(יט) וַיִּקַּ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־עַצְמ֥וֹת יוֹסֵ֖ף עִמּ֑וֹ כִּי֩ הַשְׁבֵּ֨עַ הִשְׁבִּ֜יעַ אֶת־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר פָּקֹ֨ד יִפְקֹ֤ד אֱלֹקִים֙ אֶתְכֶ֔ם וְהַעֲלִיתֶ֧ם אֶת־עַצְמֹתַ֛י מִזֶּ֖ה אִתְּכֶֽם׃
(19) And Moses took with him the bones of Joseph, who had exacted an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will be sure to take notice of you: then you shall carry up my bones from here with you.”
(א) וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף (שמות יג, יט). מִנַּיִן יוֹדֵעַ מֹשֶׁה הֵיכָן יוֹסֵף קָבוּר? אָמְרוּ: סֶרַח בַּת אָשֵׁר נִשְׁתַּיְּרָה מֵאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר, הִיא הוֹדִיעָה אֶת מֹשֶׁה הֵיכָן יוֹסֵף קָבוּר. עָמְדוּ מִצְרִים וְעָשׂוּ לוֹ אָרוֹן שֶׁל מַתֶּכֶת וְשִׁקְּעוּהוּ בַּנִּילוֹס. בָּא מֹשֶׁה וְעָמַד עַל נִילוֹס. נָטַל צְרוֹר וְחָקַק בּוֹ עֲלֵה שׁוֹר, וְצוֹוֵחַ וְאוֹמֵר: יוֹסֵף, יוֹסֵף, הִגִּיעָה שָׁעָה שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גּוֹאֵל אֶת בָּנָיו, וְהַשְּׁכִינָה מְעַכֶּבֶת לְךָ, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַנְנֵי כָּבוֹד מְעַכְּבִין לָךְ. אִם אַתָּה מְגַלֶּה אֶת עַצְמְךָ, מוּטָב. וְאִם לָאו, הֲרֵי אָנוּ נְקִיִּים מִשְּׁבוּעָתֶךָ. מִיָּד צָף וְעָלָה אֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף. וְאַל תִּתְמַהּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי הוּא אוֹמֵר, וַיְהִי הָאֶחָד מַפִּיל הַקּוֹרָה וְאֶת הַבַּרְזֶל נָפַל אֶל הַמָּיִם וַיִּצְעַק וַיֹּאמֶר אֲהָהּ אֲדֹנִי וְהוּא שָׁאוּל, וַיֹּאמֶר אִישׁ הָאֱלֹקִים אָנָה נָפָל וַיִּקְצָב עֵץ וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ שָׁמָּה וַיָּצֶף הַבַּרְזֶל (מלכים ב ו, ה-ו). וַהֲרֵי דְּבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר, וּמָה אֱלִישָׁע תַּלְמִידוֹ שֶׁל אֵלִיָּהוּ, הֵצִיף הַבַּרְזֶל. מֹשֶׁה שֶׁהוּא רַבּוֹ שֶׁל אֵלִיָּהוּ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה.
(ב) רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: בִּקְבוּרַת הַמְּלָכִים הָיָה יוֹסֵף קָבוּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיַחַנְטוּ אֹתוֹ. וּמִנַּיִן הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מֹשֶׁה הֵיכָן אֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף. אֶלָּא בָּא וְעָמַד בֵּין הָאֲרוֹנוֹת, וְצָעַק וְאָמַר: יוֹסֵף, יוֹסֵף, הִגִּיעָה הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גּוֹאֵל אֶת בָּנָיו, הַשְּׁכִינָה מְעַכֶּבֶת לְךָ, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַנְנֵי כָּבוֹד מְעַכְּבִין לָךְ. אִם אַתָּה מְגַלֶּה אֶת עַצְמְךָ, מוּטָב. וְאִם לָאו, אָנוּ נְקִיִּים מִשְּׁבוּעָתֶךָ. מִיָּד נִזְדַּעְזַע אֲרוֹנוֹ וּנְטָלוֹ וְהָלַךְ. לְלַמֶּדְךָ, בַּמִּדָּה שֶׁאָדָם מוֹדֵד, בָּהּ מוֹדְדִין לוֹ. יוֹסֵף קָבַר אֶת אָבִיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיַּעַל יוֹסֵף לִקְבֹּר אֶת אָבִיו (בראשית נ, ז). וְאֵין בְּאֶחָיו גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁהָיָה מֶלֶךְ. וּכְתִיב: וַיַּעַל עִמּוֹ גַּם רֶכֶב גַּם פָּרָשִׁים (בראשית נ, ט). וְזָכָה לָצֵאת מִן הַקֶּבֶר עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה.
(ג) מֹשֶׁה הוֹצִיא אֶת עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף מִמִּצְרַיִם. וְאֵין בָּעוֹלָם גָּדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ וְהוּא מֶלֶךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְהִי בִישֻׁרוּן מֶלֶךְ (דברים לג, ה). לְפִיכָךְ זָכָה מֹשֶׁה שֶׁיִּתְעַסֵּק בּוֹ שְׁכִינָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּקְבֹּר אֹתוֹ בַּגַּיְא (דברים לד, ו). וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא עִם יַעֲקֹב עָלוּ עַבְדֵי פַּרְעֹה וְזִקְנֵי בֵּיתוֹ וְזִקְנֵי אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, וְעִם אֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף עָלוּ הַשְּׁכִינָה וְהָאָרוֹן וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם וְשִׁבְעָה עַנְנֵי כָּבוֹד, וַאֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף מְהַלֵּךְ עִם אֲרוֹן הָעֵדוּת בַּמִּדְבָּר. וְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם אוֹמְרִים: מַה טִּיבָן שֶׁל שְׁנֵי אֲרוֹנוֹת אֵלּוּ. וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים: זֶה אֲרוֹן הַמֵּת, וְזֶה אֲרוֹן חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים. וְהֵן אוֹמְרִים: וְכִי דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל מֵת מְהַלֵּךְ עִם אֲרוֹן חֵי הָעוֹלָמִים. וְהֵן מְשִׁיבִין וְאוֹמְרִין לָהֶם: הַמֵּת הַמֻּנָּח בָּאָרוֹן, קִיֵּם כָּל מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בָּזֶה.
(ד) מִרְיָם הִמְתִּינָה שָׁעָה אַחַת לְמֹשֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַתֵּתַצַּב אֲחֹתוֹ מֵרָחֹק (שמות ב, ד). לְפִיכָךְ עִכֵּב הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּמִּדְבָּר וְעַנְנֵי הַכָּבוֹד וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהָעָם לֹא נָסַע עַד הֵאָסֵף מִרְיָם (במדבר יב, טו). כִּי הַשְׁבֵּעַ הִשְׁבִּיעַ, הִשְׁבִּיעָן שֶׁיַּשְׁבִּיעוּ לִבְנֵיהֶם. אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. לָמָּה הִשְׁבִּיעַ אֶת אֶחָיו וְלֹא אֶת בָּנָיו? אָמַר: אִם אֲנִי מַשְׁבִּיעַ אֶת בָּנַי, אֵין הַמִּצְרִים מַנִּיחִין אוֹתָן. וְאִם יֹאמְרוּ לָהֶן אָבִינוּ הֶעֱלָה אֶת אָבִיו, הֵן אוֹמְרִים לָהֶן: אֲבִיכֶם מֶלֶךְ הָיָה, לְפִיכָךְ הִשְׁבִּיעַ אֶת אֶחָיו.
(ה) דָּבָר אַחֵר: אָמַר לָהֶן: אָבִינוּ יָרַד כָּאן לִרְצוֹנוֹ, וַאֲנִי הֶעֱלֵיתִי אוֹתוֹ בְּעַל כָּרְחוֹ. מַשְׁבִּיעַנִי עֲלֵיכֶם, שֶׁמִּמָּקוֹם שֶׁגְּנַבְתּוּנִי, לְשָׁם תַּחֲזִירוּנִי. וְכֵן עָשׂוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאֶת עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם קָבְרוּ בִשְׁכֶם (יהושע כד, לב). פָּקֹד יִפְקֹד (בראשית נ, כד).
(ו) פָּקֹד, בְּמִצְרַיִם. יִפְקֹד, בַּיָם. פָּקֹד, בַּמִּדְבָּר. יִפְקֹד, בְּנַחֲלֵי אַרְנוֹן. (שמות ג, טז). פָּקֹד, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. יִפְקֹד, לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
(1) And Moses took the bones of Joseph (Exod. 13:19). How did Moses know where Joseph’s grave was to be found? They say that only Serah the daughter of Asher had survived from that generation, and that she revealed to Moses where Joseph’s grave was located. The Egyptians had made a metal coffin for him and then sunk it into the Nile. Moses went to the bank of the Nile with a pebble upon which were engraved the words “Ox, arise,” and called out: “Joseph, Joseph, the time has come for the Holy One, blessed be He, to redeem his children. The Shekhinah and Israel and the clouds of glory await you. If you will reveal yourself, good, but if not, we shall be free of your vow.” Whereupon Joseph’s coffin floated to the surface. Do not be surprised at this, for it says elsewhere: As one was felling a beam, the axehead fell into the water, and he cried, and said: “Alas, my master,” for it was borrowed, and the man of God said: “Where fell it” … and he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and he cast in thither, and made the iron to swim (II Kings 6:5–6). We can logically conclude that since Elisha, who was only Elijah’s disciple, was capable of making the iron float, surely Moses, Elijah’s teacher, could do as much.
(2) R. Nathan was of the opinion that Joseph’s grave was in the royal tombs, since it is written: And they embalmed him (Gen. 50:26). How, then, did Moses know which one was Joseph’s coffin? He went to the tomb and stood among the coffins and called out: “Joseph, Joseph, the time has come for the Holy One, blessed be He, to redeem his children. The Shekhinah awaits you and Israel, and the clouds of glory await you. If you will make yourself appear good, but if not, we will be free of your vow.” Whereupon Joseph’s coffin began to stir, and Moses took it and departed. This teaches us that just as a man treats others, so they will treat him. Joseph buried his father, as it is said: And Joseph went up to bury his father;and with him went up all the servants … and his brothers (ibid., v. 7). Even though none of his brothers was as famous as he, since he was a ruler in the land, it is written: And he brought up with him both chariots and horses (ibid., v. 9). Therefore, he deserved to be taken from his grave by Moses himself (since he exerted himself in burying Jacob).
(3) Moses bore Joseph’s bones out of Egypt, though there was no one in all the world as important as he, since he was a king, as it is said: And there was a king in Jeshurun (Deut. 33:5). Moses merited that the Shekhinah itself should be concerned about him. Hence it is said: He buried him in the valley (ibid. 34:6). What is more, not only did Pharaoh’s servants, the elders of his house, and the elders of the land of Egypt escort Jacob, but Joseph’s coffin was escorted by the Shekhinah, the ark, the priests, the Levites, and the clouds of glory. Furthermore, as Joseph’s coffin was borne alongside the ark of the Eternal One through the desert, the nations would inquire of Israel: “What are these two arks?” And the Israelites would reply: “This one is the ark of the one who died, and the other is the ark of the Living One of the world.” “Is it customary to carry the ark of a dead person alongside the ark of the Eternal, the Living One of the world?” they would ask. The Israelites would respond: “The deceased lying within this ark fulfilled all that is written in the other ark.”
(4) Because Miriam waited an hour for Moses, as it is said: And his sister stood far off (Exod. 2:4), the Holy One, blessed be He, waited for her in the desert, with the clouds of glory, the Levites, and the priests, for seven days as is said; And the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again (Num. 12:15). For he had straightly sworn the children of Israel (Exod. 13:19). He had made his brothers swear that they would cause their sons, the children of Israel, to take a vow that they would bring his body out from Egypt. Why did he compel his brothers to vow rather than his own sons? He said to himself: If I impose this vow upon my sons, the Egyptians may not permit them to fulfill it. For if they should tell the Egyptians: “Our father brought his father out of the land,” they may reply: “Your father was a king, and therefore he forced his brothers to promise to do this.”
(5) Another explanation. Joseph said to them: Our father descended voluntarily, and I took him back, while I was brought here against my will; therefore swear to me that you will return me to the place where you caused me to be sold, and so they did, as it is said: And the bones of Joseph which the children brought out of Egypt buried they in Shechem (Josh. 24:32).
(6) God will surely remember you. That is, He will remember you in Egypt, and He will remember you at the sea; He will remember you in the wilderness, and He will remember you at the river of Arnon; He will remember you in this world, and He will remember you in the world-to-come.
(כא) וַֽה׳ הֹלֵךְ֩ לִפְנֵיהֶ֨ם יוֹמָ֜ם בְּעַמּ֤וּד עָנָן֙ לַנְחֹתָ֣ם הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְלַ֛יְלָה בְּעַמּ֥וּד אֵ֖שׁ לְהָאִ֣יר לָהֶ֑ם לָלֶ֖כֶת יוֹמָ֥ם וָלָֽיְלָה׃
(21) ה׳ went before them in a pillar of cloud by day, to guide them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, that they might travel day and night.
אוּנְקְלוֹס בַּר קְלוֹנִימוּס אִיגַּיַּיר, שַׁדַּר קֵיסָר גּוּנְדָּא דְּרוֹמָאֵי אַבָּתְרֵיהּ, מַשְׁכִינְהוּ בִּקְרָאֵי, אִיגַּיּוּר. הֲדַר שַׁדַּר גּוּנְדָּא דְּרוֹמָאֵי [אַחֲרִינָא] אַבָּתְרֵיהּ, אֲמַר לְהוּ: לָא תֵּימְרוּ לֵיהּ וְלָא מִידֵּי.
§ The Gemara mentions other Romans who converted to Judaism. It relates: Onkelos bar Kelonimos converted to Judaism. The Roman emperor sent a troop [gunda] of Roman soldiers after him to seize Onkelos and bring him to the emperor. Onkelos drew them toward him with verses that he cited and learned with them, and they converted. The emperor then sent another troop of Roman soldiers after him, and said to them: Do not say anything to him, so that he cannot convince you with his arguments. The troops followed this instruction, and took Onkelos with them.
כִּי הֲווֹ שָׁקְלִי וְאָזְלִי, אֲמַר לְהוּ אֵימָא לְכוּ מִילְּתָא בְּעָלְמָא: נִיפְיוֹרָא נָקֵט נוּרָא קַמֵּי אַפִּיפְיוֹרָא, אַפִּיפְיוֹרָא לְדוּכָּסָא, דּוּכָּסָא לְהֶגְמוֹנָא, הַגְמוֹנָא לְקוֹמָא, קוֹמָא מִי נָקֵט נוּרָא מִקַּמֵּי אִינָשֵׁי? אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: לָא. אֲמַר לְהוּ: הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נְקַט נוּרָא קַמֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַה׳ הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם וְגוֹ׳״. אִיגַּיּוּר כּוּלְּהוּ.
When they were walking, Onkelos said to the troop of soldiers: I will say a mere statement to you: A minor official [nifyora] holds a torch before a high official [apifyora], the high official holds a torch for a duke [dukasa], a duke for the governor, and the governor for the ruler [koma]. Does the ruler hold a torch before the common people? The soldiers said to Onkelos: No. Onkelos said to them: Yet the Holy One, Blessed be He, holds a torch before the Jewish people, as it is written: “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light” (Exodus 13:21). They all converted.
הֲדַר שַׁדַּר גּוּנְדָּא אַחֲרִינָא אַבָּתְרֵיהּ, אֲמַר לְהוּ: לָא תִּשְׁתַּעוּ מִידֵּי בַּהֲדֵיהּ. כִּי נָקְטִי לֵיהּ וְאָזְלִי, חֲזָא מְזוּזְתָּא דְּמַנְּחָא אַפִּתְחָא, אוֹתֵיב יְדֵיהּ עֲלַהּ, וַאֲמַר לְהוּ: מַאי הַאי? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אֵימָא לַן אַתְּ. אֲמַר לְהוּ: מִנְהָגוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם יוֹשֵׁב מִבִּפְנִים, וַעֲבָדָיו מְשַׁמְּרִים אוֹתוֹ מִבַּחוּץ, וְאִילּוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, עֲבָדָיו מִבִּפְנִים וְהוּא מְשַׁמְּרָן מִבַּחוּץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״ה׳ יִשְׁמׇר צֵאתְךָ וּבוֹאֶךָ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם״. אִיגַּיּוּר תּוּ לָא שַׁדַּר בָּתְרֵיהּ.
The emperor then sent another troop of soldiers after him, to bring Onkelos, and said to them: Do not converse with him at all. The troops followed this instruction, and took Onkelos with them. While they grabbed him and were walking, Onkelos saw a mezuza that was placed on the doorway. He placed his hand upon it and said to the soldiers: What is this? They said to him: You tell us. Onkelos said to them: The standard practice throughout the world is that a king of flesh and blood sits inside his palace, and his servants stand guard, protecting him outside; but with regard to the Holy One, Blessed be He, His servants, the Jewish people, sit inside their homes and He guards over them outside. As it is stated: “The Lord shall guard your going out and your coming in, from now and forever” (Psalms 121:8). Upon hearing this, those soldiers also converted to Judaism. After that, the emperor sent no more soldiers after him.
(יח) וַיָּמֹ֣דּוּ בָעֹ֔מֶר וְלֹ֤א הֶעְדִּיף֙ הַמַּרְבֶּ֔ה וְהַמַּמְעִ֖יט לֹ֣א הֶחְסִ֑יר אִ֥ישׁ לְפִֽי־אׇכְל֖וֹ לָקָֽטוּ׃
(18) But when they measured it by the omer, anyone who had gathered much had no excess, and anyone who had gathered little had no deficiency: each household had gathered as much as it needed to eat.
(א) ולא העדיף המרבה פשוטו כמשמעו ולא העדיף המרבה שהשליך המותר על המדה והממעיט לא החסיר שחוזר ולוקט כפי המדה.
(1) ולא העדיף המרבה, “these words have to be taken at their face value, i.e. if someone found that he had collected more than an omer he would throw out the excess, and if someone found he had collected less, he went back to gather the balance.
Two Hasidic Stories
The Path of a Rabbi and a Tzaddik in Israel
Rabbi Moshe Kramer, the great-grandfather of the Vilna Gaon, distinguished himself from the time he was young as a great Torah scholar. The leaders of Vilna had their eyes on him to give him the throne of the rabbinate in their community. But for a long time, Rabbi Moshe refused the leaders' request out of fear that communal matters would distract him from studying Torah. At that time, his family made money from a small store they ran, which was run by his wife. After the leaders of Vilna begged him many times, Rabbi Moshe agreed to serve as the city's Chief Rabbi, but he made this decision with one condition: The leaders must not pay him anything from public funds.
Not long thereafter, Rabbi Moshe and his family began to feel more economically comfortable. He asked his wife why they were making more money. She told him that ever since he became the Chief Rabbi, their little store became crowded with a flood of customers. They did this, she said, because they wanted to pay their Chief Rabbi indirectly since they were unable to do so directly.
Rabbi Moshe said to his wifem, "From now on, do not mind the store most of the day. Instead, check in the morning the amount of money earned from the previous day. If that amount is enough to support our family for a day, then immediately lock the store's door with a lock and bar and prevent any more customers from coming in.
The Rebbetzin nodded her head as a sign of agreement, and Rabbi Moshe further said, "In Parashat Beshallach, in the section about the manna, Moses says to the Israelites, "Each person should take his fill." These words teach us that it is forbidden for a Jew to amass more for himself than what he needs for that day. And now you understand: Should the fact that I have been named the Chief Rabbi of Vilna mean that the other store owners should make less money?!"
•••
Why Did the Rabbi Refuse a Gift from the Bankrupt Man?
A Hasid arrived to the court of the Grand Rebbe Yechiel Meir Lipschitz of Gustinin. This Hasid was known as one of the major merchants in the city. After a small delay, the man entered Rebbe Yechiel's room and placed on his desk a large sum of money as a "gift," as is the custom of Hasidim who come to be blessed by their Rebbe.
Rebbe Yechiel looked at the "list of requested blessings" that the Hasid gave him. The Rebbe was aware that that the merchant had lately accumulated a lot of debt, and that he had been forced to declare bankruptcy.
Rebbe Yechiel refused to take the Hasid's gift that he had placed on the desk. The Rebbe said to him, "At the beginning of the Haftarah for Parashat Beshallach, Deborah's Song, we read: " When locks go untrimmed in Israel, When people dedicate themselves—Bless GOD!" (Judges 5:2). From here we learn a major principle regarding the giving of gifts and donations: A Jew is permitted to "dedicate himself" (give gifts to the Rebbe) only after he has been able to "have untrimmed locks," after he has settled all his debts with his fellow Jews.
The Path of a Rabbi and a Tzaddik in Israel
Rabbi Moshe Kramer, the great-grandfather of the Vilna Gaon, distinguished himself from the time he was young as a great Torah scholar. The leaders of Vilna had their eyes on him to give him the throne of the rabbinate in their community. But for a long time, Rabbi Moshe refused the leaders' request out of fear that communal matters would distract him from studying Torah. At that time, his family made money from a small store they ran, which was run by his wife. After the leaders of Vilna begged him many times, Rabbi Moshe agreed to serve as the city's Chief Rabbi, but he made this decision with one condition: The leaders must not pay him anything from public funds.
Not long thereafter, Rabbi Moshe and his family began to feel more economically comfortable. He asked his wife why they were making more money. She told him that ever since he became the Chief Rabbi, their little store became crowded with a flood of customers. They did this, she said, because they wanted to pay their Chief Rabbi indirectly since they were unable to do so directly.
Rabbi Moshe said to his wifem, "From now on, do not mind the store most of the day. Instead, check in the morning the amount of money earned from the previous day. If that amount is enough to support our family for a day, then immediately lock the store's door with a lock and bar and prevent any more customers from coming in.
The Rebbetzin nodded her head as a sign of agreement, and Rabbi Moshe further said, "In Parashat Beshallach, in the section about the manna, Moses says to the Israelites, "Each person should take his fill." These words teach us that it is forbidden for a Jew to amass more for himself than what he needs for that day. And now you understand: Should the fact that I have been named the Chief Rabbi of Vilna mean that the other store owners should make less money?!"
•••
Why Did the Rabbi Refuse a Gift from the Bankrupt Man?
A Hasid arrived to the court of the Grand Rebbe Yechiel Meir Lipschitz of Gustinin. This Hasid was known as one of the major merchants in the city. After a small delay, the man entered Rebbe Yechiel's room and placed on his desk a large sum of money as a "gift," as is the custom of Hasidim who come to be blessed by their Rebbe.
Rebbe Yechiel looked at the "list of requested blessings" that the Hasid gave him. The Rebbe was aware that that the merchant had lately accumulated a lot of debt, and that he had been forced to declare bankruptcy.
Rebbe Yechiel refused to take the Hasid's gift that he had placed on the desk. The Rebbe said to him, "At the beginning of the Haftarah for Parashat Beshallach, Deborah's Song, we read: " When locks go untrimmed in Israel, When people dedicate themselves—Bless GOD!" (Judges 5:2). From here we learn a major principle regarding the giving of gifts and donations: A Jew is permitted to "dedicate himself" (give gifts to the Rebbe) only after he has been able to "have untrimmed locks," after he has settled all his debts with his fellow Jews.