Daily Tanya Chapter 37 Part 5: Tzedaka is the greatest Mitzvah that has ability to elevate the world and animal soul (Monday 27th Adar)

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27th Adar

  1. Charity-The greatest of the Mitzvahs which elevates the entire animal soul:
  • Charity is equal to all the other Mitzvahs: Based on the above, we can now understand why the sages praised and extolled the virtue of charity to such a great extent even stating that it is equal in weight to all the other Mitzvahs. In fact, throughout the entire Jerusalem Talmud the word Mitzvah refers to this Mitzvah of charity.
  • Charity is the main Mitzvah of the Mitzvah’s: The reason for this great virtue of charity is because it is considered the main Mitzvah of the practical Mitzvahs and surpasses them all.
  • Charity elevates the entire animal soul: The purpose of all the Mitzvah’s is simply to elevate the animal soul which fulfills them and is invested in them, and have it be incorporated within the infinite light of G-d which is invested within them. Now, there is no greater Mitzvah than the Mitzvah of charity in which the animal soul is so invested, and hence the elevation of the animal soul affected by charity is much greater than any other Mitzvah. By all other Mitzvah’s, there’s only one soul power of the animal soul that is invested within the fulfillment of that Mitzvah, and thereby elevated, and even then, it is only elevated during the actual fulfillment of the Mitzvah itself. However, by the Mitzvah of charity a person invests all of his energy, as all of his energy was invested in earning the income which he now has donated to charity. Hence, when he now donates his hard-earned money to charity, all of the energy of his animal soul becomes elevated to G-d.
  • One who earns money effortlessly: Even one who earns money effortlessly is considered to be investing and elevating his entire animal soul with his donation, being that he could have used this money to purchase necessary bodily needs. It is thus found that he is donating the life of his soul to G-d.
  • Hastens the redemption: It is due to this reason that the sages state that charity hastens the redemption, as when one donates to charity one elevates a great amount of energy of his animal soul. This energy would not have been able to be elevated in any other way, even in the fulfillment of many other Mitzvahs.

 

Topic

Description

Charity and Mitzvahs

Charity is equal to all the other Mitzvahs; praised and extolled by sages; in Jerusalem Talmud, Mitzvah refers to charity

Main Mitzvah

Charity is the main Mitzvah of the practical Mitzvahs and surpasses them all

Elevation of Animal Soul

Purpose of Mitzvahs is to elevate the animal soul; charity elevates the entire animal soul more than any other Mitzvah

Investment of Energy

By charity, all of one’s energy invested in earning income is now elevated to G-d through donation

Effortless Earnings

Even one who earns money effortlessly elevates their soul by donating, as the money could have been used for bodily needs

Hastens Redemption

Charity hastens the redemption because it elevates a great amount of energy of the animal soul

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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