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עוקבא הוה עניא בשיבבותיה דהוה רגיל כל יומא דשדי ליה ארבעה זוזי בצינורא דדשא יום
אחד אמר איזיל איחזי מאן קעביד בי ההוא טיבותא ההוא יומא נגהא ליה למר עוקבא לבי
מדרשא אתיא דביתהו בהדיה כיון דחזיוה דקא מצלי ליה לדשא נפק בתרייהו רהוט מקמיה
עיילי לההוא אתונא דהוה גרופה נורא הוה קא מיקליין כרעיה דמר עוקבא אמרה ליה
דביתהו שקול כרעיך אותיב אכרעאי חלש דעתיה אמרה ליה אנא שכיחנא בגויה דביתא ומקרבא
אהנייתי ומאי כולי האי דאמר מר זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב ואמרי לה אמר רב הונא בר
ביזנא אמר ר"ש חסידא ואמרי לה א"ר יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי נוח לו
לאדם שימסור עצמו לתוך כבשן האש ואל ילבין פני חברו ברבים
Ketubot 67b
Mar 'Ukba had a poor man in his
neighbourhood into whose door-socket he used to throw four zuz every
day. Once [the poor
man] thought: 'I will go and see who does me this kindness'. On that day [it
happened] that Mar 'Ukba was late at the house of
study and his wife was coming
home with him. As soon as [the poor man] saw them moving the door he went out
after them, but they fled from him and ran into a furnace from which the fire
had just been swept. Mar 'Ukba's feet were burning and his wife said to him:
Raise your feet and put them on mine. As he was upset, she said to
him, 'I am usually at home and my
benefactions are direct'. And what
[was the reason for] all that? — Because
Mar Zutra b. Tobiah said in the name of Rab (others state: R. Huna b. Bizna
said in the name of R. Simeon the Pious; and others again state: R. Johanan
said in the name of R. Simeon b. Yohai): Better had a man thrown himself into a
fiery furnace than publicly put his neighbour to shame.
What are your thoughts on the lengths to which Mar Ukba goes to stay anonymous? What does it mean to give directly, and what does this text say about giving directly? Finally, talk about the issues of giving, receiving, and shame.
I think that Mar Ukba's actions are quite admirable. For, if someone goes to the extent to throw themselves into a fiery furnace to save their anonymity, that's pretty impressive. However, it might be taking it a little bit too far. There are only three mitzvot that are more important than one's life (which was at risk in the furnace), and anonymous giving isn't one of them. But if someone wants to go this extent to stay anonymous, that is their choice. I wouldn't want to go down that route, though.
ReplyDeleteThe text hints that giving directly is more righteous than giving anonymously, because the wife's feet don't burn, and she is the one who gives directly. However, I think that is a bit interesting. I think that giving anonymously may be better. On the other hand, though, one reason that giving directly is good is because when one gives anonymously, the receiver may actually end up being jealous of the giver's knowledge of who the other one is. In other words, the receiver may not think that it is fair that they don't get to know who the giver is, but the giver gets to know who they are! This is a reason why direct giving is good.
However, if one gives directly, then embarrassment may be caused. Here is a great קשיא: it jealousy or embarrassment worse? When I try to solve this, I get another problem! If I say that the receiver should decide if they would rather be given to directly or anonymously, that won't work, because it really is the giver who is the only one who has the power to decide that. But the giver isn't the victim of MOST of the jealousy and embarrassment! SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!!!! How can I solve this problem?!?!?!?! IS IT MORE RIGHTEOUS TO GIVE ANONYMOUSLY OR DIRECTLY?
The above is Ely Comment #6.
ReplyDeleteLiana Brown Bonus Comment #2
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ely, that Mar Ukba's actions were selfless and admirable. But his actions do seem a bit extreme, and I wonder if he considered the consequences of his actions. However, I do not think the text hints that giving directly is more righteous than giving anonymously. I think its stating the exact opposite. Mar Ukba goes to extreme lengths to stay anonymous, and he is an example for everyone around him to give more. Also, I believe that his wife's feet don't burn because she is willing to risk her health and safety for the benefit of others. Therefore G-d is rewarding her and Mar Ukba for not embarrassing the man.
Whether or not Tzedakah is given directly or anonymously there is still a chance that the receiver could feel embarrassed or ashamed. It is hard to be the person who needs help and support, but you have to learn to accept gifts graciously, regardless of how embarrassing the situation is. It can be hard to avoid these problems, but the job of the giver is to try their best to make the giving of Tzedakah as comfortable as possible. This seems like it asks a lot of someone who is already giving money to those in need, but that is part of being a Jew. Being righteous and giving to others is the best way to serve G-d. I think this because G-d gives us all these wonderful things and it is important that we give back. Mar Ukba felt this responsibility but he may have taken it a bit too far. He believed that giving anonymously was more righteous and I agree with him. I am not saying I would jump into a fiery burning oven, but a truly righteous person would be willing to do anything to help someone else without making them feel ashamed.
Good point!
DeleteAnna Bonus Comment #7
DeleteI agree also with both Ely and Liana that Mar Ukba acted very selflessly and that we can all learn from the way he risked his own life in order to avoid embarrassing someone else. Very few people are courageous and devoted enough to hide in a fiery furnace in order to conceal their good deed. Not only does Mar Ukba give anonymously, but when he was put in a situation where the reciever wants to contact the donator, he goes out of his way and hides in order to be humble. This text teaches us many lessons.
Someone who acts like Mar Ukba in today's world is Charles Feeney, a billionaire who raised himself from rags to riches, and is known as "The Billionaire Who Is Trying to Go Broke". He goes unnoticed in his life and gives millions of dollars and helps many lives every day. He goes through life very humbly and without recognition. He is our most prominent example of Mar Ukba's type of giving in our lives today and we can all learn from his humbling, charitable acts.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2012/09/18/chuck-feeney-the-billionaire-who-is-trying-to-go-broke/
I agree with Ely, Liana and Anna that Mar Ukba's actions were admirable and righteous. Although, I also believe that his actions were taken a little too far. Like Anna said, few people would step into a fiery furnace to hide their actions. I understand that he did not want to embarrass the poor man in his neighborhood, and he obviously believes that giving anonymously is the better way to go. Giving anonymously is better than giving publicly for many reasons. As we already know, giving anonymously doesn't embarrass the person and make them feel like they don't belong in their society. Also, it makes the person giving the tzedakah feel accomplished and selfless. However, I do not think that Mar Ukba thought about the good that may come out of giving publicly. If the poor man had found out that it was Mar Ukba, everyone would know about the poor man, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Giving publicly can raise awareness and maybe encourage others to give tzedakah as well. My point is that there is no wrong way to giving tzedakah. I think it takes a tenures person to even give at all. So I believe that Mar Ukba was an unbelievable man p, because not only did he give anonymously, but he physically hurt himself just to protect the poor man's feelings. We would live in a great world if every person would do that.
ReplyDeleteComment #2
DeleteWow, thanks! That's a really helpful answer! No I have no need to worry about HOW to give Tzedakah.
Delete