(י) אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת בָּאָדָם. הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלִּי וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלָּךְ, זוֹ מִדָּה בֵינוֹנִית. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, זוֹ מִדַּת סְדוֹם. שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלְּךָ וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלִּי, עַם הָאָרֶץ. שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלְּךָ וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלָּךְ, חָסִיד. שֶׁלִּי שֶׁלִּי וְשֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁלִּי, רָשָׁע:
(10) There are four temperaments among people: the one who says "what is mine is mine, and what is yours is yours" -- that's an [average] temperament. And there are some who say that is the temperament of Sodom. [A second type is one who says] "what is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine" -- [that's an] am ha'arets (uneducated person). [A third type is one who says] "what is mine is yours, and what is yours is yours" -- [that's a] pious person. [A final type is one who says] "what is yours is mine, and what is mine is mine" -- [that's a] wicked person.
Once there was a tree....
and she loved a little boy.
And everyday the boy would come and he would gather her leaves
and make them into crowns
and play king of the forest.
He would climb up her trunk
and swing from her branches
and eat apples.
And they would play hide-and-go-seek. And when he was tired,
he would sleep in her shade.
And the boy loved the tree....
very much.
And the tree was happy.
But time went by.
And the boy grew older.
And the tree was often alone. Then one day the boy came to the tree and the tree said, "Come, Boy, come and climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and eat apples and play in my shade and be happy."
"I am too big to climb and play" said the boy.
"I want to buy things and have fun.
I want some money?"
"I'm sorry," said the tree, "but I have no money.
I have only leaves and apples. Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in the city. Then you will have money and you will be happy."
And so the boy climbed up the
tree and gathered her apples
and carried them away.
And the tree was happy.
But the boy stayed away for a long time.... and the tree was sad.
And then one day the boy came back and the tree shook with joy
and she said, "Come, Boy, climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and be happy." "I am too busy to climb trees," said the boy. "I want a house to keep me warm," he said. "I want a wife and I want children,
and so I need a house.
Can you give me a house ?"
" I have no house," said the tree.
"The forest is my house,
but you may cut off
my branches and build a
house. Then you will be happy." And so the boy cut off her branches and carried them away
to build his house.
And the tree was happy.
But the boy stayed away for a long time. And when he came back,
the tree was so happy
she could hardly speak.
"Come, Boy," she whispered, "come and play."
"I am too old and sad to play,"
said the boy.
"I want a boat that will
take me far away from here.
Can you give me a boat?"
"Cut down my trunk
and make a boat," said the tree. "Then you can sail away...
and be happy."
And so the boy cut down her trunk and made a boat and sailed away. And the tree was happy
... but not really.
And after a long time
the boy came back again.
"I am sorry, Boy,"
said the tree," but I have nothing
left to give you -
My apples are gone."
"My teeth are too weak
for apples," said the boy.
"My branches are gone,"
said the tree. " You
cannot swing on them - "
"I am too old to swing
on branches," said the boy.
"My trunk is gone, " said the tree.
"You cannot climb - "
"I am too tired to climb" said the boy.
"I am sorry," sighed the tree.
"I wish that I could give you something.... but I have nothing left.
I am just an old stump.
I am sorry...."
"I don't need very much now," said the boy. "just a quiet place to sit and rest.
I am very tired."
"Well," said the tree, straightening
herself up as much as she could,
"well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest." And the boy did.
And the tree was happy.
. וגם בעיר אדמה היתה נערה אחת בת איש עשיר מאנשי אדמה, ויעשו לה כדבר הזה. ויבוא הולך בעיר אדמה ללון בעיר ומחר ילך לביתו, וישב נגד פתח אבי הנערה ללון שם כי בא לו השמש במקום ההוא. ותראהו הנערה ההיא יושב בפתח הבית וישאל לה מים לשתות, ותאמר לו מי אתה. ויאמר לה אנוכי באתי היום מדרכי ותבוא לי השמש פה ואלין בזה עד למחר והשכמתי בבוקר והלכתי לדרכי. ותבוא הנערה ההיא הביתה, ותוציא לאיש ההוא לחם ומים לאכול ולשתות. ויודע הדבר ההוא לאנשי אדמה, ויקבצו כולם ויביאו את הנערה לפני השופטים לשפוט על הדבר הזה. ויאמר השופט יש לנערה הזאת משפט מות על אשר הפרה את דתינו, וכזה וכזה משפטה. ויתקבצו על אנשי הערים ההם, ויוציאו את הנערה ההיא וימשחו אותו בדבש מכף רגלה עד קדקדה כאשר דיבר השופט. ויתלו אותה לפני עדת הדבורים במקום מקבצם, ויבואו עליה כל הדבורים ויעקצו אותה ויצבו את כל בשרה. ותצעק הנערה מפני הדבורים ואין מביט אליה ואין מרחם עליה, ותעל צעקתה השמימה. ויקנא ה׳ על הדבר הזה ועל כל מעשה ערי סדום אשר עשו, יען שבעת לחם ושלות השקט היה להם ובכל זאת עני ואביון לא החזיקו. ותגדל רעתם וחטאתם לפני ה׳ מאוד בימים ההם, וישלח ה׳ את שני המלאכים אשר באו בית אברהם אל סדום ואל עריה לשחתם.
