Rabbi's Blog

When preparing for Shabbos, one of my Friday routines is stopping at Ralph’s for romaine lettuce. I seek out the largest heads because they are sold by the piece and I want to maximize the size of the pieces. Keep in mind that the lettuce needs to be checked thoroughly for bugs which must be removed prior to eating. It is easier to check one large piece of lettuce rather than a bunch of smaller pieces typically found when  you get down to the core. Lately I’ve been asking the grocer to give me heads of lettuce that are not trimmed.  Typically the large, outer leaves are  removed  because they tend to be dirty or torn.  The remaining leaves are trimmed to make the head of lettuce more attractive.Unfortunately, by removing the outer leaves, they are discarding the big leaves that I like and they are also throwing out the healthiest part of the lettuce.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans eat about thirty-three pounds of lettuce per person every year.For many years iceberg lettuce was  most popular lettuce at the dinner table, I don’t remember eating anything but iceberg until I was in my thirties. But its consumption has declined while demand for romaine and leafy lettuce has more than doubled. A good rule of thumb is that nutritional value goes up as the green in the leaves gets darker, making iceberg easy to identify as the least nutritious. Scientific studies show that the outer leaves have the highest phytonutrient content and antioxidant properties. So, next time you prepare the salad, don't discard the outer leaves; just wash them thoroughly to remove all the grit.

Unfortunately, in Western society places more emphasis  on looks rather than substance or quality of an item. Whether speaking about a human being, a car, or a piece of lettuce, people tend to place greater  value on outward appearances rather than on the intrinsic value of the item and especially the person. Chazal, the Rabbis of blessed memory, constantly drive home the message of inner beauty, what beauty is really all about.  Shlomo HaMelech, in the famous poem at the very end of Mishlei, Eishes Chayil, which we sing every Friday night, , describes physical beauty as vain.  Unfortunately, we tend to judge a book by its cover, and even worse rarelybother to open up the book to see what is inside. We judge people without taking the time or effort  to try to get to know them, preferring instead to form a hasty,  predisposed opinion of who they are and what they are all about.

There tends to be a feeling that when the grocer discards the poor but ahealthy leaves of a head of lettuce, he is saving the rest for a better sale. There are times, however, when shedding the outer layers of an object can be beneficial for us.

Keeping in line with this week’s Shabbos theme of Tzedakah, I have opted to deviate from discussing the Haftorah to focusing on the actual parsha itself.

In Parshas Re’eh 14:22 the Torah states: “Aseir T’Aseir Eis Kal Tvuas Zar’echa, HaYotzey HaSadeh Shana Shana”. “You shall surely tithe of all the seed crops that come forth in the field year by year”. Most commentaries comment on the obvious double language of the word ‘tithing’. The Chasam Sofer mentions the Gemara in Taanis that when a person gives a proper tithe, he will be paid back double. Therefore, the giving can be viewed as doing so in order to become wealthier. In addition,  the Chasam Sofer adds that when a person gives it is in order to not lose, therefore missing more. Rather than explainthe increase in wealth, this also means not to lose out on something. This commentary is based upon another concept from King Solomon: “The blessing of Hashem is to make him rich and not add sadness along with it”. Why would sadness accompany  additional wealth? Based upon Shlomo HaMelech’s words, the Midrash answers in Koheles Rabbah “that a person does not leave this world with even half of his desires being fulfilled”. If a person has one hundred he wants two hundred, two hundred he wants four hundred, and so forth. The true blessing from Hashem which Shlomo HaMelech addresses is alongside the actual bracha of money comes a bracha of middos tovos -  good deeds.  We should be satisfied with exactly that which we have and not to want more.

The explanation of tithing in order to have more is that we should not lose the perspective of life and to be satisfied, no matter what we have. The true blessing is for the person to appreciate what he has received and not lose sight of that gift by feeling the need to have more and double that which he has already received. The Bracha is to curb the appetite of desire for more and more money and possessions.

If this is the case, that we should curb our desire, why should we even try to gain more and more? Why does the Torah say ‘give in order to become wealthier’? The Chasam Sofer answers that the Torah is not commanding us to give in order to get more. Obviously, a person should just give because it is the right thing to do. There is no question that a person should give Tzedaka because it is the right thing to do. But in another mitzva lsuch as learning Torah, God promises long life, honor and wealth. In this case (and in other areas of the Torah) the Torah is speaking to a person’s evil inclination, the challenge of not wishing to part with our money.  In what we might call a bribe, Hashem encourages and nudges us to give so that we, the givers, can benefit even more.

In reality when a person sheds some of his wealth and gives it away, he is giving away the best part and will therefore derive the best nutrients from giving that part away. The outer layer is that which we share with others, and that act of giving will, in turn, give us the best health, both physically and spiritually. 

A wonderful new organization will soon be coming to San Diego.  Called the 90/10 Club, this membership “club” is totally dedicated to helping its members give the appropriate amount of tzedakka (at least 10% of post-tax earnings) to any group or organization of your choice.  Their focus is on separating, as opposed to giving: ma’aser.

It’s important to understand that even if a person is not able to separate 10% for ma’aser, separating what he is able to give will easily allow everyone to take part in this transformative mitzvah.  The 90/10 Club is devoted to helping all of us to focus on the mitzvah, regardless of the amount we are able to give.

Please look up the description of this rapidly-growing 90/10 Club ma’aser movement and consider becoming a member.

Ah Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky

If you would like to sponsor or dedicate a part of Rabbi Bogopulsky’s upcoming book please contact him directly or reply to this E-Mail.