Alana and Rachel's Trailer for the Orphan's Dowry

Rivka's Beautiful Tzedakah Painting

Trading Places Pt. II

At the end of the movie 'Trading Places', Billy Ray and Lewis get rich, Mortimer and Randolph Duke are made broke; again over a one dollar bet. What do you think about this? What do you think Judaism would say about it? The scene above is from the 1988 film 'Coming to America'. What does it say about giving? Forgiveness?

Giving in Secret, Giving Directly: Ketubot 67b Pt VI

 כתובות סז

מר 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.

Trading Places- The Wealthy Man that Becomes Poor

As we see in the movie 'Trading Places', Winthorp (Dan Aykroyd) goes from the pinnacle of wealthy and comfort to the streets. He does not adjust to this change well.

The Talmud suggests that a formerly rich man should be maintained by the community in a different way than a poor man (look here and here).

If Winthorp came to the Jewish community for help, what is the community's responsibility? Would you treat him differently than you would have Billy Ray (Eddie Murphy) is he came to you?

If I am not for myself?

 Pirkei Avot 1:13

הוא היה אומר, אם אין אני לי, מי לי; וכשאני לעצמי, מה אני; ואם לא עכשיו, אימתיי.

Hillel said: 

If I am not for myself, who will be for me?

And if I am only for myself, what am I?

And if not now when?

What does this mean in the context of everything we have learned so far? How do we balance our care for others with our own needs and wants? Are there texts we've learned so far that have given more guidance in how to address Hillel's statement?

Um, Zach Galifianakis is totally awesome

Zach Galifianakis supports an elderly homeless woman, and even takes her to red carpet premieres.

Go here to read about it.

What other examples of Tzedakah have you seen lately in the news?

Who are the poor in our midst?

Listen to this audio clip from the Morning Edition broadcast on 5/20/13 from NPR, and respond.

CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO

Who are the poor in our American community? Why are they poor? What are the factors that led them to being considered poor? What are the things that they spend their money on?

A Loan or a Gift? Ketubot 67b (Pt. V)

כתובות סז עמוד ב

תנו רבנן אין לו ואינו רוצה להתפרנס, נותנין לו לשום הלואה וחוזרין ונותנין לו לשום מתנה דברי רבי מאיר. וחכמים אומרים נותנין לו לשום מתנה וחוזרין ונותנין לו לשום הלואה. לשום מתנה? הא לא שקיל! אמר רבא לפתוח לו לשום מתנה. יש לו ואינו רוצה להתפרנס, נותנין לו לשום מתנה וחוזרין ונפרעין ממנו. חוזרין ונפרעין הימנו תו לא שקיל? אמר רב פפא לאחר מיתה .    ר"ש אומר יש לו ואינו רוצה להתפרנס אין נזקקין לו. אין לו ואינו רוצה להתפרנס אומרים לו הבא משכון וטול כדי שתזוח דעתו עליו

Ketubot 67b: Our rabbis taught: he doesn't have (he is poor) and he doesn't want to receive Tzedakah, give it to him as a loan and (if he refuses) then come back and offer him a gift, according to R' Meir. The sages say give him a gift and (if he refuses) then come back and give it to him as a loan.

 ק - As a gift? But (we already learned) he won't accept it!

 ת - Raba said, begin by offer it as a gift.

He has (money; he isn't poor) and he does not want to accept Tzedakah (but clearly he needs it), we give it to him as a gift and then come back to him and make him repay it.

ק - Come back and repay it? How? He won't do it!

ת - Rav Pappa said (we collect) after he dies.

Rabbi Shimon says he has but he won't accept Tzedakah, we don't give it to him.

He doesn't have and he doesn't accept, we say to him 'Give me a pledge/collateral' and we take it (and provide for him) so that he does fall into despair.

Why give a poor person a loan instead of a gift? Can you explain the 'pride' aspect of receiving Tzedakah, and the difficulty of it? Jewish communities all over the world have small 'free loan' societies for local Jews in need. What do you think of this?

What about this rich person who won't spend their money on themself? Can you imagine a situation like this? The gemara gives two answers. What are they? Which do you prefer? 

Ten Percent

The Talmud in Masechet Peah describes how much of a person's income they are obligated to give in Tzedakah. Less than 10% is consider 'bad'; 10% is considered the minimum. 20% is the maximum.

What do you think? Is this do-able? Is setting the bar too high maybe a problem? What do you think most people really give? Why does there even need to be a maximum?

Ketubot 67b Pt IV- Fatted Chicken and Old Wine

ההוא דאתא לקמיה דרבא אמר לו במה אתה סועד אמר לו בתרנגולת פטומה ויין ישן אמר ליה ולא חיישת לדוחקא דציבורא א"ל אטו מדידהו קאכילנא מדרחמנא קאכילנא דתנינא (תהילים קמה) עיני כל אליך ישברו ואתה נותן להם את אכלם בעתו בעתם לא נאמר אלא בעתו מלמד שכל אחד ואחד נותן הקב"ה פרנסתו בעתו אדהכי אתאי אחתיה דרבא דלא חזיא ליה תליסרי שני ואתיא ליה תרנגולת פטומה ויין ישן אמר מאי דקמא א"ל נענתי לך קום אכול

A man once applied to Raba [for maintenance]. 'What do your meals consist of?' he asked him. 'Of fat chicken and old wine', the other replied. 'Did you not consider', [the Rabbi] asked him, 'the burden of the community?' 'Do I', the other replied, 'eat of theirs? I eat [the food] of the All-Merciful; for we learned: The eyes of all wait for Thee, and Thou givest them their food in due season, this, since it is not said, 'in their season' but 'in his season', teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, provides for every individual his food In accordance with his own habits'. Meanwhile there arrived Raba's sister, who had not seen him for thirteen years, and brought him a fat chicken and old wine. 'What a remarkable incident!' [Raba] exclaimed; [and then] he said to him, 'I apologize to you, come and eat'. 

