DailyHalacha.com

Rabbi Mansour 2010
Shabbat Morning Class
???? ?????
????? ?? ?????" " - "Take for me a portion"
The Jewish people were exhorted to contribute towards the construction of the
Mishkan. Rashi explains ?? -for me, to mean ???? - for my name sake. There are many
different explanations as to what Rashi was teaching us with this word ???? (it is
amazing to see so many different understandings of just a single word of the holy
Rashi, and Rashi most definitely meant every one of them! Every single word and letter
in our holy Torah is "bursting" with countless wondrous interpretations!)
One interpretation is that Rashi is referring to money in general (since the Pasuk
is discussing distributing funds towards the Mishkan). Money in its own right is very
dangerous. It can change peoples lives in a negative way, and it changes the way
people act. Money can destroy a life if used improperly. As a matter of fact, the word
"dollar" ( 240 =???? ) has the same numerical value as Amalek ( 240 =???? )!!
However if it is used properly ??? ???? - for Hashem’s sake then it is elevated
????? ????? ????) ). Money becomes a tool to do Chesed, charity and many other
virtuous acts. Rashi is teaching us this lesson, that when is money elevated ( ?(?????
When its ?? -???? when it is used ??? ???? , only then are the dangers of money lifted.
This explains why the Pasuk says "' ?? ???? ??? ???? ??? ? "- "to me is gold, and to
me is silver says Hashem". What is the meaning of this? Could it be that Hashem takes
pride in gold and silver?! We now understand that the word ?? refers to ???? for ???
???? . So the Pasuk is saying; when is gold and silver of value? Only when its ?? , when
used ??? ???? , for the purpose of a Misvah.
This also explains what it says about Tsadikim " ???? ????? ????? ???? ????? "- "their
money is more dear to them than their lives", how can this be? This seems like
eschewed priorities?! Now we understand that since the Tsadikim only spend their
money ??? ???? to save lives, to support Yeshivas etc…these are acts that the body
alone cannot accomplish. We cannot build a Yeshivah or help feed the poor with only
our body, we need money to facilitate these acts. So in this respect their money is
more precious to them than their bodies, because only with money can they
accomplish these acts of Hesed.
Another understanding of ?? ???? is that Rashi is referring literally to Hashem’s
name when he says ???? . Meaning, the Pasuk is warning the Jews to give charity for
the sake of my name, that it should not be erased by the water of Sotah. (Sotah is an
unfaithful wife who after being warned, secludes herself with another man. She is then
brought to the temple and must undergo a procedure administered by the Kohen that
includes drinking water in which a parchment with the name of Hashem was dipped in.
This procedure caused the name of Hashem to be erased in the water). How would
this happen? The Kohen usually had to approach the people in order to collect the
?????? ??????? (the portions and tithes) that are due to them. Many times people would
avoid the Kohen, so as not to be forced to give them their due portions. It is written that
the reason the Parasha of Sotah is found next to the Parasha of Terumah and Maaser
is because those that avoid the Kohen so as not to give him his portion, will ultimately
need the Kohen and seek him out, in order to administer the Sotah proceedings for his
wife. The Pasuk is saying; give charity (the portions that are due to the Kohen are
called charity) do not avoid him! ??-???? for my name sake, that it shouldn’t be erased
with the Sotah water, that you would need to give to your wife since you avoided the
Kohen!
Why does this happen? Why when man avoids giving charity does he end up
needing to bring his wife to the temple in suspicion of her being unfaithful?? It is written
that Hashem asks us to give 10% of our earnings to him (to charity). This is very
generous of him! If Hashem wanted he could have said I will keep 90% (that we must
give 90% to charity) and you could have 10%. After all, anything we make comes only
from Hashem. However if a person refrains from giving his portion, Hashem indeed
takes the 90% and leaves the person with 10%. "(Like the well known story in the
Gemarah of a wealthy man who used to give charity from his fields, after he passed on
his children decided that the father had given too much charity and decreased it. At the
end of the year they had found that the field produced 10% less than the previous year.
