Resources for Taanis daf 9
Rabbi Yitzchok Gutterman
- Our גמרא brings the famous דרשה of עשר בשביל שתשעשר. תוספות here bring the ספרי that says this דרשה is not limited to produce. Rather, it applies to all forms of income. From תוספות it would seem to be a מצוה דאורייתא. See the שו"ת נודע ביהודה קמא סימן ע"ג who says that while there is a real חיוב, it is only a דין דרבנן as the דרשה quoted by the ספרי is an אסמכתא. However, see the ב"ח in יו"ד סימן של"א who says there is no חיוב at all to give מעשר כספים and it is just a מנהג. The ט"ז there argues and says it is clear from the רמב"ם and שלחן ערוך there that there is a real חיוב to give מעשר since they discuss the proper amount. The only question is whether it is דאורייתא or דרבנן. Nonetheless the ב"ח’s פּסק is also the פּסק of the חפץ חיים in אהבת חסד חלק ב פּרק י"ט, the ערוך השלחן in יו"ד סימן רמ"ט סעיף ה, and many others. As far as the ספרי, since it isn’t brought anywhere in תלמוד בבלי, it must be we don’t pasken like it. As far as the שולחן ערוך saying one should give מעשר, the שבות יעקב in חלק בּ סימן פּ"ה points out that the next סעיף says one should at least give a third of a שקל. This proves that there is no real חיוב to give a tenth, rather it’s just a מנהג. Interestingly, see the ברכי יוסף in סימן רמ"ט ס"ק ג who says it really is an absolute חיוב. In his time, most people weren’t giving מעשר because feeding one’s children above age six is also considered צדקה and therefore, most people have already spent מעשר just by supporting their families. However, many אחרונים (e.g. ט"ז יו"ד סימן רמ"ט ס"ק א ) argue with this and say that מעשר is not the same as general צדקה. Also, see the אגרות משה in יו"ד סימן קמ"ג who says that nowadays one could not use מעשר money to feed their kids. In former times, after age six, children could work and earn money on their own. Prior to that age one could not use צדקה since it was part of מזונות אשתו, since a mother feels compelled to feed her children. Nowadays, where children don’t work till they’re much older, one would have a חיוב to feed his children as part of מזונות אשתו.
As to why this specific mitzvah of giving מעשר has the special סגולה to make one rich, see the הקדמה to the ספר שערי יושר who explains all the money we receive is really Hashem’s, and we are entrusted with the job of spending it as Hashem would want us to. If we are good treasurers, Hashem entrusts us with more money, as we are doing a good job. If we don’t spend it the way Hashem wants, then He gives less since we are not doing a good job as treasurers of His money.
- The גמרא says that ר' יוחנן was looking for a source in the Torah of אולת אדם תסלף דרכו ועל ה' יזעף לבו. ריש לקיש’s child told him that a source could be found regarding יוסף’s brothers, who when they found the silver goblet in their sacks exclaimed “מה זאת עשה אלקים לנו” when it had really happened to them because of their sin of selling יוסף. See the מהרש"א who asks, this would not seem to be a good proof since the brothers had said a few פּסוקים earlier “ אבל אשימים אנחנו” and seem to have recognized that what happened to them was because of their sin. See the אמת ליעקב (written by the נתיבות) who says a fascinating explanation: the punishment that they were receiving was not given by Hashem, in a sense. Rather, it was a direct consequence of the מלאך they created with their sin. Therefore, even saying “what is Hashem doing to us” is wrong since Hashem didn’t do it to you, it is was just the natural consequence of the sin. (Similar to someone who drinks poison and complains why did Hashem make him sick.)
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