What are your thoughts? Should a person consider the 'burden of the community' in how they conduct their behavior? What does this middle section about how 'God provides in His season' mean?

The Needy Person in Google and Twitter's midst

  Deuteronomy 15:7-8

כִּי-יִהְיֶה בְךָ אֶבְיוֹן מֵאַחַד אַחֶיךָ, בְּאַחַד שְׁעָרֶיךָ, בְּאַרְצְךָ, אֲשֶׁר-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ--לֹא תְאַמֵּץ אֶת-לְבָבְךָ, וְלֹא תִקְפֹּץ אֶת-יָדְךָ, מֵאָחִיךָ, הָאֶבְיוֹן.  ח כִּי-פָתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת-יָדְךָ, לוֹ; וְהַעֲבֵט, תַּעֲבִיטֶנּוּ, דֵּי מַחְסֹרוֹ, אֲשֶׁר יֶחְסַר לוֹ.

7 If there be among you a needy man, one of your brethren, within any of your gates, in your land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your needy brother; 8 but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wants.  

Watch the video and comment below.

Ketubot 67b Pt III - A man of expensive tastes that becomes poor

תנו רבנן מעשה באנשי גליל העליון שלקחו לעני בן טובים אחד מציפורי ליטרא בשר בכל יום ליטרא בשר מאי רבותא אמר רב הונא ליטרא בשר משל עופות ואיבעית אימא בליטרא בשר ממש רב אשי אמר התם כפר קטן היה בכל יומא הוה מפסדי חיותא אמטולתיה:  ההוא דאתא לקמיה דרבי נחמיה אמר ליה במה אתה סועד א"ל בבשר שמן ויין ישן רצונך שתגלגל עמי בעדשים גלגל עמו בעדשים ומת אמר אוי לו לזה שהרגו נחמיה אדרבה אוי לו לנחמיה שהרגו לזה מיבעי ליה אלא איהו הוא דלא איבעי ליה לפנוקי נפשיה כולי האי

Our Rabbis taught: It once happened that the people of Upper Galilee bought for a poor member of a good family of Sepphoris a pound of meat every day. 'A pound of meat'! What is the greatness in this? — R. Huna replied: [It was] a pound of fowl's meat. And if you prefer I might say: [They purchased] ordinary meat for a pound [of money]. R. Ashi replied: The place was a small village and everyday a beast had to be spoiled for his sake.

A certain man once applied to R. Nehemiah [for maintenance]. 'What do your meals consist of', [the Rabbi] asked him. 'Of fat meat and old wine', the other replied — 'Will you consent [the Rabbi asked him] to live with me on lentils?' [The other consented,] lived with him on lentils and died. 'Alas', [the Rabbi] said, 'for this man whom Nehemiah has killed.' On the contrary, he should [have said] 'Alas for Nehemiah who killed this man'! — [The fact], however, [is that the man himself was to blame, for] he should not have cultivated his luxurious habits to such an extent.



What is the standard of living which society must provide for its poor? Are we obligated to provide for a needy person at the standard they are accustomed? If you became suddenly poor, how would you expect to be provided for?

Hillel the Horse Servant Ketubot 67b Pt. II

כתובות סז: חלק 2

ת"ר יתום שבא לישא, שוכרין לו בית, ומציעין לו מטה וכל כלי תשמישו, ואחר כך משיאין לו אשה, שנאמר(דברים טו) די מחסורו אשר יחסר לו

די מחסורו - זה הבית. אשר יחסר -  זה מטה ושלחן. לו - זו אשה.   ו

וכן הוא אומר (בראשית ב) אעשה לו עזר כנגדו.  ו

תנו רבנן: די מחסורו - אתה מצווה עליו לפרנסו.  ו

ואי אתה מצווה עליו לעשרו .  ו

אשר יחסר לו- אפילו סוס לרכוב עליו 

ועבד לרוץ לפניו.  ו

אמרו עליו על הלל הזקן שלקח לעני בן טובים אחד סוס לרכוב עליו ועבד לרוץ לפניו .  ו

פעם אחת לא מצא עבד לרוץ לפניו ורץ לפניו שלשה מילין.   ו

Our rabbis taught: an orphan boy than comes to be married, they rent for him a house, and make him a bed and all kinds of furnishings, and afterwards they marry him off to a wife, as it is said (Devarim 15:8) "enough for what he needs, for him that which he lacks." "What he needs"- this is a house. "That which he lacks"- this is a bed and a table. "for him"-  this is a wife. Just as it says, (Bereshit 2:18) "I will make for him a fitting helper."

Our rabbis taught: "What he needs"- you are commanded to provide for him. But you are not commanded to enrich him. "That which he lacks"- even a horse for him to ride and a servant to run before him. It was said of Hillel the Elder that he acquired for one poor man, a son of wealthy parents, a horse to ride on and a servant to run before him. One day, he could not find a servant to run before him, and he (Hillel the Elder) ran before him for three miles.

What does this text say about the obligations to a person in need? What are obligated to give, and what are we not obligated to give? Is it clear or not? Finally, what does the example of Rabbi Hillel teach us?