The children decided that now, since the field had produced less they had to give even
less charity, etc. Every year till eventually the fields produced only a tenth of what it
used to produce and Hashem had "taken" the other ninety percent!). This is one way
that a man loses his money. There is however another way. When a man goes after
his desires with women, it says " ???? ????? ???? ??? " "he will lose a fortune" ??? ??? ????
?? ??? ??? - until he is a pauper that begs for bread. The wife of a man that loses his
money (because he does not give charity) thinks the reason her husband is losing his
money is because he is not being faithful. So she in turns tries to "copy" him and she
becomes a Sotah. She does not realize that the reason he is losing his money is
because he is not giving charity. With this we can understand why a man who avoids
giving charity by avoiding the Kohen ends up in need of the Kohen for his wife who will
be a Sotah.
Another understanding of ?? ???? is from the Baal Shem Tov, who explains that
when a person does a Misvah he is supposed to do it ???? - to have in mind the
reason why he is doing it or at least have in mind that the act he is doing is a Misvah.
There is one exception and that is the Misvah of giving charity. Even if a person does
not give charity ???? , ultimately the poor person still benefits from his money and is
revived. Even if a person lost money in the street and a poor man finds it, the one who
lost it still gets the Misvah. As it says in Tehilim " ??? ."??? ??? ???????? - means to
distribute or disperse (implying without intention ), whereas ??? - means to give with
intention. Even if a person was " ??? " his money (gave it without intention) ??? -it is as if
he gave it with the proper intent. The Pasuk also says ???? ??? ???? - plant for yourself
charity, meaning just like a seed needs no "intentions" to grow when placed in the
ground so too charity as long as it gets "from point a to point b" the giver gets
rewarded. However even in the act of charity the receiver must be ??? ???? -meaning,
he must be careful only to accept what he needs to live. ????? ??- ???? the word ?????
means to take. Seemingly the Torah should have written ????? ?? give for my sake, why
does it say take? Since the Torah is instructing the receiver- ?? ???? - to be ???? in his
accepting charity.
Another understanding of ?? ???? is that in the Beit Hamikdash (and Mishkan)
they would pronounce Hashem’s name as spelled (whereas today we do not
pronounce it as spelled ?-?-?-? , we pronounce it ?? ???? .(?? -?? - give the charity to build
the Mishkan for the sake of my name, meaning, in order that my name should be said -
which can only be done after the Mishkan is built.
Another understanding of ?? ???? is that it says in the Gemarah, one who gives
charity should not give more than 20% of his money. One is obligated to give 10% but
should not give more than 20%. We see this from Yaakov Avinu that said ??? ?????? I
will give 10% twice (20%). By Avraham Avinu it says ???? ?? ???? ??? that he gave
10%. This is hinted to in the word ???? , the first and third letters are ? -? which are 90-
100. This signifies giving the obligatory 10% (90 out of 100), the second and fourth
letters are ?-? which are 4-5 this signifies giving 20% (four out of five) to charity. It also
says about giving charity that one who gives charity is blessed with six blessings. Even
greater is one that speaks words of encouragement to the poor man, he is blessed with
eleven blessings (this is hinted in the Hagadah of Pesah that says ,?? ???? ????
literally; this the bread of affliction. ?? - the six blessings [ ?? is numerically 6]- go to-
???? -one who gives bread to the poor man.). ?? -?? - but if one speaks to the poor
man ( ??- ????? ????? ????? ), he gets 11 blessings ( ?? equals 11). These concepts are
hinted in the name of Hashem. The ??? stands for the 10 percent one is obligated to
give to charity, the ' ? stands for the 20% (one fifth) maximum one can give. The ' ?
stands for the six blessings that one receives when he gives charity and the final ' ?
stands for the additional 5 blessings totaling 11 that one receives for speaking kind
words to a poor man. ?? ???? give for my name, Rashi is hinting to all the concepts of
Tsedakah that are represented in the name of Hashem.
