Tzedakah on Rosh Chodesh Elul
Rosh Chodesh Elul, the beginning of a month of Divine
favor, when G-d opens the Gates of Mercy and extends His Hand to all who seek
Him and return to Him. It is the month which closes the old year and heralds the
coming year, with its opportunities, and a clean slate for each and every
person.
The holy Ari writes that ELUL is the acrostic of
"Ish L'rei'eihu U'matanot L'evyonim, each person to his
friend and gifts for the poor" (Ester 9:22).
That is, one of the main ways to experience the
sanctity and power of Elul is to increase one's level of charity giving.
Interestingly, the Torah reading on the Shabbat when Elul commences is one in
which the mitzvah of charity is mentioned.
"Open, you should open your hand.." (Devarim
15:11). Rebbe Nachman, expounds upon the redundancy
of the word "open." The following is based on Likutey Moharan II, 4:1-3.
One of the significant benefits of the mitzvah of charity is that it helps one
break any innate tendency to severity, transforming it into a tendency towards
compassion. One who is naturally compassionate will find giving charity very
easy. On the other hand, one who has difficulty sharing and giving, and
nonetheless wants to give, will overcome his negative characteristics and
transform them into attributes of compassion.
To change one's nature is very difficult. In fact, were we to examine any aspect
of serving G-d, we would find difficulties in attempting it. (This is because
body and soul are initially diametrically opposed to one other. One seeks
material pleasure, the other, spiritual. One must get them to co-operate.) This
being the case, we must expend a tremendous amount of
effort and strength in our devotions in order to begin feeling and experiencing
G-dliness! "All beginnings are difficult" (Mechilta, Yitro).
How should we begin?
The first thing is to open the "door." We begin slowly by approaching the door
to the spiritual realm. We "take hold of the doorknob," turning it and gradually
opening the door. But we find it somewhat blocked and difficult to budge. We
must push harder and make a greater effort. We push forward, we still feel
resistance, but we still keep trying. The thought passes
through our mind. "Wouldn't it be nice if the door would open easily, nice and
wide?" What can we do to make it happen?
This, Rebbe Nachman teaches, is the great value of giving charity. Yet charity
itself is a very difficult mitzvah to fulfill. After all, when one cuts away all
the niceties, fawning and shmoozing that accompanies an appeal for money, what
is left is: "Excuse us. We're here to separate you from some of your hard earned
money." If "times are not so good" - for, as
the Rebbe teaches, even taking care of the barest necessities may consume a
person's life - how can we give to others?!
Yet give we must - even a little (although more is better). Why? Because charity
is THE door opener. "Open you should open" is written about charity. Why the
redundancy? Because whatever we face in life - all challenges, opportunities,
frustrations and obstacles, to spiritual as well as material requirements - we
must be able to open the doors to the solutions that we need. The redundancy
teaches that charity helps us to crack open the door and get our feet in. It is
charity which should be the first step for everything we do and need in life,
for it has the power to make the transitions easier. It can open doors. It can
transform character. It can change lives!
-Breslov