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Our Tzedaka Group on Linkedin

We have a group on linkedin as well where we post Divrei Torah and other information on the topic of Tzedaka.

Please feel free to join us and contribute!
http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Charity-Tzedakah-Education-2450429

Here, too, for that matter - if you have something to contribute to this blog please do not hesitate to let us know via comments or friending us here.

Yartzeit/Hillula of Chafetz Chaim HaKadosh Today

Shabbat Shalom!

From today's Hakhel email:

Special Note Four: Today is the Yahrzeit of the Chofetz Chaim. We provide a sampling of his essential teachings, excerpted from the excellent Sefer, Give Us Life, collected and edited by HaRav Mendel Weinbach, Shlita:

1. Everything approaching its end summons all of its energies for a last stand. A candle’s brightest flame appears before it dies, and it is always darkest before dawn. The power of evil is approaching its end so it has summoned all of its resources and massed the greatest attack in history on the forces of good.

2. People often say “This world is also a world,” but the truth is that “Only this world is a world” because only here can a person improve and accomplish. This is the World of Action, the World to Come is only for the reward.

3. Good manners require a person to carefully prepare for an audience with an important official. If one is privileged to see the king, he takes several days to get ready. So if Chazal tell us that we must prepare for a lifetime before entering the palace of the King of Kings we must appreciate how supremely exalted this palace must be.

4. The reward mentioned by the Torah for certain Mitzvohs such as honoring parents is not their real payment for that is only due in the World to Come. The small reward we receive in the meantime is like the meals given to the king’s soldiers which are not subtracted from their pay.

5. Teshuva must be performed with great energy. A person should return to Hashem with at least the same degree of enthusiasm and energy with which he had sinned.

6. The greatest sinner will be called to account for the slightest wrongdoing because his terrible record is no license for further evil. The Rambam writes that the wicked King Yerovom will be punished for not fulfilling the mitzvah of Eruv Tavshilin.

7. Just as there are rich and poor, strong and weak, so do people vary in their talents and abilities in Avodas Hashem. The Torah therefore commands; “You shall love Hashem with *your* heart, *your* soul and *your* might--each man according to his particular powers. Additionally, the real meaning of “all your might” is whatever is most precious to you--Chazal knew that to most people money is the most precious item. However, to someone who Torah and Mitzvos is most precious, he must be prepared to sacrifice even these, if necessary, for the honor of Hashem. A Rosh Yeshiva, for example, must be prepared to sacrifice his own Torah study--his “all your might”--in order that Torah may flourish among his disciples.

8. An orderly, efficient shopkeeper knows exactly where each item in his stock is located and its precise value. An orderly Jew does every act with Hashem in mind because he knows that the simplest act--like the simplest ware--can bring a tremendous profit if it is used correctly.

9. One of the signs given by Chazal of a madman is that he sleeps overnight in a graveyard. A man has the opportunity of returning from the grave to a new and eternal life by studying or supporting Torah. If he wastes this opportunity and remains forever sleeping in the graveyard, he is truly a madman.

10. If you should ask your wife for Shabbos Kugel on Friday she will suggest that you eat something else because “ this Kugel is for Shabbos”. Honor is like Kugel and is only to be enjoyed on the day which is forever Shabbos--Olam Haba. If you eat the Kugel today, you may go hungry on Shabbos.

11. HaRav Yisroel Salanter, Z’tl, compared momentary interruption in Torah study to the uprooting of two feet of railway track from a line stretching for thousands of miles. Just as this seemingly insignificant act can wreak havoc upon the railroad, so too can a break in Torah study.

12. I am neither a Chosid or a Misnagid. My only ambition is to fulfill what is written in Shulchan Aruch. Chazal teach that a person will be asked whether he set aside times for Torah study and whether he dealt honestly in business. There is no mention of ever being asked whether one is a Chosid or Misnagid.

13. Even a small storekeeper keeps a record to know the small amounts that his customers owe him. Let us not fail to keep records of our life in this world--for it affects us for eternity.

