1)

FAKE COLLECTORS (Yerushalmi Peah Perek 8 Halachah 8 Daf 37a)

îùðä îé ùéù ìå çîùéí æåæ åäåà ðåùà åðåúï áäï äøé æä ìà éèåì

(a)

(Mishnah): If a person has 50 Zuz and he does business with it, he may not accept the gifts to the poor.

[ãó òâ òîåã à (òåæ åäãø)] åëì îé ùàéðå öøéê ìéèåì åðåèì àéðå îú îï äæ÷ðä òã ùöøéê ìáøéåú

(b)

Whoever does not need to take charity and he does, he will be in need of others before he dies.

åëì îé ùäåà öøéê ìéèåì åàéðå ðåèì àéðå îú îï äæ÷ðä òã ùéôøðñ ìàçøéí îùìå åòì æä ðàî' (éøîéäå éæ) áøåê äâáø àùø éáèç áä' åäéä ä' îáèçå åëï ãééï ùãï ãéï àîú ìàîéúå

(c)

And whoever needs to take and does not, he will sustain others before he dies. About him the pasuk states (Yirmiyahu 17:7), "Blessed is the man who trusts in Hash-m and Hash-m will be his security." And the same applies to a judge who judges truthfully.

åëì îé ùàéðå ìà çéâø åìà ñåîà åìà ôéñç åòåùä òöîå ëàçã îäï àéðå îú îï äæ÷ðä òã ùéäà ëà' îäï ùðàîø (îùìé éà) ãåøù øòä úáåàðå åðàîø (ãáøéí èæ) öã÷ öã÷ úøãåó

(d)

And whoever is not a cripple, blind or lame and pretends that he is, he will receive that disability before he dies, as the pasuk says (Mishlei 11:27), "One who searches for evil, it will come to him"; and the pasuk says (about a judge who judges truthfully) (Devarim 16:20), "Justice, justice, you will pursue".

åëì ãééï ùìå÷ç ùåçã åîèä àú äãéï àéðå îú îï äæ÷ðä òã ùéäà òéðéå ëäåú ùðàîø (ùí) åùçã ìà ú÷ç ëé äùåçã éòåø òéðé çëîéí åâå'

(e)

And if any judge accepts a bribe or perverts justice, his eyes will become dim before he dies, as the pasuk states (Shemos 23:8/ Devarim 16:19), "You shall not accept a bribe, because bribery blinds the eyes of the wise men..."

âîøà äãà àîøä çîùéï ãòáãï èáéï îï îàúéí ãìà òáãéï:

(f)

(Gemara): The Mishnah shows that 50 zuz that can be used to earn is better than 199 zuz that cannot.

äîñîà àú òéðå åäî÷ôç àú ùå÷å åäîöáä àú ëøéñå àéðå ðôèø îï äòåìí òã ùéäà ìå ëï

(g)

One who pretends to be blind, bends his legs to appear lame or makes his stomach bloated to appear malnourished - will not die before he will actually suffer from that condition.

2)

STORIES OF THE SAGES (Yerushalmi Peah Perek 8 Halachah 8 Daf 37a)

ùîåàì òø÷ îï àáåé àæì å÷í ìéä áéï úøéï öøéôéï ãîéñëðéï ùîò ÷åìäåï àîøéï áäãéï àâðèéï àðï àëìéï éåîà ãéï áàâðèéï ããäáà åáàâðéèï ãëñôà àðï àëìéï òàì åàîø ÷åîé àáéå à"ì öøéëéï àðå ìäçæé÷ èåáä ìøîàéï ùáäí

(a)

Shmuel once ran away from his father (who was angry at him) and he stood between two huts belonging to poor men. He overheard them saying, "In which utensils shall we eat today - in gold or in silver?" Shmuel went and informed his father about this conversation. Shmuel's father commented, "We must have gratitude to the fakes amongst them". (If there would be no fakes, there would be no reason why a landowner would be justified in not giving charity.)

