באֲהוּבַיי, אַחַיי וְרֵעַיי אֲשֶׁר כְּנַפְשִׁי! הִנֵּה, לֹא נֶעְלַם מִמֶּנִּי צוֹק הָעִתִּים, אֲשֶׁר נִתְדַּלְדְּלָה הַפַּרְנָסָה, וּבִפְרָט הַיְדוּעִים לִי מִמַּחֲנֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר מָטָה יָדָם בְּלִי שׁוּם מַשְׁעֵן וּמַשְׁעֵנָה, וּמַמָּשׁ לוֹוִים וְאוֹכְלִים, ה׳ יְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם וְיַרְחִיב לָהֶם בַּצַּר בְּקָרוֹב.
2My beloved, my brethren and friends, who are (to me) as my (own) soul. Behold, I am aware1 of the hardships of these times, that the means for livelihood have declined, and especially among those known to me from your ranks whose hand has wavered; (they are) without any assistance and support, and they literally borrow in order to eat. May the L–rd show them compassion and speedily bring them respite from their straits.2
גוְעִם כָּל זֶה, לֹא טוֹב הֵם עוֹשִׂים לְנַפְשָׁם, לְפִי הַנִּשְׁמַע, אֲשֶׁר קָפְצוּ יָדָם הַפְּתוּחָה מֵעוֹדָם עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, לִיתֵּן בְּיָד מְלֵאָה וְעַיִן יָפָה לְכָל הִצְטָרְכוּת הַהֶכְרֵחִיִים לְדֵי מַחְסוֹרֵי הָאֶבְיוֹנִים נְקִיִּים, אֲשֶׁר עֵינֵיהֶם נְשׂוּאוֹת אֵלֵינוּ, וְאִם אָנוּ לֹא נְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, מִי יְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם? וְחֵי אָחִיךָ עִמָּךְ כְּתִיב!
3Nonetheless, they are not acting rightly unto their soul according to the reports that they close their hand which all their life long, to this very day, was open to give with a full hand and benevolence toward all essential necessities to satisfy the needs of the innocent destitutes whose eyes are lifted toward us.3 If, Heaven forfend, we will not have mercy on them, who then will show them compassion? And it is written: “That your brother may live with you!”4
דוְלֹא אָמְרוּ ״חַיֶּיךָ קוֹדְמִין״, אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁ״בְּיַד אֶחָד קִיתּוֹן שֶׁל מַיִם וְכוּ׳״, שֶׁהוּא דָּבָר הַשָּׁוֶה לִשְׁנֵיהֶם בְּשָׁוֶה לִשְׁתּוֹת לְהָשִׁיב נַפְשָׁם בַּצָּמָא. אֲבָל אִם הֶעָנִי צָרִיךְ לֶחֶם לְפִי הַטַּף וְעֵצִים וּכְסוּת בַּקָּרָה וּכְהַאי גַּוְנָא, כָּל דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ קוֹדְמִין לְכָל מַלְבּוּשֵׁי כָבוֹד וְזֶבַח מִשְׁפָּחָה בָּשָׂר וְדָגִים וְכָל מַטְעַמִּים שֶׁל הָאָדָם וְכָל בְּנֵי בֵיתוֹ, וְלֹא שַׁיָּיךְ בָּזֶה ״חַיֶּיךָ קוֹדְמִין״, מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵינָן חַיֵּי נֶפֶשׁ מַמָּשׁ כְּמוֹ שֶׁל הֶעָנִי, שָׁוֶה בְּשָׁוֶה מַמָּשׁ, כִּדְאִיתָא בִּנְדָרִים דַּף פ׳.
