Maghen Abraham - Thoughts From Mayer Sasson

The importance of charity

"You shall fear G-d…" (10,20)

Rabbi Shimon the son of Chalafta once attended a feast after a circumcision. At the end of the meal on his way out, he met the Angel of Death laughing. Rabbi Shimon said to him, "Why are you laughing?" The Angel of Death answered him, "Because at the meal the father of the baby announced that he is saving the remnants of the wine from the meal for the baby's future wedding. And I know that the baby's time has been allotted to less than thirty days, and so I am laughing."

Rabbi Shimon asked him, "How do you know that?"

The Angel of Death answered: "I have a notebook where the allotments of the lives of all creatures are written and that is what is written there."

Rabbi Shimon said to him, "If so, tell me - how many years will I live?"

The Angel of Death said to him, "About you and people like you I don't know because every day you toil in Torah and give charity and for that G-d adds days and years to you. With one act of charity several years are added on to you, so how will I know the time of your death?"

Rabbi Shimon said to him, "May it be G-d's will that just like you do not control your notebook so you will not have permission to transgress what we say."

Rabbi Shimon prayed for mercy for the baby and indeed the baby grew and lived for many years.

On the words "And He will give you mercy and He will have mercy on you" it says in the Gemara: - A person who has mercy on others- from Heaven they will have mercy on him; and one who doesn't have mercy on other people – from Heaven they do not have mercy on him." Likewise, it says in the Midrash; "Charity is great for from the day the world was created until now the world stands on charity; and whoever gives much charity is praiseworthy and he saves himself from the verdict of Gehinom."

Concerning the importance of the virtue of charity our Sages ob'm said, "And charity saves from death"- in other words, even if, G-d forbid, it was decreed upon a person to die, the charity (called דמים) that a person gives are in exchange for the blood (life) that he, G-d forbid, had to pay up with his body.

We must know that by our opening our hands to give charity we arouse two openings above in Heavenm, as it says, ""But rather open wide פתח תפתח your hand unto him"  - two openings – as if the opening of G-d's Hand to bring livelihood and the opening of His Hand to give life.

On this G-d said to Moshe "I shall be as I shall be" – Just as you are with Me, so will I be with you. If Jews open up their hands and give charity – I too will open up My Hands (Midrash Agadah).

May we always remember what it says in the Rambam (Gifts to the poor): "A person does not become poor from (giving) charity. That which a person gives for the mitzvah of charity, he takes immediately in This World, more than he gave; for those who pursue charity, G-d Gives them money from which to give charity."

SHABBAT SHALOM!!