Another understanding in ?? ???? is that in the Beit Hamikdash on Yom Kippur the
Kohen Gadol used to say the 72 letter name of Hashem in his prayer (this is the name
of ?'?? used to perform his "magic" after he heard it from the Kohen Gadol, after this
happened the Kohen Gadol started to say this name in a whisper).The Talmud
Yerushalmi says that one who knows of this 72 letter name must not benefit from
others, since he may misuse the powers of this name for the wrong reasons. (Meaning,
if he normally accepts charity from someone and one time the person cannot give him,
he may come to improperly use this 72 letter name to harm the person) That’s why it
says ?????? ?? ????? ??? - lit; those that know your name rely on you. ?????? ?? - they rely
only on you and not on people’s charity. ????? ??? - those that know your 72 letter
name. The question is, that the Kohen Gadol would say this name and he had to
collect ?????? -charity from the people. How could he have learned the 72 letter name if
he accepts charity? If he accepts it as a messenger- a ???? – of Hashem then it is ok,
as it says ????? ?? Hashem says to the Kohen; take for me, ???? -for my name, so that
you will be able to learn my 72 letter name.
The merit of this 72 letter name was invoked by Queen Esther in the story of
Purim, when she decreed a 3 day fast for the Jewish people; 3 days have 72 hours,
corresponding to the 72 letter name. The Pasuk in the Megillah says -???? ???? ?? ????
"with this I will approach the king". ???? -"with this"- is numerically 72, with the merit of
the 72 letter name and the 72 hour fast of the people I will approach the king to save
us. Esther herself did not fast the complete 72 hours since she could not approach the
king weak and famished. Therefore she ate 2 hours before she was due to approach
the king and fasted 70 hours total. This is hinted to in the Pasuk –???? ?????? ???? ??
"myself and my maids will fast as well". The word ?? is numerically 70, alluding to the 70
hours that Esther herself had fasted.
We also allude to this 72 letter name in the Amidah of Rosh Hashanah and Yom
Kippur, when we say many times the word ???? -the word ??? is 72, we are asking
Hashem to answer us in the merit of this 72 letter name.
Another understanding in ?? ???? is that when we gives Sedakah we are "acting
out" the letters of Hashem’s name. The ??? is for the coin (or cash), the ' ? is for the
hand of the giver (' ? is numerically 5 for the 5 fingers of the hand). The ' ? is for the
extended arm of the giver and the ' ? is for the hand of the receiver. Thus we find the
act of giving charity unifies the letters of Hashem’s name ?-? -? -? . The Pasuk says Give
Sedakah ?? ,?? ???? -stands for ??? ???? - for the sake of uniting, ???? - the letters of the
name of Hashem.
How is one supposed to make this unification in the proper if, instead of initially
approaching the poor man, the poor man initially approaches him? In that case the
hand of the receiver is extended first, this represents the ' ? of Hashem’s name coming
before the rest of the letters. This is like the letters of Hashem’s name out of order?!).
One way is to first give the man a little, than to call him back and give him again.
The second time you give you will be the one taking the initiative and extending your
hand first to the poor man. This is why the Pasuk says ??? ???? a double expression
of giving Sedakah, to show us that by giving the second time we form Hashem’s name
in the proper order (simply understood the Pasuk uses a double expression for giving
charity because a person usually needs extra prodding to take money out of his pocket
to give it to charity).
Another way to form the letters of Hashem’s name in the proper order when
approached by someone is to make the unification "with yourself" meaning to hand
yourself the money from the right hand to the left hand. The left hand "acts" as the final
?' in Hashem’s name. After you do this and "spell out" the name of Hashem you give
the money to the ??? . This method should also be employed when giving money to a
woman. It is not proper for a man to directly hand money into the palm of a woman,
lest it lead to improper thought. The Pasuk says ?? ??? ?? ???? the Gemarah explains; if
a person intentionally approaches a woman -just too merely glance at her hand- he will
not be spared from Gehinom for that act. This is illustrated is a story with R’ Meir from
Parmishlan, who was once about to give charity to a woman and before he did so, he
started to pass the money form one hand to the next. His students asked him, what are
you doing? He explained that he was making the ???? -unification of Hashem’s name
with himself as this is the proper way of giving Sedakah to a woman. This is why the
Pasuk says ??? ?? ??? ??? ????? ??? "from every man whose heart induces him to give,
take" Why does the Pasuk specify a man? The woman gave as well! They gave even
more than the men!? The Torah was teaching that the unification accomplished by
directly giving Sedakah should be done with a man, but regarding a woman it is
improper to directly take or give charity.
