The "ger toshav"

Hi,

"Anyone who accepts the seven mitzvot and is careful to practice them is of the pious of the nations of the world, and owns a portion in the next world, assuming he accepts them and practices them because Gd instructed them in the Torah and informed us via Moshe Rabbeinu that Noachides have long been instructed in them. However, if he does them because of his own decision, he is not a ger toshav and he is not of the pious of the nations of the world or their sages."

כל המקבל שבע מצות ונזהר לעשותן הרי זה מחסידי אומות העולם, ויש לו חלק לעולם הבא, והוא שיקבל אותן ויעשה אותן מפני שצוה בהן הקב"ה בתורה והודיענו על ידי משה רבינו שבני נח מקודם נצטוו בהן, אבל אם עשאן מפני הכרע הדעת אין זה גר תושב ואינו מחסידי אומות העולם ולא מחכמיהם. 

(Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim 8:11)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The prohibition against false testimony

Hi,

The Torah's prohibition against lying is not limited to courtroom testimony, but the specification of “false testimony” serves as an additional prohibition for court cases. A witness who is caught testifying falsely may, depending on circumstances, be incriminated as an ed zomeim; such a person is punished according to the suffering he intended to cause with his testimony.

The Torah stressed the harm of lying in court, specifically, because undermining the courts undermines Torah and civilization. For this reason, the neviim spent considerable time inveighing against corruption in the beit din (Jewish court).

Pirkei Avot 1:18 echoed this point in noting that honest testimony is part of the foundation on which the world rests: “The world exists on three things: Law, Truth and Peace.” Our Torah is a Torah of Truth, and G-d's seal is Truth.

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A merciful and pragmatic military

Hi,

"We are instructed that when we lay siege to a city, we must leave one of the directions without siege, so that if they wish to flee then they will have a place for flight. This way we will learn to act with mercy even with our enemies in a time of war, and it will also help in that we will give them an avenue to flee and they will not strengthen themselves against us."

מצוה חמישית שנצטוינו כשנצור על עיר להניח אחת מן הרוחות בלי מצור שאם ירצו לברוח יהיה להם דרך לנוס משם כי בזה נלמוד להתנהג בחמלה אפילו עם אויבינו בעת המלחמה ובו עוד תקון שנפתח להם פתח שיברחו ולא יתחזקו לקראתינו...

(Ramban to Sefer haMitzvot, Added Aseh 5)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

The motive of Shimon and Levi in Shechem

Hi,

What motivated Shimon and Levi to destroy the city of Shechem, as opposed to just taking back their imprisoned sister Dinah?

"The lord would never have allowed himself to act as he did were it not a queston of a foreign, forsaken Jew-girl. That was the thought that brought home to the minds of Simeon and Levi that there are times when the Family of Jacob too must grasp the sword... They had no desire to act prudently. They wanted to make themselves feared so that nobody would attempt anything similar. The daughters of Jacob were not to be considered as being at anybody's disposal. But nevertheless they went too far, to take revenge on innocent people for that which powerful ones had done."

(Commentary of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch to Bereishit 34:25)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

King David and the Givonim

Hi,

Why the Givonim were forbidden from marrying into the Jewish people:

"'And the Givonim said to him: We have neither silver nor gold with Shaul and with his household, and we have no man [to kill in Israel]… Let seven men of his children be given to us, and we will hang them before Gd.' (Shemuel II 21:4-6) 

"King David tried to appease them, and they would not be appeased. He said, 'There are three signs for this nation: Merciful, bashful, and generous... One who has these three signs is suited to cleave to this nation.'"

"ויאמרו לו הגבעונים אין לנו כסף וזהב עם שאול ועם ביתו ואין לנו איש וגו' יותן לנו שבעה אנשים מבניו והוקענום לד' וגו'." מיפייס ולא פייסינהו. אמר, שלשה סימנים יש באומה זו: הרחמנים, והביישנין, וגומלי חסדים; רחמנים, דכתיב... כל שיש בו שלשה סימנים הללו ראוי להדבק באומה זו. 

(Talmud, Yevamot 79a)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

The mistake of stringency

Hi,

"Just as one may not permit the prohibited, so one may not prohibit the permitted… because generally, this will cause a leniency in some other area…"

כשם שאסור להתיר את האסור כך אסור לאסור את המותר... מפני שעל הרוב יש בו צד הקל במקום אחר...

(Rabbi Shabbtai haKohen, Pilpul b'Hanhagat Horaot b'Issur v'Heter, Rule 9)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Go easy on the fundraising!

Hi,

"Regarding a generous person who gives more than is appropriate for him, or who pains himself to give to the collector to avoid shame, one may not demand and collect tzedakah from him. Gd will punish a collector who shames him and asks of him."

אדם שוע שנותן צדקה יותר מהראוי לו, או שמיצר לעצמו ונותן לגבאי כדי שלא יתבייש, אסור לתובעו ולגבות ממנו צדקה, והגבאי שמכלימו ושואל ממנו, עתיד הקב"ה ליפרע ממנו. 

(Code of Jewish Law, Yoreh Deah 248:7)

Have a great day,

Mordechai