Friday, May 9, 2008

TOSEFES BROCHA - BEHAR

ויקרא פרק כה יד וְכִי-תִמְכְּרוּ מִמְכָּר לַעֲמִיתֶךָ אוֹ קָנֹה מִיַּד עֲמִיתֶךָ אַל-תּוֹנוּ אִישׁ אֶת-אָחִיו:
This is a proper place to cite the many warnings from our holy Rabbis regarding practicing deception against anyone from any nation (non-Jews).
Rambam(פירוד למשנה למס' כלים פרק י"ב משנה ז') discusses the disgraceful attribute of אונאה (deception). “It is not permitted to lie, cheat, deceive, etc. on the nations of the world. HaShem pronounced all such actions as evil and harmful to those that practice such acts.”
Sefer Chasidim (סימן תתרצ"ד) writes sharp words on this subject. “No person should do a wrong against non-Jews, just as one would not do so to a Jew. Such wrongful acts cause damage to the person and does not protect one’s property. And if such acts continue, that person’s descendants will suffer.”
Maharsha (כתובות ס"ז א') writes “Some gather wealth not honorably and by means of Chilul HaShem, and afterwards try to give Tzedakah from such ill-gotten proceeds. This is a Mitzvah that comes from a sin, and the wealth will not last.”
Beer HeiTiv (חו"מ שמ"ח ה') “I write this for the generations. I have seen one who became wealthy from the mistakes and nativity of non-Jews, that he lost all his property and did not leave after himself a blessing for his family. In contrast, many do Kiddush HaShem and return the monetary errors of non-Jews. These people should grew and be blessed and will leave assets to their children.”
It is fitting to mention that the Beer HeiTiv lived and wrote these words during the very frightening period of ת"ח ת"ט (1648-49) when the non-Jews staged pogroms in the area that this sage lived. Unbelievable horrors where visited in one Jewish town after another by the non-Jews. Nevertheless, the he declared the law to be righteous applied to all people.

ויקרא פרק כה נה
נה כִּי-לִי בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים עֲבָדַי הֵם אֲשֶׁר-הוֹצֵאתִי אוֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם
On this verse the Gemara (Kidushin 22b) says the Jews are not to be servants to servants. (The Gemara is discussing the law of boring the ear of a slave that states he wishes to remain a slave at the end of the six years of servitude. The ear that hear from HaShem the Jews are servants to G-d and not servants to servants, and now this Jew declares that he has a new master, thus, the ear is bored).
Now we might understand why we say the blessing in the morning blessings שלא עשני עבד (that He did not make me a servant). We are thankful that we are not in the status of a servant that is exempt from many Mitzvos.
How does this blessing connect to us in this age that such servants (that would be exempt from many Mitzvos) do not exist?
Thus, we would understand the blessing to mean that we recognize that we were not made to be servants to servants, but only a servant to G-d.
(Even though many work for others on a daily basis, but we are only assisting the boss, and we are a position to quit at any time, and thus this in not consider being in a state of a servant to a servant.)

No comments: