04 Aug PARSHAS RE’EH: MAASAR

A segulah for
parnassah and
financial success is to
give maasar, 1/10th
of one’s earnings, to
tzedakah. It states
(14:22) aser te’aser,
and the Gemara
(Taanis 9.) states,
aser b’shvil
she’tis’asher, “Give
maasar so you will
become wealthy,”
and the miforshim
say that this also
applies to tithing

one’s income.
Reb Shimon Trop zt’l explains why
maasar, more than any other mitzvah, is
mesugal for wealth. When one gives
maasar, he demonstrates his
trustworthiness to fulfill his mission to
distribute his wealth to others, and
therefore, he can be trusted with more
money. It can be compared to someone
who was hired to manage money. When
he shows he can be trusted, his boss will
give him more money to manage.
Derech Moshe (written at the end of
Sefer HaGan, day nineteen) writes that he
spoke with experts, and they told him that
for a funnel to function correctly, its
opening must be at least 1/10th of the
width of the utensil. If the space is smaller
than that ratio, nothing will funnel
through.
This is an indication of the importance
of giving maasar. If you give a tenth, you
become like a funnel, and more will be
given to you. But if you give less than a
tenth, Heaven won’t provide you with
bounty.
The Mikor Baruch (written by Reb
Boruch Paitusi, printed year 5550)
explains, “The early scholars say a nice
mashal of two people, one was pouring
wine through a funnel, and the other was
receiving the wine. As long as the funnel
is clear, the pourer continues to pour. But
if a stone or something else clogs the
funnel on the bottom, the receiver will
shout, “Stop pouring! Everything is
landing on the ground.’ The nimshal is,
the one pouring is Hashem yisbarach,
Who bestows His kindness to all, the
funnel is the wealthy person, and the
receiver is the poor person.” As long as
the wealthy person gives to others,
Hashem will continue to give to him. But
if he blocks the funnel, the bounty will
end, r’l.

The Mikor Boruch offers another
mashal, using a person and his shadow as
an example. When the person’s hand is
open, the shadow’s hand is also open. But
when your hand is closed, the shadow’s
hand is also closed. The shadow represents

Hashem, as it states (Tehillim 121:5) “
Hashem is your shadow.” This indicates
that when your hand is open to give to the
poor, Hashem’s hand is open to give you.
And when you close your hand and don’t
help the poor, Hashem’s hand too.