4(The rule that) “Your life takes precedence”5 applies only in the case when “one has a pitcher of water…,”6 that is, when the same thing is equally essential to both to drink in order to restore their soul from thirst. But when the poor needs bread for the mouths of babes, and wood and clothes against the cold, and the like, then all these take precedence over any fine clothes and family feasts, meat and fish, and all the delicacies of man and any members of his household. The rule that “your life takes precedence” does not apply in such a case, because all these7 are not really essential to life, as are (the needs) of the poor, (to be considered) truly equal (to the needs of the poor),8 as mentioned in Nedarim, folio 80.9
ה[מ: כ אלול] [פ: כג אלול] וְהִנֵּה, זֶהוּ עַל פִּי שׁוּרַת הַדִּין גָּמוּר. אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת, גַּם אִם הוּא עִנְיָן דְּלֹא שַׁיָּיךְ כָּל כָּךְ הַאי טַעֲמָא רָאוּי לְכָל אָדָם שֶׁלֹּא לְדַקְדֵּק לְהַעֲמִיד עַל הַדִּין, רַק לִדְחוֹק חַיָּיו וְלִיכָּנֵס לִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין, וְלִדְאוֹג לְעַצְמוֹ מִמַּאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁכָּל הַמְדַקְדֵּק בְּכָךְ – סוֹף בָּא לִידֵי כָךְ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.
5Now, (all) this is according to the strict measure of the law. In fact, however, even in the case where such reasoning does not apply, it behooves everyone not to be particular in insisting on the law, but to set aside his own life and to go far beyond the measure of the law. One should be concerned, for his own sake, with the statement of our Sages, of blessed memory, that he who is exacting in a matter “will eventually be brought to it,”10 Heaven forfend.
ווְגַם, כִּי כּוּלָּנוּ צְרִיכִים לְרַחֲמֵי שָׁמַיִם בְּכָל עֵת, בְּאִתְעָרוּתָא דִלְתַתָּא דַּוְקָא בְּכָל עֵת וּבְכָל שָׁעָה, לְעוֹרֵר רַחֲמֵינוּ עַל הַצְּרִיכִים לְרַחֲמִים, וְכָל הַמְאַמֵּץ לְבָבוֹ וְכוֹבֵשׁ רַחֲמָיו, יִהְיֶה מֵאֵיזֶה טַעַם שֶׁיִּהְיֶה – גּוֹרֵם כָּךְ לְמַעְלָה, לִכְבּוֹשׁ וְכוּ׳ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.
6And, after all, all of us need, at all times, the mercies of Heaven, which are (elicited) only through an arousal from below, by arousing at all times, and every moment, our compassion for those who are in need of compassion. But he who hardens his heart and suppresses his compassion [for whatever reason there may be], he causes the same above—to suppress…,11 Heaven forfend.
זוּמַה גַּם, ״כִּי אָדָם אֵין צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה טּוֹב – תָּמִיד – וְלֹא יֶחֱטָא״, וְהַצְּדָקָה מְכַפֶּרֶת וּמְגִינָּה מִן הַפּוּרְעָנוּת וְכוּ׳, וְלָזֹאת הִיא רְפוּאַת הַגּוּף וְנֶפֶשׁ מַמָּשׁ, אֲשֶׁר ״עוֹר בְּעַד עוֹר וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר לָאִישׁ יִתֵּן בְּעַד נַפְשׁוֹ״.
7(One should especially consider that) after all, “There is not a righteous person upon earth that does good—always—and does not sin,”12 and charity atones13 and protects against misfortune….14 (Charity) thus is an actual cure for the body and soul,15 with respect to which—“Skin for skin, and all that a man has he will give for his nefesh.”16
חבְּשֶׁגַּם, אָנוּ מַאֲמִינִים בְּנֵי מַאֲמִינִים, כִּי הַצְּדָקָה, אֵינָהּ רַק הַלְוָאָה לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ־בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, כְּדִכְתִיב: ״מַלְוֵה ה׳ חוֹנֵן דָל, וּגְמוּלוֹ יְשַׁלֶּם לוֹ״ בְּכִפְלַיִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, דִּשְׂכַר כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת לֵיכָּא בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, לְבַד מִצְּדָקָה, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא טוֹב לַבְּרִיּוֹת, כִּדְאִיתָא בְּקִדּוּשִׁין סוֹף פֶּרֶק קַמָּא.