This explains the Gemarah that says: " ; "?? ?? ??? ?? ??? ?? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??
"anyone that has dealings with women should not seclude himself with them". Simply
understood, this means that whoever has a business that entails dealings with women
should be careful not to be secluded with them. The question could be asked; why is
the Gemarah specifying someone that deals with women should not be secluded with
them, no one - no matter who they are may be secluded with women!? The Gemarah
was really referring to this unification when giving charity and should be understood as
follows; anyone that has dealings ( ??? ) of charity with women, should not do the
unification ( ???? ) with them-
?? ????? ???? - because it is improper.
This concept of forming the letters of the name of Hashem is also seen in
marriage. A man gives a coin to a woman and pronounces -??? ?? ?????? ?? ????? ??
you are betrothed to me with this coin". The coin is the ' ?, the hand of the ??? is the ' ,?
his arm is the ' ?, and the hand of the ??? is the final ' ?? -?????? ?? .? is like the ?? ????
of giving charity, an act that forms the name of Hashem. This is another way of
explaining what is says ??? ???? ????? ????? ?????? - "a man and woman has the ?????
with them", with the act of their marriage they "bring down" the ????? to dwell with them
by forming the name of Hashem.
There is also another ???? (intention) one should have when giving charity and
that is for the name of Hashem of ???? in the manner that it numerically totals 40. This
is thru the letter ' ? that is formed either as a ' ? and ' ? or as ' ? and ' ?, (when a Sofer
writes the letter ? he can either form the letter by writing a ? with a ? "inside" or with a ?
with a ? "inside", either way is kosher) . The numerical value of ?- ? is 14 and
numerical value of ?- ? is 10. If we form one of the two ' ?s in Hashem’s name as ? -? and
one of them as ? -? (since they are both valid methods to form a ?) the numerical value
of Hashem’s name becomes 40.
?' ?' ?' ?'
10 +14+ 6+ 10 =40
This is why on the night of Pesach we break the Matzah into two pieces, one the shape
of the ?', and one the shape of the ?'. The Arizal says the Matzah is compared to a ' ? as
it says ??) ?? ???? ???? spells the letter ' ?) we brake it into the two letters that form a
?' - the letter ' ? and ' .?
This is hinted to in the Pasuk in ??? ?????? that says ??? ????? ????? ?? - "I am to my
beloved and my beloved is to me". The word ???? is ??-?? , - the two different ways of
forming the letter ' ?. This totals 40, which is the numerical value of the word ???? -?? .??
when we spell the name of Hashem with the 2 ' ?’s formed in the 2 different ways, we
have a numerical value that totals 40- .??
With the words ?? ???? – Rashi is hinting that the name of Hashem, in the method
that it equals -40 ?? - is the one that we should have in mind when giving charity.
There is another understanding in ?? ???? . The Parasha describes later on ( ??? ??' ????
?' ) some of the items that were crafted from the donations of the people, such as the
????? (panels) for the roof of the Mishkan. There were ten panels. Five of them were
attached to each other, and the other five attached to each other. In addition, they also
used the donations to make eleven panels to be used to cover the Mishkan. These
eleven were comprised of six panels attached to one another and the remaining five
attached to one another. This is hinted to in the name of Hashem. The ' ? is 10- that
represents the first 10 panels for the roof. The ' ? is 5 – representing the fact that these
panels were divided 5 and 5. The ' ? is 6 and the final ' ? is 5 – representing the panels
that covered the Mishkan that were divided into 6 and 5. With the word ???? (referring
to the name of Hashem) Rashi is hinting to us what the donations went towards - the
panels used for construction of the Mishkan – which are alluded to in the Name of
Hashem.