(ב) שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק הָיָה מִשְּׁיָרֵי כְנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה. הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, עַל שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד, עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְעַל הָעֲבוֹדָה וְעַל גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים:
(2) Shimon the Righteous was one of the last of the men of the great assembly. He used to say: the world stands upon three things: the Torah, the Temple service, and acts of loving kindness.
(1) V. SOLOMON
(94) THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE
(95) Among the great achievements of Solomon first place must be assigned to the superb Temple built by him. He was long in doubt as to where he was to build it. A heavenly voice directed him to go to Mount Zion at night, to a field owned by two brothers jointly. One of the brothers was a bachelor and poor, the other was blessed both with wealth and a large family of children. It was harvesting time. Under cover of night, the poor brother kept adding to the other's heap of grain, for, although he was poor, he thought his brother needed more on account of his large family. The rich brother, in the same clandestine way, added to the poor brother's store, thinking that though he had a family to support, the other was without means. This field, Solomon concluded, which had called forth so remarkable a manifestation of brotherly love, was the best site for the Temple, and he bought it.(96)
(a) Describes acts of hesed/loving-kindness that you see in the world around you. What makes an act of hesed qualitatively different from other actions that we might take?
(b) In what ways does the world stand on hesed? What happens to the world when hesed is absent? What happens to your world when hesed is absent?
(יד) יַעַשׂ ה' עִמָּכֶם חֶסֶד, רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר אָדָא אָמַר, יַעֲשֶׂה כְּתִיב, כַּאֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם עִם הַמֵּתִים, שֶׁנִּטְפַּלְתֶּם בְּתַכְרִיכֵיהוֹן, וְעִמָּדִי, שֶׁוִתְּרוּ לָהּ כְּתֻבּוֹתֵיהֶן. אָמַר רַבִּי זְעֵירָא, מְגִלָּה זוֹ אֵין בָּהּ לֹא טֻמְאָה, וְלֹא טָהֳרָה, וְלֹא אִסּוּר, וְלֹא הֶתֵּר, וְלָמָּה נִכְתְּבָה לְלַמֶּדְךָ כַּמָּה שָׂכָר טוֹב לְגוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים.
(14) “May the Lord perform [ya’as] kindness with you” – Rabbi Ḥanina bar Ada said: It is written “ya’aseh.” “As you performed with the dead” – that you tended to their shrouds; “and with me” – that you relinquished your marriage contracts. Rabbi Ze’eira said: This scroll does not contain [the laws of] purity or impurity, and not prohibitions or allowances. Why was it written? It is to teach you the extent of the good reward for those who perform kindness.
(8) But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Turn back, each of you to her mother’s house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me!
(20) Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “Blessed be he of the LORD, who has not failed in His kindness to the living or to the dead! For,” Naomi explained to her daughter-in-law, “the man is related to us; he is one of our redeeming kinsmen.”
וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״פִּיהָ פָּתְחָה בְחָכְמָה וְתוֹרַת חֶסֶד עַל לְשׁוֹנָהּ״, וְכִי יֵשׁ תּוֹרָה שֶׁל חֶסֶד וְיֵשׁ תּוֹרָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ שֶׁל חֶסֶד? אֶלָּא: תּוֹרָה לִשְׁמָהּ — זוֹ הִיא תּוֹרָה שֶׁל חֶסֶד, שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁמָהּ — זוֹ הִיא תּוֹרָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ שֶׁל חֶסֶד. אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי:
And Rabbi Elazar said: What is the meaning of that which is written: “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and a Torah of kindness is on her tongue” (Proverbs 31:26)? The Gemara asks: Is there, then, a Torah of kindness and a Torah that is not of kindness? Rather, it is Torah studied for its own sake that is a Torah of kindness, as one studies it wholeheartedly; and it is Torah studied not for its own sake but for some ulterior motive that is a Torah that is not of kindness.
אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: גָּדוֹל הָעוֹשֶׂה צְדָקָה יוֹתֵר מִכׇּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עֲשֹׂה צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט נִבְחָר לַה׳ מִזָּבַח״. וְאָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: גְּדוֹלָה גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים יוֹתֵר מִן הַצְּדָקָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״זִרְעוּ לָכֶם לִצְדָקָה וְקִצְרוּ לְפִי חֶסֶד״. אִם אָדָם זוֹרֵעַ — סָפֵק אוֹכֵל סָפֵק אֵינוֹ אוֹכֵל, אָדָם קוֹצֵר — וַדַּאי אוֹכֵל.
§ Rabbi Elazar said: One who performs acts of charity is greater than one who sacrifices all types of offerings, as it is stated: “To perform charity and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than an offering” (Proverbs 21:3), including all types of offerings. And Rabbi Elazar said: Acts of kindness, assisting someone in need, are greater than charity, as it is stated: “Sow to yourselves according to charity, and reap according to kindness” (Hosea 10:12). This means: If a person sows, it is uncertain whether he will eat or whether he will not eat, since much can go wrong before the seed becomes food. However, if a person reaps, he certainly eats. In this verse, charity is likened to sowing, while acts of kindness are likened to reaping.
(6) For I desire kindness, not sacrifice; Devotion to God, rather than burnt offerings.
דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי שִׂמְלַאי: תּוֹרָה תְּחִלָּתָהּ גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, וְסוֹפָהּ גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים. תְּחִילָּתָהּ גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים — דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיַּעַשׂ ה׳ אֱלֹהִים לְאָדָם וּלְאִשְׁתּוֹ כׇּתְנוֹת עוֹר וַיַּלְבִּשֵׁם״, וְסוֹפָהּ גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים — דִּכְתִיב: ״וַיִּקְבֹּר אוֹתוֹ בַּגַּי״.
Rabbi Samlai taught: With regard to the Torah, its beginning is an act of kindness and its end is an act of kindness. Its beginning is an act of kindness, as it is written: “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). And its end is an act of kindness, as it is written: “And he was buried in the valley in the land of Moab” (Deuteronomy 34:6).
- Choosing to feel and/or hear another person’s pain or hurt.
- Choosing to act to heal that person’s pain or hurt.
- Doing the above without any expectation of reward or calculation
· When have you been on the receiving end of an act of hesed and how did it feel?
· Have you ever wished someone had treated you with hesed when they haven’t? What do you think held them back?
· When do you find it most difficult to choose to really feel or hear someone else’s pain? What kinds of things get in the way for you? How easy is it to blame the other person for your inability to treat them with hesed ?
(2) In our Commentary on the Sayings of the Fathers (chap. 5:7) we have explained the expression ḥesed as denoting an excess [in some moral quality]. It is especially used of extraordinary kindness. Loving-kindness is practised in two ways: first, we show kindness to those who have no claim whatever upon us; secondly, we are kind to those to whom it is due, in a greater measure than is due to them. In the inspired writings the term ḥesed occurs mostly in the sense of showing kindness to those who have no claim to it whatever. For this reason the term ḥesed is employed to express the good bestowed upon us by God: “I will mention the loving-kindness of the Lord” (Isa. 63:7). On this account, the very act of the creation is an act of God’s loving-kindness. “I have said, The Universe is built up in loving-kindness” (Ps. 89:3); i.e., the building up of the Universe is an act of loving-kindness. Also, in the enumeration of God’s attributes, Scripture says: “And abundant in loving-kindness” (Exod. 34:6).
La Ketubah de la Ley:
Kompla del Siglo XVIII eskrita por Rabbi Judah Leon Kalai
La Ketuba de la Ley es kostumbre kantarla en kaza kon todos djuntos en la meza lanoche de Shavuot. El teksto mos da a entender el momento de resivir La Ley de mano del Dió Baruhu. Es un kontrato de kazamiento (Ketubah) entre el puevlo djudio kon La Tora en frente al Monte de Sinai.
Version Kompleta
Es razón de alavar al Dyo grande i Poderozo,
Kon temoridad de korason i alegria i gozo,
En el dia el este santo i temerozo.
*
En este dia abashó El Dyo en Sinai i milaryas de malahim kon El,
A dar La Ley a Su puevlo kaza de Yisrael,
Por mano de Moshe Rabbenu pastor fiel.
*
No kijo abashar sovre ningun monte alto,
Salvo en monte de Sinai ke se arebasho tanto,
Por ke deprende el ombre i tome la anava por manto.
*
Yamó i disho El Dyo Baruh Hu a los Djudios mi kompanya ermoza,
Azme ver a tu vista enshemplada a la roza,
Ke tu boz savroza i tu vista donoza.
*
Yisrael ke oyeron la boz de El Dyo Bendicho,
Disheron estaremos siempre a Su komando i a Su dicho,
Aremos i oyeremos todo Su buen dicho.
*
Izo kon eyos de darles La Ley kon ke le dyeran fiansa,
Eyos dyeron a los ijos, ke es la mas inportansa,
De afirmar La Ley kon proveza komo tener, muncha bonanza.
*
Vyendo el Dyo Baruh Hu ke lo amimos a’hava raba,
Tambien El nos aplazó komo novia kon grande hibah,
Esta es La ketuba.
*
Dia de Shabbat resivyeron los Djudios La Ley de la mano de El Dyo,
A sesh de Sivan el mez tresero ke Yisrael de Mitsrayim salyó,
En anyo de dos mil i kuatrosyentos i kuarenta i ocho ke el mundo se krió.
*
Izyeron estos tenaim los Djudios kon La Ley santa,
Te tomaré komo novia ke sos de vanda alta,
Te estimaré komo estima el yardan en la garganta.
*
Besiyata Deshemaya syempre en ti mis myentes meteré,
I todas sus demandas yo kumpliré,
De dia i de noche kon ti, me apegaré.
*
Respondió la Ley Tama Temima,
Yo tambien te ami ke sos novio de mishpaha ramah,
Ke en ti envelunti mas ke todo lashon i uma.
*
Le dio el novio tosefet sovre el ikar de su despozada,
De ser mehadesh peshatim i hidushim de prima i de madrugada,
I kon ka’as i prisa non ser deshada.
*
Yevó kon eya la ashugar ke trusho de kaza de su Padre
Sheshentos i tredje mitsvot para ke se afirme manyana i tadre
Para ke el novio las aga, i las guadre.
*
Emportó todos entre ashugar i tosefet i kontado,
Ke trusho la novia a su novio kerido amado,
Las mitsvot afirmar i temer en El Dyo i azer Su mandado.
*
Viendo el novio la ashugar ke trusho la sinyora kon eya,
Resivió el aharayut de lo ke mankará en eya,
De yevar pena si en su dicho, reveya.
*
Ni ke pueda vender ni enpenyar ningun livro de La Ley amada,
Si non estimarlos komo djoya presiada,
Syempre ir merkando i de eyos, non vender nada.
*
Komo ya resivió el novio de azer sus mitsvot u sus hukim,
Le prometyó de darle su yerusha ke esta ba-shehakim,
De el bien ke esta guadrado en olam Aba para los tsadikim.
*
Lo akavidó mas ke non la troke por otra ley ni ke sierva avoda zara,
Salvo kon eya se apegará,
Eya sea su mujer i kon eya se envejeserá.
*
Ereh para eya non ay ke es estimada mas ke el oro fino
Ke la melde i la yeve en su pecho de kontino,
I no la deshe aun ke vaya, por kamino.
*
Ya se kumplió el kazamiento de los Djudios kon La Ley izieron,
Todas las almas en Monte de Sinai estuvieron,
Klaridad de la Shehinah kon sus ojos, vieron.
*
Zehut tengamos nos i todos los ke en el Dyo temen,
Ke la afirmemos nos, i todo muestro semen,
Ve’amos vengansa en los enemigos ke presto, se atemen.
*
Los Djudios ke resivyeron La Ley a ojos de todos los puevlos
Fueron enfeuziados de ser eskapados de males i de duelos
Los edim fueron la tierra, i los sielos
*
Apiade El Dyo sovre nos i mos de buen fadario,
Mos mande a El Untado i tengamos buen salario,
Aina i presto mos frague, el Santuvario.
*
El se venge de todos los ke sierven idolo,
I bendiga a su puevlo am goralo,
I diran todos a una mente Ashre a-am shekaha Lo
*
Mahzor Zehut Rahal, Isaac Azose
Ketuba De La Ley
By Rabbi Judah Leon Kalai, 18th century
*
It is fitting to praise the God of greatness and of might,
With fear in the heart and joy and delight.
On this day of sanctity and awesome fright.
*
On this day God descended upon Sinai with minions of angels of the Lord,
To his people, the House of Yisrael, the Torah He did afford,
Through the hand of Moshe Rabbenu, His faithful shepherd, adored.
*
He did not wish to descend upon any lofty peak,
But rather upon the lowly mount of Sinai did He seek,
So as to impress upon man and gird him with the virtues of the meek.
*
"My lovely companion". blessed God to the Jews did announce and declare,
Let Me behold your countenance - to which the rose does compare,
For your voice is delightful and your appearance is fair.
*
Yisrael, upon hearing the voice of God, be blessed, Rejoined,
"We will ever hearken to Your word and Your behest,
'We will do and we will listen' fully to Your benevolent request".
*
He achieved to give them the Torah, with which they gave Him a guarantee,
That of utmost importance, they pledged their posterity,
To affirm the Torah amid privation just as amid prosperity.
*
Blessed God, upon seeing the manner of our immense adoration,
Likewise let us linger as a bride with boundless adulation,
Behold, here is the marriage documentation.
*
On the Shabbat day, the Jews· reception of the Torah from God's hand was celebrated,
On the sixth of Sivan, in the third month whence Yisrael from Mitzrayim vacated,
In the year two thousand four hundred and forty eight, from when the world was created.
*
The Jews forged these conditions upon the holy decree,
I shall take you as a bride, one of truly high degree,
As a necklace upon the throat, I do reckon thee.
*
With the aid of Heaven, of you my thoughts shall lie,
To all your demands as well, shall I ever comply,
During the day and at night, to you I cleave hereby.
*
Replied the Torah of wholesome probity,
"Surely I love you so, as a groom of high pedigree,
I desire you more than any language or society".
*
The bridegroom attached additions withal the principle was borne,
To uncover new expositions and novellae from dusk till early morn,
And even in anger or in haste, it shall not be left forlorn.
*
She carried with her the dowry that was brought from her Father's estate,
613 commands shall be affirmed from morning until late,
So that the bridegroom's grasp and care of it shall nevermore abate.
*
All were of import among the dowry, the additions and the Father's bequest,
That the bride brought before the groom, whose love was professed,
To affirm the mitzvot and fear God and upon His obligations to attest.
*
The groom, upon seeing the dowry brought by his fiancée,
Accepted obligations that it may not convey,
To bear a penalty lest its words shall he betray.
*
No book of the dear Torah shall he pawn nor tender,
But regard them as a jewel of precious splendor,
He shall always acquire for them, but for sale shall never render.
*
When the groom agrees to keep its every command and every measure,
He is promised to be made heir to a heavenly treasure,
The good reserved for the righteous in Olam Abba and all its pleasure.
*
She warned him not to change it for any other law, nor to serve false gods impure,
But rather to it alone shall he cleave secure,
She is his only woman and with her shall he mature.
*
Finer than the finest gold, there is no estimation to its value,
He shall study it and at his chest shall he hold it fast thereto,
Whilst even on a journey he must never eschew.
*
At last, consummated was the wedding of the Jews to their Torah scroll,
Appearing at Mount Sinai was every living soul,
With their own eyes the Divine Presence they witnessed whole.
*
Together with those who fear in God we have commendation,
For we affirm it along with every future generation,
To its enemies, may they be quickly destroyed, we train our indignation.
*
The Jews received the Torah before the eyes of all peoples, worldwide,
They were assured that upon them no illness or grief would betide,
To the occasion, both the earth and heavens testified.
*
God have mercy upon us and bring us a good end,
Give us good fortune, Lord and Mashiah, hastily send,
The building of Your Holy Temple, speedily attend.
*
May God take revenge upon all those who serve gods of stone,
And bless His people, the nation whose lot is His own,
Thus shall all utter together, "Happy is the nation about whom this is known".
- What do you think about this marriage contract?
- What does it tell you about the Jewish people’s relationship loving with Hashem and Torah?
- Do we live up to the conditions?
- Does Hashem and the Torah fulfill their part?
- Are we loyal?
- Are Hashem and the Torah loyal to the groom?
- What about the witnesses?
- Every living soul
- Heaven and Earth?
2/3 cup cream of rice or rice flour (they are the same thing)
2/3 cup sugar
2 qt. milk
Dissolve cream of rice and sugar in some water to make a paste.
Bring milk to boiling point, do not boil.
Add paste and stir continuously without boiling (low flame or low heat) for 12 to 18 minutes or until it thickens. If you see signs of scorching, stop immediately.
Pour into 8 to 10 bowls.
Optional: sprinkle the tops with cinnamon. My grandmother would do this in pretty Jewish themed designs.
For Shavuot, we use honey instead of sugar:
Honey is largely fructose and is therefore much sweeter than refined sugar. Depending on the honey, it can be two or three times sweeter than sugar. For every 1 cup of sugar, replace it with 1/2 to 2/3 cups of honey., so about 1/3 cup of honey ot a bit more.
Rice flour can be made by putting 1 cup of rice in a blender until it looks like flour.