A lesson in mercy

Hi,

"And Gd said to Yonah:

"You had mercy on a kikayon [a wild shade plant] for which you did not work and which you did not raise, which came in a night and was lost in a night. Should I not have mercy upon Nineveh, the great city, which contains more than 120,000 people who do not know their right from left, as well as many animals?"

(Yonah 4:10-11)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Tzedakah as bribe

Hi,

[Background: In the fourth chapter of the book of Daniel, Daniel interprets Nevuchadnezzar's dream to indicate that punishment is coming to him, and he advises Nevuchadnezzar to give tzedakah in order to forestall his punishment.]


"Why was Daniel punished? Because he advised Nevuchadnezzar… [to give tzedakah]"

(Talmud, Bava Batra 4a)


"Giving tzedakah to the needy cannot resolve the problem of haughtiness and arrogance, which plagued Nevuchadnezzar. Perhaps this was Daniel's sin; he did not entirely clarify his words to Nevuchadnezzar, and he planted within Nevuchadnezzar the feeling that the tzedakah he would distribute to the needy would pacify Divine wrath at his arrogance. Can one who sins with arrogance then bribe the One who neither shows favour nor accepts bribes?"

(Rabbi Yaakov Medan, Daniel: Galut v'Hitgalut pg. 101)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Two ways Gd mitigates a person's sin

Hi,

"[How does HaShem employ mercy in judgment, as the Torah says ?]

"R' Elazar said: He hides sin [i.e. overlooking it].

"R' Yosi b"R' Chanina said: He elevates that side of the scale [i.e. decreasing the weight assigned to it]."

(Talmud, Arachin 8b, as explained by Rashi there; but note Rashi Rosh HaShanah 17a and Maharsha to Arachin 8b)

Have a great day,
Mordechai