Questions to ponder about the #icebucketchallenge
1. Is doing good about quality or quantity?
2. Why do good?
3. Who benefits more from a good deed, the person doing it or the recipient?
4. If one intends to do good, but doesn't necessarily have the ability to influence the outcome, is that still considered a good deed - or is it just a waste of time?
5. Who is greater the one gives/helps or the one who causes others to help/give?
6. Can you think of 10 ways one could help a cause, say ALS, try and order them by importance.
7. In a world where time and resources are limited, what is a good criteria to judge whether you will support a given cause?
(ד) ודע, שאלו המעלות והפחיתויות אשר למידות, לא יגיעו ולא יתיישבו בנפש, כי אם בהישנות המעשים, הבאים מאותה מידה, פעמים רבות בזמן ארוך והרגלנו בהם. ואם היו אותם המעשים טובים, יהיה המגיע לנו מעלה. ואם היו רעים, יהיה המגיע לנו "פחיתות". והואיל ואין האדם בטבעו, מתחילת עניינו, בעל מעלה ולא בעל חסרון, כמו שנבאר בפרק ח', והוא מתרגל בלא ספק במעשים מקטנותו, כפי מנהג קרוביו וארצו - אפשר שיהיו אותם המעשים ממוצעים. ואפשר שיהיו יתרים או חסרים, כמו שתיארנו. הרי נפשו של זה - חולה היא.
(4) Know, moreover, that these moral excellences or defects cannot be acquired, or implanted in the soul, except by means of the frequent repetition of acts resulting from these qualities, which, practised during a long period of time, accustoms us to them. If these acts performed are good ones, then we shall have gained a virtue; but if they are bad, we shall have acquired a vice. Since, however, no man is born with an innate virtue or vice, as we shall explain in Chapter 8, and, as every one's conduct from childhood up is undoubtedly influenced by the manner of living of his relatives and countrymen, his conduct may be in accord with the rules of moderation; but, then again, it is possible that his acts may incline towards either extreme, as we have demonstrated, in which case, his soul becomes diseased.
מחשבה טובה מצרפה למעשה שנאמר (מלאכי ג, טז) אז נדברו יראי ה' איש אל רעהו ויקשב ה' וישמע ויכתב ספר זכרון לפניו ליראי ה' ולחושבי שמו מאי ולחושבי שמו אמר רב אסי אפילו חשב אדם לעשות מצוה ונאנס ולא עשאה מעלה עליו הכתוב כאילו עשאה
Good intention is combined with deed, for it is said: Then they that feared the Lord spoke one with another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. Now, what is the meaning of ‘that thought upon his name’? — Said R. Assi: Even if one [merely] thinks of performing a precept but is foicibly prevented the Writ ascribes it to him as though he has performed it.
Whoever gives money to the poor with a bad attitude, even if they give a thousand gold pieces, loose their merit.
...Raba gave the following exposition: What is the meaning of the concluding verse: But let them be overthrown before Thee; deal thus with them in the time of Thine anger?22 — Jeremiah thus addressed the Holy One, blessed be He: Lord of the Universe, even when they are prepared to do charity, cause them to be frustrated by people unworthy of any consideration so that no reward be forthcoming to them for that charity
א"ר אלעזר גדול המעשה יותר מן העושה שנאמר (ישעיהו לב, יז) והיה מעשה הצדקה שלום ועבודת הצדקה השקט ובטח עד עולם
(1) Rabbi Eliezer said: The one who causes an act of charity to occur is greater than the one who performs an act of charity, as it is written in the Tanach (Isaiah 32:17) "And it will be that the act of charity (brings) peace and the work of the charity (causes) tranquility and security forever.
Did Moses’ hands then make them victorious in battle, etc.? [Rather this is to tell you that when the Israelites looked up and subjugated their hearts to their Father in heaven, they would prevail, and if not, they would fall,] as is found in Rosh Hashanah (29a).