La'asok B'divrei Torah לעסוק בדברי תורה Busy Yourself with the Teachings of the Torah

(4) Thus He will judge among the nations and arbitrate for the many peoples, and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks: Nation shall not take up sword against nation; They shall never again know war.

[Note: Ploughshares and pruning hooks are tools used in agriculture to grow crops.]

[Note: This event takes place just after the Jewish People have safely crossed through the Red Sea after escaping slavery in Egypt.]

(20) Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel* in her hand, and all the women went out after her in dance with timbrels. (21) And Miriam chanted for them: Sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously; Horse and driver He has hurled into the sea.

[*A timbrel is a hand-held instrument like a tambourine or drum.]

(41) The Philistine, meanwhile, was coming closer to David, preceded by his shield-bearer. (42) When the Philistine caught sight of David, he scorned him, for he was but a boy, ruddy and handsome. (43) And the Philistine called out to David, “Am I a dog that you come against me with sticks?” The Philistine cursed David by his gods; (44) and the Philistine said to David, “Come here, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.” (45) David replied to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the ranks of Israel, whom you have defied. (46) This very day the LORD will deliver you into my hands. I will kill you and cut off your head; and I will give the carcasses of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth. All the earth shall know that there is a God in Israel. (47) And this whole assembly shall know that the LORD can give victory without sword or spear. For the battle is the LORD’s, and He will deliver you into our hands.” (48) When the Philistine began to advance toward him again, David quickly ran up to the battle line to face the Philistine. (49) David put his hand into the bag; he took out a stone and slung it. It struck the Philistine in the forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. (50) Thus David bested the Philistine with sling and stone; he struck him down and killed him. David had no sword;

[Note: This event takes place after Yitro (Jethro), who was Moses' non-Jewish wise father-in-law, comes to join Moses and the Jewish People in the desert as they travel from Egypt to the Holy Land. Yitro was a Chief of a Midianite tribe.]

(13) Next day, Moses sat as magistrate among the people, while the people stood about Moses from morning until evening. (14) But when Moses’ father-in-law saw how much he had to do for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing to the people? Why do you act alone, while all the people stand about you from morning until evening?” (15) Moses replied to his father-in-law, “It is because the people come to me to inquire of God. (16) When they have a dispute, it comes before me, and I decide between one person and another, and I make known the laws and teachings of God.” (17) But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing you are doing is not right; (18) you will surely wear yourself out, and these people as well. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. (19) Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You represent the people before God: you bring the disputes before God, (20) and teach them the laws and the teachings, and make known to them the way they are to go and the practices they are to follow. (21) You shall also seek out from among all the people capable men who fear God, trustworthy men who spurn ill-gotten gain. Set these over them as chiefs of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, (22) and let them judge the people at all times. Have them bring every major dispute to you, but let them decide every minor dispute themselves. Make it easier for yourself by letting them share the burden with you. (23) If you do this—and God so commands you—you will be able to manage; and all these people too will go home unwearied.” (24) Moses listened to his father-in-law and did just as he had said.

Regarding the path upon which God leads people, the Gemara cites a statement that Rabba bar Rav Huna says that Rav Huna says, and some say it was a statement that Rav Huna says that Rabbi Elazar says: From the Torah, from the Prophets, and from the Writings one learns that along the path a person wishes to proceed, one leads and assists him.

(6) Train/Educate a youth according to his/her way, And even when s/he is old, s/he will not depart from it.

(7) If, however, there is a needy person among you, one of your fellow people in any of your settlements in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against the needy person in your community. (8) Rather, you must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs.

Food for the תמחוי "Tamchui" charity platter (also: soup kitchen) is collected by three people and distributed by three people because its collection and its distribution take place on the same day. Food for the charity platter / soup kitchen is collected and distributed every day, and therefore a third individual must participate in the collection so that he will be available to take part in the distribution without delay; whereas the money of the charity fund is distributed only once a week, on each Shabbat eve. There are additional differences between these two types of charity operations: The food from the charity platter / soup kitchen is distributed to the poor of the world, meaning, to any poor individual arriving in the city; the money of the charity fund is allocated exclusively to the poor of the city. But it is permitted for the residents of the city to use money that has been collected for the charity fund to purchase food for the charity platter / soup kitchen to feed the poor; and similarly they may use food that had been collected for the charity platter for the charity fund. In general, it is permitted for them to change the purpose toward which charity will be used to whatever they want, in accordance with the needs of the community.

