The Bond Between Gd, Moshe and Yehoshua

Hi,

"'As Gd instructed His servant Moshe, so Moshe instructed Yehoshua and so Yehoshua did; he did not remove anything of what Gd had instructed Moshe. (Yehoshua 11:15)'

"It does not say 'of what Moshe had instructed him,' but 'of what Gd had instructed Moshe.' Even regarding that which he did not hear from Moshe, Yehoshua's mind matched that which had been told to Moshe at Sinai."

(Talmud Yerushalmi, Peah 1:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Honour your elder sibling

Hi,

The 33rd mitzvah, honouring one's parents, is frequently described (such as Talmud Yerushalmi Peah 1:1) as the most difficult mitzvah in the Torah, because there is no limit on the efforts required to repay our debt to those who partnered with HaShem to give us life, and who devoted years of their lives to raising us.

This mitzvah is divided into two categories: mora (Reverence) and kavod (Honour). Mora refers to displays of respect, such as not using our parents' seats and not contradicting them. Kavod refers to actions which actively provide honour, such as providing meals or dressing them.

The Talmud (Ketuvot 103a) teaches that one is also obligated to honour an older brother. According to Ramban, this is specifically while the parents are alive, because they wish for him to be honoured. However, the Minchat Chinuch understood Rambam to require such honour even after the parents have passed away. One is also obligated to honour an older sister; see sources cited in Torah Temimah to Shemot 20, note 86.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A perverse form of honour

Hi,

What would you do?

"Rabbi Yishmael's mother came and complained to the sages. She scolded him, saying, 'My son does not accord me honour!'

"The sages' faces reddened; they said, 'Can it be that Rabbi Yishmael does not accord his progenitors honour?!' They asked her, 'What did he do to you?'

"She replied: When he comes home from the rabbinic gatherings, I want to wash his feet and drink the water, and he won't allow it!

"The sages told Rabbi Yishmael: This is her desire, and this is her honour."

(Talmud Yerushalmi, Peah 1:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Physical assistance trumps Financial assistance

Hi,

"As great a mitzvah as financial charity is, acts of physical kindness are so great that they are the equal of any mitzvah in the Torah:

"Financial charity is only applicable to the living, whereas physical kindness can be done for the deceased as well.

"Financial charity is only applicable for the needy, whereas physical kindness can be done for the wealthy as well.

"Financial charity can only be done from one's assets, whereas physical kindness can be done with one's body as well."

(Talmud Yerushalmi Peah 1:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tzedakah saves from...

Hi,

"Rabbi Abba said: If you give money from your pocket to tzedakah, G-d will protect you from being hurt by all manner of taxation."

(Talmud Yerushalmi Peah 1:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Beautifying a mitzvah

Hi,

"Rabbi Chaviva said in the name of the sages of Babylon: If a person purchases an item for a mitzvah and then finds a nicer item to purchase for that mitzvah, he should spend up to 1/3 beyond the value of the original item to purchase the nicer item."

(Talmud Yerushalmi, Peah 1:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The study of Torah is parallel to all of what?

Hi,

"And the study of Torah is parallel to all of them."

(Mishnah, Peah 1:1)

What is "them" in this sentence? Two views are presented in the Jerusalem Talmud:
1. All of the contents of this world - it is worth more than all of them.
2. All of the other mitzvot (for how will one know the mitzvot without study?].

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Honoring Gd, Honoring Parents

Hi,

"Honoring one's parents is greater than honoring Gd, for Gd instituted greater requirements for their honor than for his."

(Talmud Yerushalmi Peah 1:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Building synagogues vs. Saving lives

Hi,

"Rabbi Chama bar Rabbi Chanina and Rabbi Hoshia were walking among the synagogues of Lod. Rabbi Chama bar Rabbi Chanina commented to Rabbi Hoshia in admiration, 'How much money my ancestors sunk in here!'

"To which Rabbi Hoshia replied, 'How many lives your ancestors sunk in here! Weren't there people to support in the study of Torah?'"

(Talmud Yerushalmi, Peah 8:8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Remarkable permission to speak lashon hara

Hi,

"Rabbi Shemuel bar Nachman cited Rabbi Yonatan: We are permitted to speak harmfully about people who promote strife."

(Talmud Yerushalmi, Peah 1:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai