Halacha Shvui: Jewish Laws this Month XXIX

by Rabbi David

This month we learned about how to give Tzedaka by not giving it, how to pelt a child who asks to drink some of your liquor, how to keep the laws of Shemita by not keeping Shemita, and the Mitzvah of using vegetation to curse people on Rosh Hashana. Let's learn a bissel Torah.

(Devarim 15:10) Speaking of giving wholeheartedly to the poor, the Torah says, “You shall surely give him, and let your heart not feel bad when you give him, for because of this thing H’ your Gd will bless you…” It always pains me to give Tzedakah. Seeing a destitute guy with a decent meal. Eating pizza, and with the toppings. You give charity, they smile, you know you got ripped off.
Rashi, referencing Sifri, learns from the words “this thing” (“thing” also being “word” in Hebrew) that when you say you’ll give Tzedaka it's like giving it. Don't need to give. Just say it. That’s how the membership at my shul holds by pledges. At the Yizkur appeal they’re very good at bending the tabs.
I always thought it was tradition to bend the numbers on the appeal cards and to not pay. I didn’t know it was a Mitzvah.
So, what did we learn? Say you will give Tzedaka wholeheartedly and don’t answer the shul office when they ask for the money. When a poor person asks for help, don’t pull out your wallet. Say you will give them money and walk away. Run if you have to. And you will feel much better about only have to think about Tzedaka.
 
(Devarim 21:18-21) You pelt and kill the wayward and rebellious son who doesn’t obey his parents. So, go to sleep when your parents tell you. There is more to this law, but don’t take chances. Go to sleep on time and take out the trash when asked.
The parents tell the elders, “He doesn’t listen to our voice. He’s a glutton and a drunkard.” That’s how you get the kids to listen. At least the boys. If you’re a boy, go to sleep on time and stay away from the kitchen. Otherwise, your parents might get you pelted with stones. And stay away from the liquor cabinet. You don’t need dad blaming you again for his drinking problem. Still can’t figure out how to get the girls to help around the house. There’s no Pasuk for that.
 
(Laws of Kashrut, Rabbi Cohen p.68) Better to buy Heter Mechira than from gentiles during Shemita, to avoid hurting Jewish agriculture. We believe in the laws of Shemita and that Gd will provide, but not that much.

The Talmud (Keritut 6a) encourages us to eat symbolic food on Rosh Hashana because “symbolism has meaning.” Thus, we focus on puns about carrots to connect to H’.
During the High Holidays, we focus our prayers on what happens to our enemies who don’t keep pomegranates. Pomegranates means Mitzvahs. Good Jews understand the symbolism of vegetations, and how to curse our enemies with produce. "May our enemies die like a pomegranate that got attacked by a jussher."

​What We Learned from Rabbi David: As long as you think about giving Tzedaka, you don't have to give it. That makes giving charity much easier. It's also easier to get your child killed for eating lunch than to have to pay for that kid to go to Jewish day school. And it's important to keep safe on Rosh Hashana. Stay away from Jews holding a vegetables. They get violent.
A lot of violence and not helping the poor. That's what we learned from Rabbi David.