We Only Have What We Give - Isabelle Allende

There is a wonderful Alshich on the following verse (Devarim 14:25-27) quoted by our Gemara:

וְנָתַתָּ֖ה בַּכָּ֑סֶף וְצַרְתָּ֤ הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙ בְּיָ֣דְךָ֔ וְהָֽלַכְתָּ֙ אֶל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחַ֛ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ בּֽוֹ׃

you may place the money. Wrap up the money in your hands and take it with you to the place that the LORD your God has chosen,

וְנָתַתָּ֣ה הַכֶּ֡סֶף בְּכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁר־תְּאַוֶּ֨ה נַפְשְׁךָ֜ בַּבָּקָ֣ר וּבַצֹּ֗אן וּבַיַּ֙יִן֙ וּבַשֵּׁכָ֔ר וּבְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּֽשְׁאָלְךָ֖ נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וְאָכַ֣לְתָּ שָּׁ֗ם לִפְנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְשָׂמַחְתָּ֖ אַתָּ֥ה וּבֵיתֶֽךָ׃

and spend the money on anything you want—cattle, sheep, wine, or other intoxicant, or anything you may desire. And you shall feast there, in the presence of the LORD your God, and rejoice with your household.

וְהַלֵּוִ֥י אֲשֶׁר־בִּשְׁעָרֶ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תַֽעַזְבֶ֑נּוּ כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין ל֛וֹ חֵ֥לֶק וְנַחֲלָ֖ה עִמָּֽךְ׃

But do not neglect the Levite in your community, for he has no hereditary portion as you have.

The Alshich raises a number of textual anomalies:

  1. Why does it say, וְנָתַתָּ֖ה בַּכָּ֑סֶף, which implies giving it, when it more accurately should say, you shall redeem the maaser with money?
  2. Why does it say, וְצַרְתָּ֤ הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙ בְּיָ֣דְךָ֔, Wrap up the money in your hands, when obviously he will not carry the the entire way in his hands.  Would it not make more sense to say, and you will wrap the money in your sack?
  3. Why does it describe you as rejoicing in the experience, but merely admonishes you not to abandon the Levite?  Should it not simply encourage you to rejoice with the Levite by sharing the maaser?

He answers with a form of derash.  The urge may be to be stingy with the tithing.  However, the best way to hold onto one’s money is by being generous.  Therefore, the way to read the verse is as follows:

“You shall give the maaser money, and by doing so, you will be able to hold onto YOUR money in your hands, i.e., your wealth.  This will allow YOU to rejoice and enjoy the wealth G-d gave you.  In addition, do not neglect the Levite, by giving him his due.”

The Torah’s gift to the Jewish people has been to teach us about tzedakka.  It has ennobled Jews, regardless of their other qualities, for millennias and made us strong.  Keep giving.