ãìîà ø' éåçðï åøéù ì÷éù òìåï îéñçéï áäãéï ðéîåñéï ãèáøéà ôâò áåï çã îñëï àîø ìåï æëéï áé à"ì îé çæøåï îé çæøåï àùëçåðé' îéú àîøå äåàéì åìà æëéðéï áéä áçééå ðéèôì áéä áîéúåúéä ëé îéèôìåï áéä àùëçåï ëéñ ãéðøé' úìåé áéä àîøå äãà ãà"ø àáäå à"ø àìòæø öøéëéï àðå ìäçæé÷ èåáä ìøîàéï ùáäï ùàéìåìé äøîàéï ùáäï äéä àçã úåáò öã÷ä îï äàãí åìà ðåúï ìå îéã ðòðù

(b)

Once, R. Yochanan and Reish Lakish went to the bathhouse to wash in the hot springs of Tiveria. A poor man met them and asked them for charity. They told him that when they return from the bathhouse they will give him. When they returned, they found that he had died. They said, "Since we did not merit to give him charity during his life, we will tend to him after his death." When they came to bury him, they found a pouch of gold coins hanging from him. (Rav Chaim Kanievski explains that because he was such a miser, he couldn't bring himself to use them.) They said, "Here we see as R. Abahu said, that we must have gratitude to the fakes amongst them, as without them, if someone was asked for charity and he didn't donate, he would be punished immediately."

àáà áø áà éäá ìùîåàì áøéä ôøéèéï ãéäà ôìéâ ìîñëéðééà ðô÷ åàùëç çã îñëï àëì ÷éôø åùúé çîø òàì åàîø ÷åîåé àáåé à"ì äá ìéä éúéø ãðôùéä îøúé

(c)

Abba bar Ba gave his son Shmuel coins to distribute to the poor. Shmuel went out and found a poor man who was eating meat and drinking wine. He returned and told his father and his father said, "Give him even more, as he is embittered and he is indulging to forget his pain".

øáé éò÷á áø àéãé åøáé éöç÷ áø ðçîï äååï ôøðñéï åäååï éäáåï ìø' çîà àáåé ãø' àåùòéà çã ãéðø åäåà éäá ìéä ìçåøðéï

(d)

R. Yaakov bar Idi and R. Yitzchak bar Nachman were Gabbaim. They would give one Dinar to R. Chama, father of R. Oshiya. R. Chama would then give it to other poor people who were too embarrassed to approach the Gabbaim.

øáé æëøéä çúðé' ãø' ìåé äéå äëì îìéæéï òìéå àîøå ãìà öøéê åäåà ðñá ëã ãîåê áåã÷éï åàùëçåï ãäåä îôìéâ ìéä ìçåøðéï

(e)

People were saying about R. Zecharia, son-in-law of R. Levi, that he is taking charity unnecessarily. When he died, they discovered that he would give the charity to others.

øáé çðéðà áø ôôà äåä îôìéâ îöåä áìéìéà çã æîï ôâò áéä øáäåï ãøåçé' à"ì ìà ëê àåìôï ø' (ãáøéí éè) àì úñéâ âáåì øòéê

(f)

R. Chanina bar Papa would distribute charity at night (to save the poor from embarrassment). Once, he encountered the head of the demons, who said to him, "Didn't you teach us (Devarim 19:14), 'You shall not pull back your neighbor's border' (and the nighttime is our territory)?"

à"ì åìà ëï ëúéá (îùìé ëà) îúï áñúø éëôä àó åäéä îúëôé îéðéä åòø÷ îï ÷îåé

(g)

(R. Chanina bar Papa): But doesn't another pasuk state (Mishlei 21:14), 'A gift in secret will appease wrath'? The demon was shocked and ran away.

à"ø éåðä àùøé ðåúï ìãì àéï ëúéá ëàï àìà (úäéìéí îà) àùøé îùëéì àì ãì äãà ãîñúëì áîöåä äéàê ìòùåúä

(h)

(R. Yona): The pasuk does not say "Fortunate is one who gives to the poor" but rather (Tehillim 41:2), "Fortunate is the one who looks after {Maskil} the poor" - he contemplates how to do the Mitzvah in the best way.

ëéöã äéä ø' éåðä òåùä ëùäéä øåàä áï èåáéí ùéøã îðëñéå äéä àåîø ìå áðé áùáéì ùùîòúé ùðôìä ìê éøåùä îî÷åí àçø èåì åàú ôåøò îï ãäåä ðñá ìéä à"ì îúðä

1.

How is this? When R. Yona would see a wealthy man who had lost his money, he would say to him, 'My son, I heard that an inheritance has fallen to you unexpectedly. Take (this money) and pay me back later.' And later, when the man came to repay it, R. Yona would tell him that it was a gift.

[ãó òâ òîåã á (òåæ åäãø)] à"ø çééà áø àãà àéúäåå ñáéï áéåîéðå îàï ãäåä éäá ìåï îáéï øéù ùúà ìöåîà øáà äåå ðñáåï îï áúø ëï ìà äåå ðñáåï àîøé ãùåúï âáï

(i)

(R. Chiya bar Ada): There were elders in our days who would only accept charity between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. (After Yom Kippur) they would say, "Our sustenance is already with us", as the decision for the year's sustenance had been sealed on Yom Kippur.

ðçîéà àéù ùéçéï ôâò áéä éøåùìîé à' à"ì æëä òîé çãà úøðâåìúà à"ì äéìê èåîéúà åæéì æáéï ÷éôã åàëéì åîéú àîø áåàå åñôãå ìäøåâå ùì ðçîéà

(j)

Nechemia of Shichin once met a Jerusalemite who asked him to give him one chicken. Nechemia said, "Take some money and go and buy beef. (Why only chicken meat?)" He ate beef and died. People said, "Let us come and eulogize the murdered victim of Nechemia".

ðçåí àéù âí æå äéä îåìéê ãåøåï ìáéú çîà ôâò áéä îåëä ùçéï à' à"ì æëä òîé îîä ãàéú âáê à"ì îé çæø çæø åàùëçåðéä åîéú åäåä àîø ì÷éáìéä òééðåäé ãçîåðê åìà éäáåï ìéê éñúîééï éãéí ãìà ôùèï ìîéúï ìê éú÷èòåï øâìéé' ãìà øäèï îéú' ìéê éúáøåï åîèúé' ëï ñìé÷ ìâáé' ø"ò à"ì àé ìé ùàðé øåàä àåúê ëê à"ì àé ìé ùàðé àéï øåàä àåúê áëê. à"ì îä àú î÷ììðé à"ì åîä àú îáòè áéñåøéï.

(k)

Nachum Ish Gamzu was taking a gift to his father-in-law's house. He met a Mukeh Shechin (one stricken with boils all over his body) who asked him to share whatever he had. Nachum said that he would do this on his return. When he returned, he found that the man had died. Nachum said, "These eyes that saw you and didn't give you should become blind! These hands that didn't reach out to give you should be cut off! These legs that didn't run to give you should be broken!" These actually happened to Nachum. R. Akiva went to visit him and said, "Woe is me that I see you in this state." Nachum replied, "Woe is me that I don't see you in this state!" R. Akiva asked, "Why are you cursing me?" Nachum replied, "Why are you rejecting afflictions?!"

ø' äåùòéà øáà äåä øáéä ãáøéä çã ñâé' ðäåøà åäåä éìéó àëì òéîé' áëì éåí çã æîï äåå ìéä àåøçéï åìà îèà îéëåì òéîéä áøåîùà ñìé÷ ìâáéä à"ì ìà éëòñ îøé òìé áâéï ãäåä ìé àåøçéï åìà áòé' îáæéé' àé÷øé' ãîøé áâéï ëï ìà àëìé' òîê éåîà ãéï

(l)

The teacher of R. Hoshiya the Great's son was blind. R. Hoshiya would come and eat with the blind man every day. One day, R. Hoshiya had many guests and did not come to the blind man. In the evening, R. Hoshiya visited him and said to him, "The Master should not be angry at me, because I had guests so I didn't come because I was concerned that (if I would bring them with me) they might not show you the proper respect.

