I recently reconnected with near and dear friend of mine Rabbi Marc Gitler. Rabbi Marc and I share a unique bond of having spent prolonged periods living in Minsk, Belarus. When we were talking Rabbi Marc shared a great Torah with me and seeing that it is connected with Tisha B’Av I wanted to share it with you. He wrote:
Mar Zutra in Mesechet Brachot states: אגרא דתעניתא – צדקתא the merit of a fast day lies not in the fasting, but in the charity dispensed. Rashi explains that towards the end of the fast day a person should seek out poor individuals and give them tzedakah. Presumably, without the donated dollars, the poor person would have no food to break his or her fast. Thus a person is rewarded for the charity.
Rabbi Shmuel Eidels, the Maharsha, raises a question about the statement. Jewish tradition doesn’t allow one to receive a tangible benefit from the performance of a mitzvah, yet on fast days a faster benefits in that he/she saved money that he would have otherwise spent on food. The Maharsha, answering his own question, recommends “calculating the money saved by fasting and giving the money to charity.”
The Maharsha’s idea is simple, yet extraordinary. Fast days are not intended as days to save money. They are opportunities for personal spiritual growth and communal connections, especially with those in need. By following the Maharsha’s idea with a minimal 10,18,25, or 36 dollar contribution to tzedakah, you have the opportunity to elevate your fast day, as well as provide much needed food to those in need.
I contributed and I would urge you to do the same. Have a meaningful fast. Here is the link: http://www.fastforfeast.org
Said to Myself 