And in the city of Admah was also a maiden, the daughter of one of the wealthiest men of the people of Admah, and they did unto her as follows: A man came over into the city in order to stay there over night and to continue his journey next morning towards home. And he seated himself opposite the house of the father of that maiden, for the sun had sat over him in that place and there he concluded to tarry over night; and the girl saw him sitting before the door of her house. And the man having asked her for some water to drink, she inquired of him: Who art thou? And he replied, I am on my way homewards and now the day hath darkened over me in this place and I will abide here for the night and in the morning I will continue my Journey. And the maiden went into the house and brought unto the man bread and water to eat and drink. And the matter soon became known to the people of Admah and all of them assembled, and they brought the maiden before their judges to punish her for that offense. And one of the judges said: This maiden is under the judgment of death, for such is the punishment for those transgressing our law. And all the people of the cities came together and took the maiden, and after stripping her of all her vestments they anointed her with honey from the crown of her head to the sole of her foot according to the words of the judge, and they placed her before a swarm of bees around their hives. And all the bees came upon her and stung her that all her body was swelled up. And the poor girl cried out in her pain caused by the bees but no one would regard her cries and no one would have mercy upon her. And her shrieks of agony went up to heaven. And the Lord was enraged on account of that as also on account of all other acts of wickedness practiced in Sodom. For they had abundance of food and they lived in peace and security, and yet they would not give help to the needy and destitute, and their sins and their crimes were enormous in the eyes of the Lord. And the Lord sent the three angels which were in Abraham’s house to Sodom and all its cities, to destroy them.
(ז) שְׁמוֹנֶה מַעֲלוֹת יֵשׁ בַּצְּדָקָה זוֹ לְמַעְלָה מִזּוֹ. מַעֲלָה גְּדוֹלָה שֶׁאֵין לְמַעְלָה מִמֶּנָּה זֶה הַמַּחֲזִיק בְּיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁמָּךְ וְנוֹתֵן לוֹ מַתָּנָה אוֹ הַלְוָאָה אוֹ עוֹשֶׂה עִמּוֹ שֻׁתָּפוּת אוֹ מַמְצִיא לוֹ מְלָאכָה כְּדֵי לְחַזֵּק אֶת יָדוֹ עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִצְטָרֵךְ לַבְּרִיּוֹת לִשְׁאל. וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (ויקרא כה-לה) "וְהֶחֱזַקְתָּ בּוֹ גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב וָחַי עִמָּךְ" כְּלוֹמַר הַחֲזֵק בּוֹ עַד שֶׁלֹּא יִפּל וְיִצְטָרֵךְ:
(ח) פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה הַנּוֹתֵן צְדָקָה לָעֲנִיִּים וְלֹא יָדַע לְמִי נָתַן וְלֹא יָדַע הֶעָנִי מִמִּי לָקַח. שֶׁהֲרֵי זוֹ מִצְוָה לִשְׁמָהּ. כְּגוֹן לִשְׁכַּת חֲשָׁאִים שֶׁהָיְתָה בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ. שֶׁהָיוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים נוֹתְנִין בָּהּ בַּחֲשַׁאי וְהָעֲנִיִּים בְּנֵי טוֹבִים מִתְפַּרְנְסִין מִמֶּנָּה בַּחֲשַׁאי. וְקָרוֹב לָזֶה הַנּוֹתֵן לְתוֹךְ קֻפָּה שֶׁל צְדָקָה. וְלֹא יִתֵּן אָדָם לְתוֹךְ קֻפָּה שֶׁל צְדָקָה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַמְמֻנֶּה נֶאֱמָן וְחָכָם וְיוֹדֵעַ לְהַנְהִיג כַּשּׁוּרָה כְּרַבִּי חֲנַנְיָה בֶּן תְּרַדְיוֹן:
(ט) פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה שֶׁיֵּדַע הַנּוֹתֵן לְמִי יִתֵּן וְלֹא יֵדַע הֶעָנִי מִמִּי לָקַח. כְּגוֹן גְּדוֹלֵי הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁהָיוּ הוֹלְכִין בַּסֵּתֶר וּמַשְׁלִיכִין הַמָּעוֹת בְּפִתְחֵי הָעֲנִיִּים. וְכָזֶה רָאוּי לַעֲשׂוֹת וּמַעֲלָה טוֹבָה הִיא אִם אֵין הַמְמֻנִּין בִּצְדָקָה נוֹהֲגִין כַּשּׁוּרָה:
(י) פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה שֶׁיֵּדַע הֶעָנִי מִמִּי נָטַל וְלֹא יֵדַע הַנּוֹתֵן. כְּגוֹן גְּדוֹלֵי הַחֲכָמִים שֶׁהָיוּ צוֹרְרִים הַמָּעוֹת בִּסְדִינֵיהֶן וּמַפְשִׁילִין לַאֲחוֹרֵיהֶן וּבָאִין הָעֲנִיִּים וְנוֹטְלִין כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לָהֶן בּוּשָׁה:
