Re'eh
Part of this week's Parsha is dedicated to the minute details and schedules of some of the monetary and charitable obligations of a Jewish person.
The Abarbanel, in his commentary, explains the structure and organization of these laws, gleaned from the order and placement in the following verses.
1. Chapter 14, verse 22 introduces the second tithe. This was a commandment to bring of one's produce to Jerusalem, and there in Jerusalem, to eat and enjoy it.
This commandment is fairly easy for one to follow, says the Abarbanel, being that the owner is the one who actually consumes and enjoys his own hard work. However, to follow this obligation is to make the powerful statement that even his own "personal possessions" are subject to the discipline of G‑d's Laws.
2. The next Mitzvah listed, is the tithe to be given to poor people. This commandment is part of the seven year cycle and is more difficult than the previous one, as we are sharing our own labor and effort with others.
3. The next step in this procession is the Mitzvah of Shmita, where one who has an outstanding loan, is commanded to forgive the debt at the end of the seven year cycle.
This is even more difficult than the previous tithe, due to the human nature of expectation. When one gives a loan, the anticipation of repayment and collection is harder to ignore than even giving in the first place.
4. The hardest Mitzvah, says the Abarbanel, is the charity, helping and taking care of a poor person.This obligation is constant, it is not our obligation that needs to be fulfilled, but rather the poor person's needs that must be met.
The challenge of consistency, being able to focus on another person's feelings, even as our own moods fluctuate with our own daily challenges, is the most difficult to do properly.
The Abarbanel concludes with the following; integral to the Mitzvah of Tzedaka, is that it be done with happiness and a good heart.
Ultimately, by being charitable with a smile, he says, we are not only helping another person, but ingraining these qualities within ourselves. We are expressing our nefesh, our soul, whose desire is not only to consume and enjoy, but to act as G‑d's finance minister, distributing our possessions as He sees fit.
Portuguese Jewish history is a rich tapestry of accomplishment and challenge spanning the centuries. Portugal's shores have produced and housed some of our greatest Rabbis and leaders. From statesman, leader and scholar Rabbi Don Yitzchak Abarbanel to Shulchan Aruch author Rabbi Yosef Karo in the 15th century through to the Lubavitcher Rebbe's time in Lisbon in 1941, Portugal has enabled tremendous developments in strengthening community and Torah.
It is in recognition of the timeless nature of these commitments, and in honor of all of those Jews who have called Portugal home through times of brilliance and darkness, that these Torah insight's from Portugal's great Rabbis is produced - here in Portugal.
Special thanks to Rabbi Shlomo Pereira for the Portuguese translation.