THE END OF POVERTY IS IN YOUR HANDS

Parashat Re'eh
30 Av (1 Rosh Chodesh Elul) 5775 / 14-15 August 2015
Torah: Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17
Haftarah: Isaiah 66:1-24 (Shabbat Rosh Chodesh)

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THE END OF POVERTY IS IN YOUR HANDS

"However, there shall be no needy among you ..... If there should be a needy person among you … you shall not harden your heart or close your hand against your needy brother ... For the needy shall never cease to exist in the land; therefore I command you saying, 'You shall open your hand to your brother, to your poor and to your needy in your land.'" Deut. 15: 4, 7, 11

What is Moses trying to teach us here? In two brief paragraphs, he tells us there will be no needy people, then tells us what to do should there be needy people, then says there always will be needy people. The answer is found, in part, in the verses I did not quote. If only you hearken to the voice of the Lord, observe this commandment, etc. - then there will be no needy. So why does he conclude by saying that the needy will always exist?

Moses is a cynic. He suspects that not everyone will obey the commandment to give tzedakah (charity, from the Hebrew root meaning "justice" or "righteousness"), or lend under a social regime in which all debts are forgiven every seven years. He's correct, of course, which is unfortunate. It means that those who do give, who do obey this commandment (and the related commandments concerning corners of the field, tithing, etc.), bear an unfair share of society's burden.

In Psalms 41:2 we are told: “Fortunate is one who is thoughtful to the poor." According to Rabbi Yehudah Nachshoni, one who observes these laws "cannot live by exploitation or by using money for evil purposes." To him, it is self-evident. This is not feel-good pop psychology. Money is morally neutral. It's what we do with it that counts. I learned the first time I took a nickel to the candy store that spending money is a zero sum game. If we use our money for evil, it does no one any good; if we use it for good, we can not possibly use it for evil.

This is easy enough to prove to yourself. If you have a problem with tobacco, drugs or alcohol, or any other bad habit, every time you are about to spend money on it, drop the money in a tzedakah box instead. You'll be surprised to see how much good can come from avoiding evil. No bad habits? Create a good habit. Anybody reading this can afford to put something in a tzedakah box on a regular basis. Prove Moses wrong! We can end poverty not with fists, but only with open hands.

Shabbat Shalom! Chodesh Elul Tov!

Rabbi Richard Flom

Congregation Beth Meier

Studio City, CA

www.bethmeier.org

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Candlelighting: 7:23 pm

Friday: Family Shabbat Evening Service – 7:30 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows

Saturday: Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Bat Mitzvah of Sarah Reiff. Mazal tov! Kiddush lunch sponsored by Ethan and Xinhua Reiff follows.

Sunday: Movie Night! 7:00 pm. We’re showing “Above and Beyond”, the story of the founding of the Israeli Air Force. Popcorn, candy and soft drinks provided.

Tuesday: Lunch and Learn – 12:00 noon.

Friday, 21 August: Shabbat Evening Service – 8:00 pm. Oneg Shabbat follows

Saturday, 22 August: Shabbat Morning Service – 10:00 am. Kiddush lunch follows.

Saturday, 5 September: Selichot Service – 9:00 pm.

Trip to Israel – 11 November. It’s on! And there is still space available! Itinerary, brochure and other information are at my blog, http://rav-rich.blogspot.com/2015/07/trip-to-israel.html or I can send you a PDF version via e-mail.

This d’var torah is offered in honor of Sarah Reiff, becoming a bat mitzvah this Shabbat. Mazal tov!

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Avi Shmuel Yosef Hakohen ben Bella, Miriam Minya bat Alisa Batya, Sarah bat Devorah, Ken Bitticks, Elsbet Brosky, Jerry Daniels, Howard Ehrlich, Maya Fersht (Maya bat Esther), Dr. Samuel Fersht (Shmuel Natan ben Gittel), Leonard Foint, Annabelle Flom (Chanah Bella bat Kreina), Gig Flom (Gittel Tobi bat Blanca), Jerry Forman, Pamela Huddleston, Philip Kovac, Annie Rivera, and Gil Robbins.

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