14. A Torah supporter gives a few copper coins and the institution he supports gives him a share in an eternal Torah.

15. What good is our Selichos if all we do is tell Hashem our sins? He knows them well enough already. Our duty is to resolve not to repeat our foolishness!

23rd of Sivan - Muchan L'Tova

From Today's Hakhel:

Special Note Five: Tomorrow, the 23rd day of Sivan, is one of those special days especially mentioned in Tanach. Many of you may remember where. In Megillas Esther (8:9), the Pasuk records that on the 23rd day of the 3rd month--“Hu Chodesh Sivan” (which is the month of Sivan)--the King’s scribes wrote all that Mordechai had dictated to them. While we may not have the exact text of what was written other than that the Jews could destroy their enemies, we do know that Achashverosh had permitted them to write in the letters--“Katov Bi’Eynechem--whatever is favorable in your eyes, in the name of the King...”

The Luach Dovor B’Ito writes the following about this very special day:

One should try to recite the relevant Pesukim in Esther (Esther 8:3-17).

In the name of the Makover Rebbe, Zt’l, the day is Mesugal for nisim v’niflaos, as implied by the Pasuk referred to above--“Now, write [on this day] about the Jews what is favorable in your eyes in the name of the King”--which also refers to the King of the World. Thus, just as Mordechai subsequently left the King with many royal garments (ibid., 8:15)…so can we!
In 1940, the Russian Government told thousands of Jewish refugees in Eastern Galicia that they could register as Russian citizens. Rebbe Itzikel of Antwerp, Z’tl, advised them not to register. On the night of the 23rd of Sivan, the Russians exiled to Siberia all those who had not registered as Russian citizens. The exiled thought this to be a horrible decree, but the Rebbe told them that the 23rd of Sivan is “Muchan L’Tova--prepared for the good,” and that no bad would come out of their exile. A year later, in Sivan 1941, the Nazi’s YM’S, invaded Eastern Galicia and killed the Jews who remained--the exiles to Siberia remained alive.

Let us harness the powers inherent in this day, through our own personal Torah, Teshuva, Tefillah and Tzedaka so that the King writes beautiful letters on our personal behalf, and on behalf of all of K’lal Yisroel!

How Should we Respond to Flotilla Events?

This is noteworthy from today's Hakhel Email:


Special Note One: The travesty and tragedy of yesterday’s events in the waters outside Eretz Yisroel (which according to one opinion is part of Eretz Yisoel itself) brings us a step closer to the important reality of the times that we live in. An earthquake in Haiti, volcanic eruptions in Iceland which affect millions in Europe, or even last week’s carpeting of millions of frogs over a Greek highway that caused its temporary closure may not have drawn our complete focus and attention. They too, of course, represent Hashem’s reminder of His ruling hand over the world. However, now that we have been attacked personally, the sting feels greater. To analogize, the recent other events may be viewed as Tzora’as on the house, and yesterday’s seaboard and worldwide attacks against us are more like the feeling of Tzora’as on one’s clothing. One thing is certain, we must react. To some, it may be with more Tefillah (either qualitatively or quantitatively), others will respond to the call with some additional Torah learning, and yet others will respond with a Chesed or Chasadim that go beyond the ordinary. But react we must, if we truly have Emunah--that nothing is happenstance, nothing is mere ‘news’, and that nothing is simply El Quada ploys to hurt Israel’s image in the international community. As we move toward the last quarter of the year of Tammuz-Av-Elul, let us take stock, and let us demonstrate to Hashem our Emunah in him by showing that we received the message--and that we are really and truly acting upon it immediately!



Additional Note One: Today, in the aftershock of the event, it may be a wise idea to give some additional Tzedaka, for if Hashem sees that we act charitably with others, he will act charitably with us. Additionally, as we come ever closer to our final redemption, we remember that “Veshaveha Betzedaka”… those who return, will return with the righteousness of their charitable acts.



Additional Note Two: Today is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Shlomo Yisroel Gelber, Z’tl. He always taught that Hashem expects of the person that he use the Sechel that was given to him personally. Especially in the circumstances we are in, each person must apply his own Sechel to what he can do and how he can do it--for his sake, and for the sake of K’lal Yisroel.