6833 —"אתם נצבים היום" בכל ראש השנה, וחיוב מתנות לאביונים נוסף על מצות הצדקה

[Nissan 5719?]

…^[1] As to what you wrote in explanation of "You are standing this day, etc."^[2]: there is no contradiction here, for they stood, etc., "that you should enter into the covenant", etc.^[3], at the time of their entry into the Land; and this aspect exists each and every year, and that is on the day of Rosh Hashanah. See Likkutei Torah, beginning of Parshas Tavo^[4].

As to what you wrote – what is the obligation of matanos la'evyonim in addition to the mitzvah of tzedakah: it is simple, for it is a mitzvah of the words of the Sofrim^[5] to seek out the poor, and even upon a poor man^[6], etc.; and not merely a good custom, like that of tzedakah before prayer^[7], etc.

Publisher's notes

The letter is to R. Tzvi Freidin, and was written on the margin of his letter of 13 Nissan 5719.

Notes

1. … (...): The beginning of the reply was not printed. As the publisher's note says, "the letter is to R. Tzvi Freidin, and was written on the margin of his letter of 13 Nissan 5719." R. Tzvi Freidin of Tel Aviv put questions in Torah to the Rebbe. Further letters to him: vol. 20, letter 7514 (23 Kislev 5721: what is meant by "one who learns from his teacher even a single letter"), and vol. 22, letter 8608 (16 Adar 5723: on the days of Purim).

2. You are standing this day, etc. (אתם נצבים היום גו'): מש"כ = מה שכתב, "what you wrote"; פי' = פירוש, "explanation". The verse (Deuteronomy 29:9): "You are standing this day, all of you, before the L‑rd your G‑d"; Rashi: "This teaches that Moshe assembled them before the Holy One, blessed be He, on the day of his death, to bring them into the covenant."

3. That you should enter into the covenant (לעברך בברית): Deuteronomy 29:11: "That you should enter into the covenant of the L‑rd your G‑d and into His oath, which the L‑rd your G‑d makes with you this day." The standing and the entry into the covenant took place then, at the time of their entry into the Land; and this aspect recurs each and every year, on Rosh Hashanah. Both points are explained in the Likkutei Torah to which the Rebbe refers.

4. Likkutei Torah, beginning of Parshas Tavo (לקו"ת ר"פ תבוא): Likkutei Torah, at the beginning of Parshas Tavo, the discourse "This day the L‑rd your G‑d commands you": "Before they entered the Land, a covenant was made on accepting the Torah… and this is 'this day, etc.', that is, at the time of their entry into the Land"; and further on: "Therefore this portion is read before Rosh Hashanah, for 'this day, etc.' refers to Rosh Hashanah… and every year before Rosh Hashanah a covenant must be made anew on accepting the Torah."

5. A mitzvah of the words of the Sofrim (מצוה מד"ס): מד"ס = מדברי סופרים, i.e. rabbinic. As the Rambam writes (Laws of Megillah and Chanukah 2:16): "One is obligated to distribute to the poor on the day of Purim; no fewer than two poor people"; and the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 694:1): "Every person is obligated to give at least two gifts to two poor people." It is not only giving to a poor man who comes and asks, but an obligation to seek out the poor in order to give to them.

6. Even upon a poor man (ואפילו על העני): Even a poor man himself is obligated in matanos la'evyonim, as the Mishnah Berurah writes (694:1): "Every person – whether man or woman, and even a poor man who is supported by tzedakah."

7. Tzedakah before prayer (צדקה לפני התפלה): As the Shulchan Aruch writes (Orach Chayim 92:10): "It is good to give tzedakah before prayer"; see the Gemara (Bava Basra 10a): "R. Elazar would give a coin to a poor man and then pray. He said: For it is written, 'In righteousness I shall behold Your face.'" Giving before prayer is a good practice; matanos la'evyonim is an obligation.

Summary

On the margin of R. Tzvi Freidin's letter, the Rebbe answers that "You are standing this day… to enter into the covenant" is no contradiction: the covenant was made at their entry into the Land, and this recurs every year on Rosh Hashanah (Likkutei Torah, Tavo). Matanos la'evyonim, unlike tzedakah before prayer, which is a good custom, is a rabbinic obligation to seek out the poor, binding even on a poor man.