8This applies especially as we are believers, the descendants of believers17 (in the fact) that charity is nothing but a loan to the Holy One, blessed is He,18 as it is written: “He who is gracious to the poor lends to the L–rd, and He will repay him his good deed”19—manifold, in this world.20 For none of the commandments is the reward given in this world except for charity, because it is beneficial to the creatures, as mentioned at the end of the first chapter of Kiddushin.21
טוְגַם יֵשׁ לָחוּשׁ לְעוֹנֶשׁ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, כְּשֶׁחֲבֵרָיו נִמְנִים לִדְבַר מִצְוָה וְהוּא לֹא נִמְנֶה עִמָּהֶם, כַּנּוֹדָע מִמַּאֲמַר רַבּוֹתֵינוּ־זִכְרוֹנָם־לִבְרָכָה.
9Also, one should be concerned about punishment, Heaven forfend, when one’s companions are associated for the sake of a mitzvah and he is not associated with them, as known from the words of our Sages, of blessed memory.22
יוְלַשּׁוֹמְעִים יוּנְעַם, וְתָבוֹא עֲלֵיהֶם בִּרְכַּת טוֹב, בְּכָל מִילֵּי דְמֵיטַב, הֵטִיבָה ה׳ לַטּוֹבִים וִישָׁרִים, כְּנַפְשָׁם וְנֶפֶשׁ הַדּוֹרֵשׁ שְׁלוֹמָם מִכָּל לֵב וָנֶפֶשׁ:
10But it will be well with those who give heed, and upon them shall come the blessing of goodness23—“of the best of all things.” Do good, O L–rd, to the good and the upright,24 as is their wish and the wish of he who seeks their welfare, from the whole heart and soul.
111 Lit.: the hardships of the times are not concealed from me.
122 Lit.: and broaden (a space) for them in the straits (cf. Psalms 4:2; 118:5).
133 Par. Deuteronomy 15:7, 8, and Jeremiah 2:34.
144 Leviticus 25:36. See the commentaries by Nachmanides and R. Ovadia Seforno, ad loc.
155 Bava Metzia 62a, in comment on Leviticus 25:36 (“that your brother may live with you”—thus: your own life takes precedence).
166 See ibid.
177 The luxuries of the wealthy.
188 Needs, therefore, take precedence to luxuries.
199 Nedarim 80b. See also Tosefta, Bava Metzia 11:14; Jerusalem Talmud, Shevi’it 8:5 and Nedarim 11:1.
2010 Bava Metzia 33a; see the commentaries by Rashi and Maharsha, ad loc. See also Tosefta, Bava Metzia 11:14, and the comment. Minchat Bikurim, ad loc.
2111 Cf. Mishnah, Sotah 1:7.
2212 Ecclesiastes 7:20.
2313 See Devarim Rabbah 5:3 (cf. Sukkah 49b). See also Sefer Chassidim, sect. 61 and 170; Netivot Olam, s.v. גמ”ח, beg. of ch. 1 and ibid., s.v. Tzedakah, end of ch. 4. Cf. Iggeret Hateshuvah, ch. 3.
2414 See Vayikra Rabbah 27:1.
2515 Cf. Midrash Tehillim 41:4; Tanchuma, Mishpatim 15.
2616 Soul, or life.—Job 2:4. Cf. above, Epistle 10 (note 49).
2717 Shabbat 97a.
2818 Bava Batra, end of 10a; see Rashi and Chiddushei Aggadot by Maharal, ad loc., and Netivot Olam, s.v. Tzedakah, ch. 4. See also Tanchuma, Mishpatim 15.
2919 Proverbs 19:17.
3020 See note following.
3121 Kiddushin 39b-40a (see Rashi, s.v. Rabbi Idi).
3222 Chagigah 9b.
3323 Par. Proverbs 24:25.
3424 Psalms 125:4.
Kehot Publication Society (English Translation)
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