There’s a beautiful thought in Mishleh that I would like to share: Shlomo HaMelech tells us (perek יא, pasuk יט)
כֵּן צְדָקָה לְחַיִּים
Rabbenu Yona says that the first word of this pasuk כן-ken, means B’Emet- It’s true,
( as in the pasuk about the daughters of Zelofchad where it said- כן בנות צלפחד דוברות, what they’ve said is true )
He says,
It’s true, without a doubt, that Sedaka/ acts of charity, bring life.
(No other pasuk in the first eleven chapters of Mishleh, and possibly not in the later chapters either starts off with this word כן “it’s true, without a doubt.)
Shlomo HaMelech is telling us, what I am telling you now is a truth:
Acts of charity bring life.
This is a fact. As we know,
צדקה תציל ממות
Sedaka saves one from death.
Conversely, the Pasuk continues,
וּמְרַדֵּף רָעָה לְמוֹתו
One who chases evil, it’s for his death. Rabbenu Yona says that this means that when a person chases evil, it will end up coming back to him. This is a truism ad well, as Rabbenu Yonah says that the word כן- it’s true, applies to both parts of this pasuk.
באמת בלא ספק
It’s true, without a doubt, that, charity brings life, and the opposite is true.
וּמְרַדֵּף רָעָה לְמוֹתוֹ
Those that chase evil, the evil comes back to them.
Saddam Hussein didn’t know this. Muammar Gaddafi didn’t know this, nor did any the other wicked people, who chase evil. But if you look at history, you see that it comes back. When you create evil energy, it comes back.
The Gaon of Vilna makes an unbelievable diyuk/point on this pasuk. It’s a bitachon lesson that I would like to bring out.
He asks why it is that the one who chases evil beings about his death. Shouldn’t it say that the one who chases evil brings about death, in general?
Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi caused a lot of death, not just their own. But the Gaon of Vilna says this is wrong.
כי להנרדף אין חילוק
There is no difference between the man being chased.
שהרבה שלוחים למקום
G-d has many messengers.
So if one person doesn’t do it, someone else will do it.
In other words, Saddam Hussein did not cause anyone to die.
Nor did Muammar Gaddafi, nor Hitler for that matter. They didn’t cause anyone to die. This any sound like a bold statement, but it’s true. All the Nazis brought about was their own downfall. שהרבה שלוחים למקום
G-d has many messengers, and nothing happens unless G-d deems it to happen. Everyone out there is a messenger of G-d.
No one can do anything unless G-d sends him. G-d is the mehaliach/ the sender.
Of course, Hitler, and all of the terrorists will be punished. They had freedom of choice and they will be punished accordingly. But never think for a moment that they brought about something that should not have happened, has v’shalom.
That’s why these words are so powerful.
כי להנרדף אין חילוק
The pursuer makes no difference, because
שהרבה שלוחים למקום
G-d has many messengers
Of course, If you see someone chasing someone, according to the Halacha of Rodef, you have to shoot that man. That’s our responsibility. We can’t just let things happen. But in the end, if things do happen, and the chaser was shot, that means that the person being chased was not supposed to get killed.
You have to do your best to save people. That’s a responsibility that we have. But after all the dust settles, and you’ve done all of your hishtadlut, the one being chased will not be impacted by the chaser if it’s not supposed to happen. The only person’s life that the pursuer is ruining is his own. Everything else was supposed to happen anyway.
The one that chases, will impact his own death, because he had freedom of choice. The only person you can impact in your life is yourself.
Your good deeds will bring you good, and your bad deeds will bring you bad. That’s what Shlomo HaMelech is telling us:
כן- A truism
צדקה לחיים
You give charity, you get life.
And when a person chases evil, he brings himself death, has v’shalom.
The only one you can impact is yourself.
No one can do anything to anybody.
These are very powerful words, easier said that done.
A person should be able to look at his oppressor and realize, That person can’t do anything to me.
Hashem is the One sending everything. I deal with Him.”
Have a wonderful day, and B’ezrat Hashem, the first portion of this pasuk should be fulfilled upon us.
כן צדקה לייים
A truism: charity brings life