Our Three Names

Hi,

"A person is called three names: One that his father and mother call him, one that others call him, and one that he is called in the chronicle of his life."

(Midrash, Kohelet Rabbah 7:3)

Alternatively:

A person is called three names: One that his father and mother call him, one that others call him, and one that he acquires for himself. The best of them is the one that he acquires for himself.

(Midrash Tanchuma, Vayyakhel 1)

המצפה לישועה,

Mordechai

Promises

Hi,

"Kohelet 5:5 says, 'Do not use your mouth to make your flesh sin.' Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi explained: This refers to people who pledge tzedakah publicly, and do not fulfill it."

(Midrash, Kohelet Rabbah 5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Pledging tzedakah

Hi,

"'Do not use our mouth to make your flesh sin (Kohelet 5).' R' Yehoshua ben Levi explained: This refers to people who pledge tzedakah in public, but do not pay."

(Midrash, Kohelet Rabbah 5:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Deceptive business practices

Hi,

"Regarding the verse, 'I have seen evil beneath the sun,' Rabbi Shemuel bar Ami said: This refers to the plots of the wicked, such as those who mix water into wine, bilkiya water into oil ma'is water into honey, donkey's milk into ktaf, kumus into myrrh, grape leaves into pilyon, red dye into brine and vetch into peppers, and using a long arm on one side of a balance and a short arm on the other side.

"Regarding all of these, Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai declared: Woe is me if I say it, woe is me if I do not say it! If I say it, tricky people may learn these methods. If I do not say it, tricky people may say that the scholars are not aware of their tricks.

"In the end, the sages said, 'For the ways of Gd are straight [the righteous will walk in them, and the wicked will stumble in them.'"

(Midrash, Kohelet Rabbah 6:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai