had bestowed kindness on all living beings? Of the day that he prepared a feast, what is written? "And the child grew, and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Issac was weaned" (Beresheet 21:8). So Abraham prepared a feast and invited all the leaders and important people of that generation to that feast. And we have learned that at every banquet, the 'Accuser' wanders about, observing if each person first dispenses charity to the poor. If there are any poor people in his house, then he (the "Accuser") leaves that house and does not enter. But if there are not, THE 'ACCUSER' enters that house. If he sees the merrymaking without the poor and without having first dispensed charity to the poor, he ascends above and brings accusations against him.

177. מָאן לָן בְּעָלְמָא גָּדוֹל מֵאַבְרָהָם, דַּעֲבַד טִיבוּ לְכָל בִּרְיָין. בְּיוֹמָא דַּעֲבַד מִשְׁתְּיָיא, מַה כְּתִיב, וַיִּגְדַּל הַיֶּלֶד וַיִּגָּמַל וַיַּעַשׂ אַבְרָהָם מִשְׁתֶּה גָדוֹל בְּיוֹם הִגָּמֵל אֶת יִצְחָק. עֲבַד אַבְרָהָם מִשְׁתְּיָיא, וּקְרָא לְכָל רַבְרְבֵי דָרָא לְהַהִיא סְעוּדָתָא. וְתָנִינָן, בְּכָל סְעוּדָתָא דְחֶדְוָה, הַהוּא מְקַטְרְגָא אָזֵיל וְחָמֵי, אִי הַהוּא ב"נ אַקְדִּים טִיבוּ לְמִסְכְּנֵי, וּמִסְכְּנֵי בְּבֵיתָא, הַהוּא מְקַטְרְגָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ מֵהַהוּא בֵּיתָא וְלָא עָאל תַּמָּן, וְאִי לָאו, עָאל תַּמָּן, וְחָמֵי עִרְבּוּבְיָא דְּחֶדְוָה בְּלָא מִסְכְּנֵי, וּבְלָא טִיבוּ דְאַקְדִּים לְמִסְכְּנֵי, סָלֵיק לְעֵילָא וּמְקַטְרְגָא עֲלֵיהּ.

Abraham Children Door Heavens Isaac Poor Sacrifice Sarah Universe

178. When Abraham summoned all the great leaders of that generation, the 'Accuser' descended and stood at the door disguised as a poor man. And nobody paid any attention to him. Abraham was attending the kings and the noble men. Sarah suckled all their children because they did not believe that she had born a child, but rather claimed that ISSAC was a foundling whom they picked up from the marketplace. This is why they brought their children with them, so that Sarah could take them and nurse them in front of their parents. As it is written: "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children?" (Beresheet 21:7). IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN, 'WOULD NURSE A CHILD?' NEVERTHELESS, there is no doubt that it should be 'children,' REFERRING TO THE CHILDREN OF ALL THE GUESTS. And that 'Accuser' was STANDING at the door. Sarah said: "Elohim made laughter for me!" (Ibid. 6). So immediately the 'Accuser' went up and stood before the Holy One, blessed be He, and said to Him, "O Master of the Universe, You have said, 'Abraham is the one who loves Me,' and here he prepared a feast but did not give anything to You or to the poor. He did not sacrifice even one pigeon before. And furthermore, Sarah claims that You have mocked her!"

178. אַבְרָהָם, כֵּיוָן דְּזַמֵּין לְרַבְרְבֵי דָרָא, נָחַת מְקַטְרְגָא וְקָם עַל פִּתְחָא כְּגַוְונָא דְמִסְכְּנָא, וְלָא הֲוָה מָאן דְּאַשְׁגַּח בֵּיהּ. אַבְרָהָם הֲוָה מְשַׁמֵשׁ לְאִינוּן מַלְכִין וְרַבְרְבִין. שָׂרָה אוֹנִיקַת בְּנִין לְכָלְּהוֹ דְּלָא הֲווֹ מְהֵמְנִין כַּד אִיהִי אוֹלִידַת. אֶלָּא אֲמָרוּ אֲסוּפִי הוּא וּמִן שׁוּקָא אַיְתִיאוּ לֵיהּ, בְּגִין כָּךְ אַתְיָין בְּנַיְיהוּ בַּהֲדַיְיהוּ, וְנַטְלַת לוֹן שָׂרָה וְאוֹנִיקַת לוֹן קָמַיְיהוּ. הה"ד מִי מִלֵּל לְאַבְרָהָם הֵנִיקָה בָנִים שָׂרָה, בָּנִים וַדַּאי. וְהַהוּא מְקַטְרְגָא עַל פִּתְחָא. אָמְרָה צְחוֹק עָשָׂה לִי אֱלֹהִים. מִיָּד סָלֵיק הַהוּא מְקַטְרְגָא קַמֵּי קָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ רִבּוֹן עָלְמָא, אַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ אַבְרָהָם אוֹהֲבִי, עֲבַד סְעוּדְתָּא וְלָא יְהַב לָךְ מִידֵי, וְלָאו לְמִסְכְּנֵי, וְלָא קָרֵיב קָדָמָךְ אֲפִילּוּ יוֹנָה חַד. וְתוּ, אָמְרַת שָׂרָה דְּחַיְיכַת בָּהּ.

Abraham Isaac Offering Poor Sarah

179. The Holy One, blessed be He, replies: 'Who in the world can be compared to Abraham?' But THE 'ACCUSER' did not leave the place until he had spoiled the entire feast. So the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed that Issac should be given as an offering, and Sarah was destined to die from anguish because of her son. All of this distress was caused because he did not offer anything to the poor!

179. אֲמַר לֵיהּ קָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, מָאן בְּעָלְמָא כְּאַבְרָהָם. וְלֹא זָז מִתַּמָּן עַד דְּבִלְבֵּל כָּל הַהִיא חֶדְוָה, וּפַקֵּיד קָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמִקְרַב לְיִצְחָק קָרְבְּנָא, וְאִתְגְּזַר עַל שָׂרָה דְּתָמוּת עַל צַעֲרָא דִּבְרָהּ כָּל הַהוּא צַעֲרָא גָּרֵים דְּלָא יָהֵיב מִידֵי לְמִסְכְּנֵי.

<
>