From: murray@cybernet.cse.fau.edu (murray kahl)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: Tanya, Epistle 16, part 1 of 2
Date: 15 Sep 92 15:59:54 GMT
Organization: Cybernet BBS, Boca Raton, Florida

Subj: Epistle 16            1/2
Epistle Sixteen
 
To the members of the community of . . .
 
[It has already been noted that the Alter Rebbe devoted many of the
letters that comprise Iggeret HaKodesh to the theme of tzedakah,
particularly when dedicated to the support of those who engage in
Torah study and divine service in Eretz Yisrael. As its opening
salutation indicates, the present letter is one of those sent to a
particular community. Its economic state was dismal, (1) and word had
reached the Alter Rebbe that its charitable contributions for the
Kollel Chabad Fund had fallen off accordingly.
 
The Alter Rebbe therefore writes that he is aware of their hardships,
but it remains imperative that they maintain their regular level of
generosity. The reasons he enumerates are based on the requirements of
Torah law, as well as on considerations that surpass the letter of the
law.]
 
My beloved, my brethren and friends, who are to me like my own soul.
[Certain qualities are uniquely found in the closeness and love of
brothers, and other qualities, in the warm devotion of friends. (2)
In writing "my brethren and friends," the Alter Rebbe indicates that
his letter wells from both kinds of brotherliness.]
 
The hardships of these times are not hidden from me, in that the means
for earning a livelihood have declined, especially among those known
to me from your community, whose hands have faltered, so that they are
without any providers at all, (3) [with no work available for either
husband or wife], and they literally borrow in order to eat. (4)
 
May G-d show them compassion and speedily bring them respite from
their straits. Nonetheless, they are not acting rightly unto their
souls, according to reports that they close their hand which all their
life long, to this very day, has been open to give with a full hand
and a generous eye (5) for all vital necessities to satisfy the needs
of the "clean" destitutes (6) whose eyes are lifted unto us. [This
refers to the destitute of Eretz Yisrael who had absolutely no means
of support other than the charitable fund of Kollel Chabad.]
 
If we will not pity them, heaven forfend, who will? And it is
written, (7) "...so that your brother may live with you!" [I.e., one
should share with his brethren even that which is most essential for
one's own life.]
 
As to the ruling of the Sages that (8) "Your own life takes
precedence," this applies only in a case "when one has a pitcher of
water in hand..."; [If a traveler in the desert has just enough water
to sustain his own life until civilization is reached, and if he
shares it with his friend they will both inevitably die, then his own
life takes precedence.] that is, when it is equally essential that
both drink in order to save their lives from thirst.
 
But if a pauper needs bread for the mouths of babes, and firewood and
clothes against the cold, and the like, then all these take precedence
over any fine apparel and family feasts, with meat and fish and all
kinds of delicacies, for oneself and all of one's household. (9)
 
The rule that "your own life takes precedence" does not apply in such
a case, because these are not really essential to life, as are [the
needs] of the poor, in true equality, as is discussed in Nedarim, page
80[b].
 
[The Gemara speaks there about a stream that originates in one town
and flows through another. If it does not provide enough drinking
water for both towns, the water rights belong to the inhabitants of
the first town. The same applies to the water that both towns need for
their livestock or for washing their clothes. If, however, the second
town needs drinking water for its citizens, while the first town only
needs the water for washing clothes, then the needs of the second town
prevail.
 
We thus see, that if the respective needs are not exactly equal, then
one does not say "one's own life take precedence," even in a situation
where one's own needs are quite real and far from frivolous.  When
fathers and mothers are crying out for bread for their little ones,
and for firewood and clothing to protect them from the cold, this
surely takes precedence over the valid but non-essential needs of
one's own family.]
 
Now, the above follows the exact requirements of the law. In fact,
however, even in a case where such reasoning does not so fully apply,
[I.e., even when (a) one is called upon to share not luxuries but
one's own slice of bread, or even when (b) the poor are not crying out
for food and clothing, but for other essentials,] it is not proper
that any man insist on the letter of the law; rather, he should impose
austerity on his own life and go far beyond the [demands of the]
letter of the law.
 
Moreover, one should be concerned, (10) for his own sake, with the
teaching of our Sages, (11) of blessed memory, that - [even in a
situation where "that which is yours takes precedence over that which
belongs to others"] - he who is exacting in this matter, [and does not
go beyond the letter of the law], "will eventually be brought to this
matter": [he himself will ultimately need charity, heaven forfend.]
 
And after all, all of us need the mercies of heaven at all times, (12)
[which are elicited] only through an arousal from below, at all times
and at every moment, by arousing our compassion for those who are in
need of compassion. But whoever hardens his heart and suppresses his
compassion, for whatever reason, causes the same above - [the
suppression of Divine compassion], heaven forfend.
 
[All this however, affects only the future. The Rebbe Shlita,
however, notes: "And the present as well, causing one to give until
the recipient is equal `with you.'" (Cf. footnote 7, above.) There is,
however, an aspect of tzedakah that also affects the past, and the
Rebbe Shlita adds: "causing one to give to an even greater degree than
what he keeps for himself, since this is" to secure the rectification
and atonement of his past sins.]
 
After all, furthermore, (13) "There is not a righteous person upon
earth who does good" - always - "and does not sin," and tzedakah
atones, (14) and protects against misfortune and the like. (15)
 
[Charity] is thus an actual cure for body and soul, (16) with respect
to which [it is written], (17) "Skin for skin - [a limb for a limb],
and all that a man has he will give for his soul," [i.e., to save his
life.  Setting a limit to the amount one distributes for charity is
thus just as unthinkable as limiting the sum one would spend in order
to be cured and to stay alive.]
 
How much more does this apply, when we are (18) "believers, the
descendants of believers," in the fact that charity is nothing other
than a loan to the Holy One, blessed be He, (19) as it is written,
(20) "He who is gracious unto the poor, lends unto G-d, and He will
repay him his good deed" - twofold, in this world.
 
For the performance of none of the commandments is rewarded in
this world - except for charity, (21) because it is beneficial to
creatures, (22) as is written at the end of the first chapter of
Kiddushin. (23)
 
Also, one should be concerned about punishment, (24) heaven forfend,
when one's companions associate for the sake of a mitzvah and he does
not join them, (25) [This would be the case if one were to absent
oneself when the other members of one's community were joining forces
for the sake of the charitable cause under discussion, viz., the
Kollel Chabad Fund.] as is known from the words of our Sages, (26) of
blessed memory, [who teach that standing aside in such circumstances
is an instance of (27) "an absence for which one cannot [again] be
counted."]
>>> Continued to next message
---
 * Origin: Chasidus is for EVERYONE L'ChaimBBS 718-756-7201 (1:278/610)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish