A time for charitable giving

Said Rabbi Jose the son of Kisma … at the hour of man’s departure (from this world) ‘ein melavin lo – there does not accompany him’ silver, gold or precious stones, but Torah and good deeds alone” (Ethics of the Fathers 6:9).

Indeed Rabbi Jose’s words long preceded the expression so often heard today: “You can’t take it with you.”

Our sages tell us that one who states a matter in the name of the one who said it, brings redemption to the world. In that context I must once again precede a statement that cast a very different light on the issue of “not taking it with you”, by acknowledging its source.

Rabbi Tobias Silverman, formerly of Sydney’s South Head community, subsequently retired to the Gold Coast where he spent many years. A bonus that I received each time in past years when my family spent a holiday in Surfers Paradise was the possibility of “shmoozing” with – and learning from – one of the insufficiently appreciated and most unpretentious senior rabbis of the Australian community.

And on one occasion Rabbi Silverman responded to the words of Rabbi Jose with a characteristically original interpretation of a verse in Parashat Mishpatim (Shemot 22:24).

The Torah states: “Im kesef talveh et ami et he’ani imach – if you will lend money to my people, the poor man who is with you, you shall not be a creditor (taking your due by seizing his land or selling him to slavery) nor should you charge him interest.” The basic thrust of this verse includes the well-known ban on charging interest to a fellow Jew – that had so many implications for Jews in Europe over the centuries.

However, as is also well known, each verse of the Torah can be interpreted in many ways and in this instance Rabbi Silverman took the words cited above in a very different direction.

Focusing on the expression “im kesef talveh”, he noted that while the primary meaning of the letters “l’v’h”, the Hebrew root of “talveh”, refers to “lending”, it can – as in the case of the quote from Rabbi Jose – also refer to “accompanying”. And so he suggested an alternative meaning for the verse.

It is true that basically, as Rabbi Jose said, you can’t take wealth with you. But a Jew doesn’t just take no for an answer. What if you nevertheless want your wealth to accompany you? Then the answer is to give it to “et ami – my people” and “et he’ani imach – the poor person amongst you”. If we give of our wealth to the national needs of our people and to assist with the personal needs of the less fortunate among us, then indeed that silver and gold which we gave, “talveh” – will accompany us – beyond the grave to our eternal reward.

On the High Holy Days we will refer during musaf services to the importance of teshuvah (repentance), tefillah (prayer) and tzedakah (charity) as ways to achieve a positive outcome of the High Holy Day judgement process. There has long been a tradition that on Kol Nidrei night we pledge funds for “nerot”. Literally meaning “candles”, that were so essential before the era of electricity, this was the way that in earlier generations the funds were raised for maintenance and operational needs of the shule. This custom is the origin of the current situation, where in so many congregations cards are placed on seats during the High Holy Days for local communal purposes as well as Israel.

But while we have not yet reached Rosh Hashanah, those three elements are also relevant to the month of Elul that precedes it. Thus, the rabbis long ago noted that the reference in Megillat Esther to giving each other mishloach manot on Purim, as well as giving gifts to those in need, reads “ish lere’ehu u’matanot la’evyonim”, with the initial Hebrew letters of those words making up the Hebrew for Elul. And so Elul is certainly a time to give charity.

And in that charitable context, of particular importance is remembering the needs of individuals in our local communities who may not be as fortunate as we might be. A classic local example of an appropriate destination for such giving is the Melbourne Jewish Charity Fund, which disburses millions of dollars each year to individuals and families who lack basic necessities the whole year round, and are in particular difficulties when trying to have a yom tov atmosphere in a home given the extra costs involved for even a basic yom tov celebration. Similar work, though on a lesser scale, is done by Melbourne’s Mizrachi Charity Fund as well as by the many other funds associated with congregations across Australia. Your local congregation may also have such a fund that works on the principle of “matan beseter – giving gifts secretly” so as not to embarrass recipients.

In the spirit of the High Holy Days that are almost upon us, I urge all readers that donations to the needs of Israel aside, find and contribute to a fund which does serious charitable work with your local community. Then you too can sit down to your yom tov table knowing that others less privileged can also celebrate the occasion.

Shabbat shalom,

Yossi

Yossi Aron OAM is The AJN’s religious affairs editor.