Fasting and Charity
TALMUDIC AGGADA
By Rav Yitzchak Blau
Shiur #14: Fasting and Charity
R. Zera said: The reward for the
shiur
(class) is in running [to it].
Abbaye said: The reward for the sermon [before the festival] is in the crush. Rava said: The reward for
study is in the analysis. R. Papa said: The reward for the mourners house is
in the silence. Mar Zutra said:
The reward for a fast day is in the charity.
R. Sheshet said: The reward for a eulogy is in the wailing. R. Ashi said: The reward for a
wedding is in the words [uttered to the bride and groom]. (Berakhot 6b)
The juxtaposition of these statements implies that they share a common theme,
yet they do not all seem to be cut from the same cloth. In many of the examples, the Gemara
surprises us by seeming to claim that the true reward lies in a less central
element of a given endeavor.
The main part of a lecture should be the content, not running to get there; the
essential component of a eulogy should be the description of the deceased,
rather than the crying. On the other
hand, The reward for a fast day is in the charity arguably is not as
surprising. Given the inconsistency
among the statements, should we interpret each statement individually or look
for a common theme?
Let us begin with the first case and see how the analysis proceeds. None of the commentators are willing
to grant running to a shiur pride
of place over listening to the content.
Some say that R. Zera refers to someone who does not benefit from the
substance of the lecture, either because they know too little or too much. Rashi explains that the masses fail
to comprehend the shiur, yet they
still deserve a reward for their enthusiasm in attending. Maharsha suggests that R. Zera
speaks of scholars who already know the material.
They too merit reward for coming to the lecture.
Knowledgeable people who may not get
anything out of a
shiur should remain in the sanctuary or
lecture hall and listen, so as not to embarrass the speaker or in order to honor
the speaker.
Each of the above approaches explains the first case, but does not provide a
method for interpreting all the subsequent cases, unless we posit that, The
reward for a eulogy is in the wailing refers to a specific scenario in which
the substance of the eulogy itself somehow loses meaning. Could we apply such an approach to
the house of mourning or the essence of study?
R. Yaakov Ibn Habib explains that the
Amoraim
(rabbis of the Gemara) in this passage never meant to negate the reward found in
the essential part of these endeavors; they simply added another layer of
reward. R. Zera agrees that the main
part of a shiur consists of the
learning, and he notes the additional value of excitedly running to the
shiur.
R. Sheshet concurs that the content of the eulogy matters most; he points
out the value of emotionally crying out as well.
Someone might think that a fast day is all about fasting, so Mar Zutra
reminds him of the value of charitable giving.
According to this approach, we can more easily find a common pattern
among all the teachings.
A related approach appears in Netzivs
Meromei Sadeh. Using the
principle of sekhar mitzva mitzva,
he says that performing one commandment enables one to perform another. Good deeds lead to more good deeds. Learning Torah in a
shiur provides the opportunity to
honor the Torah or the speaker by running to that
shiur.
Keeping a fast day encourages helping the poor. As with Ibn Habibs reading, the list
in this
gemara does not identify essential
components, but additional ones.
Of what does the admirable silence in the mourners house consist? Tosafot Rosh explains that the
majority of comforters should remain silent and let the great individuals
present speak, since this will provide greater honor and comfort to the
mourners. Maharsha posits that
the
gemara refers to the Jewish law that the comforters should not
speak until the mourner does.
The wisdom of this law is evident.
Only the mourner knows what he needs at a given point in time of the mourning
period. Does he want to talk about
the deceased or about something else? Does he prefer a more somber mood or not? The comforters sit quietly
while the mourner sets the tone for the conversation.
Applying Ibn Habibs methodology, we would interpret Mar Zutra as saying that
charity on a fast day provides an additional source of reward. On the other hand, it appears quite
reasonable in that scenario to suggest that the Gemara highlights the most
important component. Meiri takes Mar
Zutra as articulating the most important part of the fast day. Charity ranks higher than not eating,
since eschewing food is not a goal in and of itself, but merely a spur to
repentance.
Some beautifully evocative verses in Yeshayahu support Meiris position:
Why have we fasted and You do not see?
Why have we afflicted our soul and You take no notice?'--Behold, in the day of
your fast you pursue your business, and exact all your labors.
Behold, you fast for strife and
contention, and to smite with the fist of wickedness; you do not fast on this
day so as to make your voice heard on high.
Is such the fast that I have chosen? Is it a day for a man to afflict his
soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes
under him? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?
Is not this the fast that
I have chose to loose the fetters of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke,
and to let the oppressed go free, so that you break every yoke?
Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry,
and bring the poor that are cast out into your house? When you see the naked and cover him,
do you not hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then shall your light break forth as the
morning, and your healing shall spring forth speedily; and your righteousness
shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall guard your back.
Then shall you call, and the Lord
will answer; you shall cry, and He will say: 'Here I am.' If you take away from
your midst the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking wickedness.
And if you draw out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the
afflicted soul. Then shall your light rise in darkness, and your gloom shall be
as the noonday (Yeshayahu 58: 3-10).
The people of Yeshayahus time could not understand why God did not respond to
their fasts. After all, they went
the entire day without eating, wore sackcloth and ashes, and bent their heads in
contrition. God informs them that
they totally misunderstood the main point of this day of affliction. Do they feed the hungry or clothe the
destitute? Do they release the
powerless from social and economic bondage?
Absent elements of compassion and benevolence, merely not eating will not
bring Divine mercy.
Radak adds a remarkable interpretation based on the verse: In the day of your
fast, you pursue your business.
He envisions a large public gathering on the fast day in which creditors
notice the presence of their debtors.
They take advantage of the opportunity to pressure the latter. Imagine a fellow devoutly praying
mincha (the afternoon service) on a
fast day and then threatening a pauper immediately after the service. Is it a wonder that God ignores such
prayers?
Of course, external actions can play a positive role in inspiring hearts and
engendering change, since creatures of flesh and blood often respond to external
stimuli. Fasting and wearing mourning
clothing can move us in the direction of authentic repentance. However, we dare not confuse
the external husk with the inner kernel. In Malbims formulation, just the
external elements without the authentic substance are like dead carcasses
lacking life and spirit.
This point obviously carries weight beyond the question of fast days. It is difficult to argue for
the irrelevance of externalities since we are certainly affected by them. For example, those around us respond
to how we dress and present ourselves, as do we ourselves. At the same time, woe to the
individual who cares more about looking devout than about acting with decency
and sanctity, and woe to the rabbi who pays more attention to the nature of his
coat than to the depth of his teaching or the sincerity of his pastoral care. Externalities may encourage
inwardness but they can never take its place.
This website is constantly being improved. We would appreciate hearing from you. Questions and comments on the classes are welcome, as is help in tagging, categorizing, and creating brief summaries of the classes. Thank you for being part of the Torat Har Etzion community!