(יא) פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ בְּיָדוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁיִּשְׁאַל:
(יב) פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ אַחַר שֶׁיִּשְׁאַל:
(יג) פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ פָּחוֹת מִן הָרָאוּי בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת:
(יד) פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה שֶׁיִּתֵּן לוֹ בְּעֶצֶב:
(7) There are eight levels of charity, one above the other. The greatest level that has nothing above it is to strengthen the hand of a Jew who has become poor and give him a gift or loan or create a partnership with him or make up some work for him, so as strengthen his hand until he does not [any longer] need to ask others [for help]. And about this it is said (Leviticus 25:35), "and you shall strengthen the hand of a stranger and a resident and he shall live with you;" meaning, strenghten him until he no [longer] falls and becomes needy.
(8) Lower than that is when one gives charity to the poor and does not know to whom he is giving, and the poor person does not know from whom he is taking - since, behold, this is [performance of] the commandment for its own sake. Like this was the secret chamber which was in the Temple, to which the righteous would give secretly and from which the poor of the wealthy families would support themselves secretly. And approaching this is the one that gives to the charity box. And a person should not give to the charity box, unless he knows that the one in charge of it is trustworthy and wise and knows how to manage it appropriately, like [was the case with] Rabbi Chananya ben Tradyon.
(9) Lower than that is when the giver knows to whom he is giving, but the poor person does not know from whom he is taking. An example of this were the greatest of the Sages who would secretly go and place the money at the entrances of the [homes of the] poor. And it is fitting to do like this. And it is a good level when the charity managers are not behaving appropriately.
(10) Lower than that is when the poor person knows from whom he took and the giver does not know. An example of this were the greatest of the Sages who would bundle money in their sheets and lower them behind them and [then] the poor would come and take [the money], so that they would not feel embarrassment.
(11) Lower than that is when one gives it to him in his hand before he asks.
(12) Lower than that is when he gives it to him after he asks.
(13) Lower than that is when he gives him less than what is fit, [but] with a pleasant demeanor.
(14) Lower than that is when he gives it to him sadly.
אסור לו לאדם שיהנה מן העוה"ז בלא ברכה וכל הנהנה מן העוה"ז בלא ברכה מעל.אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל כל הנהנה מן העוה"ז בלא ברכה כאילו נהנה מקדשי שמים שנא' (תהלים כד, א) לה' הארץ ומלואה ר' לוי רמי כתיב לה' הארץ ומלואה וכתיב (תהלים קטו, טז) השמים שמים לה' והארץ נתן לבני אדם לא קשיא כאן קודם ברכה
A man is forbidden to enjoy anything of this world without a benediction, and whoever does so commits sacrilege. Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel : Whoever enjoys anything of this world without a benediction is as though he had partaken of the holy things of Heaven ; as it is said, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof" (Ps. xxiv. 1). R. Levi asked : t is written, "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof," and it is written, "The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, but the earth hath He given to the children of men" (ibid. cxv. 16)! There is no contradiction ; Here, the verse that says that the earth is the Lord's refers to the situation before a blessing is recited, and here, where it says that He gave the earth to mankind refers to after a blessing is recited.