27 Aug 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.