The Gemara comments: According to this interpretation, we learn in this mishna that which the Sages taught in a baraita: A father is obligated with regard to his son to circumcise him, and to redeem him if he is a firstborn son who must be redeemed by payment to a priest, and to teach him Torah, and to marry him to a woman, and to teach him a trade. And some say: A father is also obligated to teach his son to swim. Rabbi Yehuda says: Any father who does not teach his son a trade teaches him banditry [listut].

(15) For your own sake, therefore, be most careful—since you saw no shape when the LORD your God spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire—

(7) There are eight levels of tzedakah, each one greater than the other. The greatest level, higher than all the rest, is to fortify a fellow Jew and give him a gift, a loan, form with him a partnership, or find work for him, until he is strong enough so that he does not need to ask others [for sustenance]. Of this it is said, (Lev. 25:35) [If your kinsman, being in straits, comes under your authority,] and you hold him as though a resident alien, let him live by your side. That is as if to say, "Hold him up," so that he will not fall and be in need.¹⁸⁶See Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 63a.

(15) The LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden, to till it and tend it.

[Note: You can also think of the Garden of Eden as relating to a perfect world.]

(1) The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: (2) This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months of the year for you. (3) Speak to the whole community of Israel and say that on the tenth of this month each of them shall take a lamb to a family, a lamb to a household. (4) But if the household is too small for a whole lamb, let him share one with a neighbour who lives nearby, in proportion to the number of people: you shall contribute towards the lamb according to what each person will eat.

(7) If, however, there is a needy person among you, one of your kinsmen in any of your settlements in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsman. (8) Rather, you must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs. (9) Beware lest you harbour the base thought, “The seventh year, the year of remission, is approaching,” so that you are mean to your needy kinsman and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will incur guilt. (10) Give to him readily and have no regrets when you do so, for in return the LORD your God will bless you in all your efforts and in all your undertakings. (11) For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land, which is why I command you: open your hand to the poor and needy kinsman in your land.

(7) There are eight levels of tzedakah, each one greater than the other. The greatest level, higher than all the rest, is to fortify a fellow Jew and give him a gift, a loan, form with him a partnership, or find work for him, until he is strong enough so that he does not need to ask others [for sustenance]. Of this it is said, (Lev. 25:35) [If your kinsman, being in straits, comes under your authority,] and you hold him as though a resident alien, let him live by your side. That is as if to say, "Hold him up," so that he will not fall and be in need.¹⁸⁶See Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 63a.

(5) Blessed are you, Hashem, our G-d and king of the world, who opens [the eyes of] the blind.

(3) The berachah, Poke'ach ivrim,³“Who gives sight to the blind.” may be said even by a blind person, because he also benefits from others who show him the way.

(29) God said, “See, I give you every seed-bearing plant that is upon all the earth, and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit; they shall be yours for food.

(15) For your own sake, therefore, be most careful (or: look after yourselves/your souls very well)—since you saw no shape when the LORD your God spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire.

(7) Blessed are you, Hashem, our G-d and king of the world, who releases the bound.

(1) Hallelujah. Praise the LORD, O my soul! (2) I will praise the LORD all my life, sing hymns to my God while I exist...(5) Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God, (6) maker of heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; (7) who secures justice for those who are wronged, gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free;

(7) If, however, there is a needy person among you, one of your kinsmen in any of your settlements in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsman. (8) Rather, you must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs.

In connection with the previous discussion concerning charity distribution, the Gemara cites a baraita in which the Sages taught: Money for the charity fund is collected by two people and distributed by three people. It is collected by two people because one does not appoint an authority over the community composed of fewer than two people. And it is distributed by three people, like the number of judges needed in cases of monetary law, since the distributors determine who receives money and who does not, as well as how much each person receives. Food for the charity platter is collected by three people and distributed by three people because its collection and its distribution take place on the same day. Food for the charity platter is collected and distributed every day, and therefore a third individual must participate in the collection so that he will be available to take part in the distribution without delay; whereas the money of the charity fund is distributed only once a week, on each Shabbat eve. There are additional differences between these two types of charity operations: The food from the charity platter is distributed to the poor of the world, meaning, to any poor individual arriving in the city; the money of the charity fund is allocated exclusively to the poor of the city. But it is permitted for the residents of the city to use money that has been collected for the charity fund to purchase food for the charity platter to feed the poor; and similarly they may use food that had been collected for the charity platter for the charity fund. In general, it is permitted for them to change the purpose toward which charity will be used to whatever they want, in accordance with the needs of the community.