à"ì àú ôééñú ìîàï ãîúçîé åìà çîé ãéï ãçîé åìà îúçîé é÷áì ôéåñê à"ì îðà ìê äà à"ì îøàá"é

1.

(The blind man responded): You have appeased this one who is seen but cannot see; therefore the One who sees but cannot be seen should accept your appeasement. R. Hoshiya asked him the source of such a blessing and he said that it was from R. Eliezer ben Yaakov.

ãøàá"é òì çã ãñâé' ðäåøà ìáéúéä éúá ìéä øàá"é ìøò îéðéä àîøåï àéìåìé ãäåà áø ðù øáà ìà éúá ìéä øàá"é ìøò îéðéä òáãéï ìéä ôøðñä ãàé÷ø àîø ìäå îäå äëéï àîøå ìéä øàá"é éúéá ìøò îéðê åöìé òìåé äãà öìåúà àúä âîìú çñã ìîàï ãîúçîé åìà çîé ãéï ãçîé åìà îúçîé é÷áì ôéåñê åéâîåì éúê çñã

2.

R. Eliezer ben Yaakov was once visited by a certain blind man. R. Eliezer sat below the blind man. The people of the town said that he must be a distinguished person. As a result, they generously supported him. The blind man asked, "Why are they acting this way?" People told him that it is because R. Eliezer is sitting below him. The man prayed for R. Eliezer ben Yaakov, saying, "You have acted with kindness to one who can be seen but cannot see; the One that sees but cannot be seen should accept your appeasement and act with kindness to you".

ãìîà ø' çîà áø çðéðà åø' äåùòéà äååï îèééìå áàéìéï ëðéùúà ãìåã à"ø çîà áø çðéðà ìø' äåùòéà ëîä îîåï ùé÷òå àáåúé ëàï

(m)

It once happened that R. Chama bar Chanina and R. Hoshiya were strolling in the Beis Knesses of Lod. R. Chama bar Chanina said to R. Hoshiya - how much did my ancestors invest here (to build this Beis Knesses)!

à"ì ëîä ðôùåú ù÷òå àáåúéê ëàï ìà äååï áðé ðùà ãéìòåï áàåøééúà

1.

R. Hoshiya: How many souls did your ancestors lose! (It would have been better to give money for Torah scholars to study, rather than to build such a building!)

ø' àçà áùí ø' çðéðà ëéðé (îúðé')[úðé] ëì îé ùäåà öøéê ìéèåì åàéðå ðåèì äøé æä ùåôê ãîéí åàñåø ìäúøçí òìéå òì ðôùéä ìà çééñ òì çåøðéï ìà ë"ù

(n)

(R. Acha citing R. Chanina): We've learned that whoever needs to accept charity and he does not, it's considered as if he spilled blood and one may not have mercy on him - if he doesn't pity himself, he certainly won't pity others!

åëì îé ùàéðå öøéê ìéèåì åðåèì àéðå îú îï äæ÷ðä òã ùéöèøê ìáøéåú åëì îé ùäåà öøéê ìéèåì åàéðå ðåèì àéðå îú îï äæ÷ðä òã ùéôøðñ ìàçøéí òì æä ðàîø áøåê äâáø àùø éáèç áä' åäéä ä' îáèçå:

1.

And whoever does not need to accept charity and he does, before he dies, he will need others. And whoever needs to accept charity (although with difficulty he could struggle through without) and he does not accept, before he dies he will support others. About such a person the pasuk states (Yirmiyah 17:7), "Blessed is the man who trusts in Hash-m; Hash-m shall be his trust."

HADRAN ALACH PEREK ME'EIMASAY U'SELIKAH LAH MASECHES PEAH