Nov. 1, 2023
Navigating The Spiritual Dilemma: Balancing Prayer with Acts of Charity and Uncovering the True Essence of 'Chesed'
Have you ever been caught choosing between continuing your prayer or giving charity to a beggar who interrupts you? Does one hold more spiritual weight than the other? Join us on a fascinating journey as we navigate this spiritual problem, finding a balance between devotion and acts of charity. This episode is a deep dive into the concept of 'chesed,' or charity, and how it can sometimes supersede prayers or prophecies.
Drawing inspiration from Pashas Vayera and the actions of Avromovina, we discuss the true essence of Chesad. Can it be equated with simple pity? What are the motivations behind our charitable acts? This episode challenges you to assess not just your actions but the intentions behind them. It's not just about charity; it's about understanding the spiritual growth it can foster. Tune in for an enlightening discussion on the delicate balance between spiritual devotion and charitable acts and how understanding the true essence of charity can lead to personal growth and a deeper spiritual connection.
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I was absolutely clueless and maybe you've been in the same scenario so maybe you have the answer.
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But you wake up, on the right side of the bed, you're feeling good, the sun is shining, birds are chirping, you're on time for chakras that morning.
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Tallas twillin, it fits good.
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Nice seat over in the corner, no loud neighbors in shul.
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You're praying.
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A bit of concentration that day.
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Maybe there is maybe rents due, whatever it is.
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Then I reached ashray.
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Having a bit of concentration that day, I get a tap on the shoulder from a mashullah raising money for a poor kala and arityasuril.
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So I fumble through my pockets.
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I find a quarter, find a dollar, something and give it, but I was a little distracted.
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Anyway, I come back to my sitter.
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This was the day that I'm the davani actually means something for once.
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And before I get to the base I get another tap on the shoulder from another mashullah, one of those holy mashulahim, the beggars that are really the givers collecting for this initiative, this organization, for this surah.
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Before I get to the gimble, to the dalat as maybe you've noticed that the mashulahim, they tend to travel in packs, they're all friendly.
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The different vans pull up and every single letter of ashray.
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I couldn't even focus because I kept having to find a quarter or maybe say I don't have anything.
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I'm sorry, but I was upset because I felt like I was being distracted from my davani, but on the other hand, maybe it's better to give charity.
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So what was the right thing to do?
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I was irritated and the uncertainty was even more bothersome, but then it hit me like a ton of bricks.
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Pashas Vayera tells us that Avromovina was sitting outside in the very heat of the day and he was looking through for travelers, for passer buyers, because he wanted to do chesad.
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It was the third day after his brisimila.
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He's an old man and the psukim of deser points out setting on measures.
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It seems to be that Avrom is about to get prophecy from Hashem, the ultimate gift of prophecy, and when Avrom sees these passer buyers he hangs up the phone on a Kadesh baruchu, he closes the book on prophecy and runs to do acts of chesad and Rashi brings for us the Maimer chazal.
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That greater is it to act hospitable, to do Achnosas orchem, and it is to be makabel panay Hashchina to welcome the face, the glory of Hashem into your house.
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To me I took the lesson very straight forward, of course, certainly that my diving is nowhere near the level of prophecy.
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Avromovina and Avrom would have closed the phone and hung up on prophecy to go do Achnosas orchem, to go do an act of chesad.
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How much more so should we definitely?
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Maybe feel okay, okay, my diving is here, but this is an open chazal, this is what we need to do, and the Chayb of Salavovis maybe takes it a step further.
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And this is all in Rev Deser's famous giving piece to be a giver about chesad, that even if a person feels pity for somebody, I feel horrible that you're going through that situation.
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The Meshulah has this sorrow, this pain.
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They're going through this agony.
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So, yes, you give it to Allah.
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It's a mitzvah, it's a justice.
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You have to, can't close your hand, but pity isn't chesad.
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It is a high level, but it ain't chesad.
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Chesad is driven not because you're trying to assuage or calm or alleviate any inner pain, because pity is really self centered in a way.
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But real chesad is I want to help you.
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It is not a motive from outside, but it is inside, bursting forth like Avromavino.
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So maybe we even stop in the middle of astray.
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We should conclude Not only give one dollar, but give another dollar, because the first may just be because of pity, but the second may be an act of true chesad.
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And that's the way Avromavino.
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