From: murray@cybernet.cse.fau.edu (murray kahl)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: Tanya, Epistle 16, Part 2 of 2
Date: 15 Sep 92 16:02:52 GMT
Organization: Cybernet BBS, Boca Raton, Florida

Subj: Epistle 16            2/2
 
>>> Continued from previous message
 
May life be pleasant for those who give heed, and may blessings of all
kinds of goodness rest upon them. (28) "Act benevolently, O G-d,
toward the good and the upright," (29) as is their wish and as is the
wish of [the writer], who seeks their welfare with all his heart and
soul.
 
FOOTNOTES
 
1. At this point the Yiddish original of the present commentary is
   interrupted by the colloquial interjection, Nisht do gedacht (lit.,
   "May this not be spoken of here!") - "May we never know of such
   misfortunes!"
2. Note of the Rebbe Shlita: Cf. the distinctions between "my sister"
   and "my wife" in Likkutei Torah, beginning of Parshat Behar, et
   al.
3. Note of the Rebbe Shlita: This refers to their present earning
   capacity.
4. Note of the Rebbe Shlita: I.e., they have neither savings nor the
   wherewithal to buy even rations for minimal survival.
5. The Rebbe Shlita adds, ...which increases the extent of the gift
   (Terumot 4:3).
6. Note of the Rebbe Shlita: An uncommon adjective for a pauper,
   perhaps chosen because of the additional connotation of the Hebrew
   idiom, - Naki Menechasav - "cleaned out of his possessions."
7. Vayikra 25:36.
8. Bava Metzia 62a, in a discussion of the above verse.
9. This array of bourgeois non-essentials is borrowed from one of the
   well-known zemirot, a song sung between courses at certain Shabbos
   tables.
10. Note of the Rebbe Shlita: Concerned: (a) for the future, (b) for
    his own livelihood. [See footnote 12, below.]
11. The wording in the Gemara (Bava Metzia 33a) is that "He who acts
    (and Rashi paraphrases, `is exacting') for himself in this matter
    will eventually be brought to this matter," heaven forfend. See
    also Dikdukei Sofrim.
12. The Rebbe Shlita adds, ...with regard to: (a) the present, (b) for
    his children and health as well. [I.e., for the remaining two
    items in the trilogy of Cha-ye, Boni, Umezoni; cf.  Moed Katan
    28a.]
13. Kohelet 7:20.
14. See Devarim Rabbah 5:3.
15. See Vayikra Rabbah, beginning of sec. 27.
16. See Tanchuma, Mishpatim, sec. 15.
17. Iyov 11:14. See also Iggeret HaTeshuvah, end of ch. 3.
18. Shabbat 97a.
19. See Bava Batra 10a, and commentaries there of Rashi and of the
    Chiddushei Aggadot of the Maharal.
20. Mishlei 19:17.
21. Note of the Rebbe Shlita: The absence of reward in this world for
    other mitzvot would not seem to be relevant here, unlike the
    positive statement that follows it, regarding the reward for
    tzedakah.  Its mention could be understood as alluding to yet
    another reason for giving tzedakah: nothing exists in this world
    by virtue of which one may be assured of sustenance, other than
    the giving of tzedakah (where, as the Alter Rebbe writes, one's
    contribution is rewarded `twofold').
22. Note of the Rebbe Shlita: Though there seems to be no evident
    reason for citing the reason here, perhaps the Alter Rebbe is
    thereby hinting that even if the needy individual is unworthy of
    being included in the category of `your brother,' he is still
    worthy of your contribution inasmuch as he is nevertheless in the
    category of [G-d's] 'creatures'. (See Tanya, ch. 32.)
 
    This observation happily completes a series of lessons, in which
    the Alter Rebbe has been teaching us to overcome three possible
    restrictive interpretations of the above-quoted verse, Vechai
    Achicha Imach `...so that your brother may live with you' (Vayikra
    25:36): (a) though the verse obliges us to give `so that your
    brother may live,' one should not provide him only with the bare
    essentials; (b) `your brother' should not be interpreted so
    narrowly as to exclude mere `creatures'; (a) `with you' should
    bring the recipient to a state of more than mere equality with the
    donor.
23. 40a.
24. The Rebbe Shlita adds, ..and not only about not receiving the
    reward.
25. Note of the Rebbe Shlita: Thus, even if one has already given as
    much tzedakah as he ought to, so that all the above considerations
    have been attended to, he must nevertheless give again when his
    companions join to perform a charitable mitzvah together. This is
    an original teaching first appearing in the above letter.
26. Chagigah 9b; Berachot 26a.
27. Kohelet 1:15.
28. Cf. Mishlei 24:25.
29. Cf. Tehillim 125:4.
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