For “God sides with the oppressed” (Ecclesiastes 3:15), even if the righteous man oppresses the wicked (Vayikra Rabbah 27:5). This is the aspect of “In the shadow of My hand I sheltered you” (Isaiah 51:16)—that the Holy One shelters him with the shadow of His hand and saves him. Thus when the oppressed is a tzaddik, who is close to God, then God saves him with His hand, due to his being close by.
However, when the oppressed is a wicked individual, then he is far from the Holy One, and even so God saves him, because “God sides [with the oppressed].” In such a case, God enlarges His hand, extends it and covers him, as it were, even though he is far from God.
It is through the tithe that the aspect of the large hand is made. This is because the large hand is the aspect of contentment, as it is written (Numbers 11:22), “Were the sheep and the cattle slaughtered for them, would it suffice them? Were all the fish of the sea… would it suffice them?” which Onkelos renders as: “would it content them?” And God answered [Moshe], “Is God’s hand too short?” Thus it is that the aspect of the large hand is able to content them; consequently, the aspect of contentment is the aspect of the large hand.
It is through the tithe that one is in the aspect of contentment. For a person dies without even half his desires fulfilled, because if he has one hundred, he wants two hundred… (Kohelet Rabbah 1:34). No matter what he has does not content him. However, regarding the tithe it is written (Malachi 3:10), “Bring the entire tithe to the treasury. Please, test Me with this…[I will pour down blessings for you] until BLiY dai (they can no longer be contained).” And our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded: “Until your lips YiVLu (wear out) from saying, ‘Dai! (Enough!)’” (Makkot 23b). Thus it is that by means of the tithe, the aspect of contentment/the large hand is made. And through this God stretches out His hand and shelters him, saving him from enemies, as explained above.
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שִׁוִּיתִי ה' לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד – בְּחִינַת מִתְנַגֵּד:
2. “I place God leNeGDy (opposite me), always” (Psalms 16:8)—the aspect of mitNaGeD (an opponent).
עַל־יְדֵי שֶׁנּוֹתְנִין מַעֲשֵׂר נִצּוֹל מִשּׂוֹנְאִים, כִּי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מְכַסֶּה אוֹתוֹ בְּיָדוֹ וּמַצִּילוֹ,
By giving a tithe [to charity], a person is saved from enemies. This is because the Holy One shelters him with His hand and saves him.
כִּי הָאֱלֹקִים יְבַקֵּשׁ הַנִּרְדָּף, וַאֲפִלּוּ צַדִּיק רוֹדֵף אֶת הָרָשָׁע (מ"ר אמור פ' כז). וְזֶה בְּחִינַת (ישעיהו נ״א:ט״ז): וּבְצֵל יָדִי כִּסִּיתִיךָ – שֶׁהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מְכַסֶּה עָלָיו בְּצֵל יָדוֹ וּמַצִּילוֹ, וּכְשֶׁהַנִּרְדָּף צַדִּיק, שֶׁהוּא סָמוּךְ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, אֲזַי הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ מַצִּילוֹ בְּיָדוֹ, כִּי הוּא סָמוּךְ לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ,
For “God sides with the oppressed” (Ecclesiastes 3:15), even if the righteous man oppresses the wicked (Vayikra Rabbah 27:5). This is the aspect of “In the shadow of My hand I sheltered you” (Isaiah 51:16)—that the Holy One shelters him with the shadow of His hand and saves him. Thus when the oppressed is a tzaddik, who is close to God, then God saves him with His hand, due to his being close by.
אֲבָל כְּשֶׁהַנִּרְדָּף רָשָׁע, נִמְצָא שֶׁהוּא רָחוֹק מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מַצִּילוֹ, כִּי הָאֱלֹֹקִים יְבַקֵּשׁ וְכוּ', אֲזַי כִּבְיָכוֹל הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מַגְדִּיל יָדוֹ וּמוֹשִׁיטָהּ וּמְחַפֶּה עָלָיו, אַף שֶׁהוּא רָחוֹק מֵהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ.
However, when the oppressed is a wicked individual, then he is far from the Holy One, and even so God saves him, because “God sides [with the oppressed].” In such a case, God enlarges His hand, extends it and covers him, as it were, even though he is far from God.
וְעַל־יְדֵי מַעֲשֵׂר נַעֲשֶׂה בְּחִינַת יָד הַגְּדוֹלָה, כִּי יָד הַגְּדוֹלָה הוּא בְּחִינַת הִסְתַּפְּקוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (במדבר י״א:כ״ב): הֲצֹאן וּבָקָר יִשָּׁחֵט לָהֶם וּמָצָא לָהֶם, אִם אֶת כָּל דְּגֵי הַיָּם וְכוּ' וּמָצָא לָהֶם, וְתִרְגֵּם אוּנְקְלוֹס: הֲיִסְפַּק לְהוֹן, וְהֱשִׁיבוֹ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ: הֲיַד ה' תִּקְצָר, נִמְצָא שֶׁבְּחִינַת יָד הַגָּדוֹלָה הִיא יְכוֹלָה לְהַסְפִּיקָם, נִמְצָא שֶׁבְּחִינַת הִסְתַּפְּקוּת הוּא בִּבְחִינַת יָד הַגְּדוֹלָה.
It is through the tithe that the aspect of the large hand is made. This is because the large hand is the aspect of contentment, as it is written (Numbers 11:22), “Were the sheep and the cattle slaughtered for them, would it suffice them? Were all the fish of the sea… would it suffice them?” which Onkelos renders as: “would it content them?” And God answered [Moshe], “Is God’s hand too short?” Thus it is that the aspect of the large hand is able to content them; consequently, the aspect of contentment is the aspect of the large hand.
וְעַל־יְדֵי מַעֲשֵׂר הוּא בִּבְחִינַת הִסְתַּפְּקוּת, כִּי אֵין אָדָם מֵת וַחֲצִי תַּאֲוָתוֹ בְּיָדוֹ, כִּי יֵשׁ לוֹ מָנֶה מְבַקֵּשׁ מָאתַיִם וְכוּ', וְכָל מַה שֶּׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אֵין מַסְפִּיק לוֹ, אֲבָל בְּמַעֲשֵׂר כְּתִיב (מלאכי ג׳:י׳): הָבִיאוּ אֶת כָּל הַמַּעֲשֵׂר אֶל בֵּית הָאוֹצָר וּבְחָנוּנִי נָא בְּזֹאת וְכוּ', עַד בְּלִי דַּי; וְדָרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבת לב:): עַד שֶׁיִּבְלוּ שִׂפְתוֹתֵיכֶם מִלּוֹמַר דַּי. נִמְצָא שֶׁעַל־יְדֵי מַעֲשֵׂר נַעֲשֶׂה בְּחִינַת הִסְתַּפְּקוּת, שֶׁהוּא בְּחִינַת יָד הַגְּדוֹלָה כַּנַּ"ל, וְעַל־יְדֵי־זֶה הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ מוֹשִׁיט יָדוֹ וּמְכַסֶּה עָלָיו וְנִצּוֹל מִשּׂוֹנְאִים כַּנַּ"ל:
It is through the tithe that one is in the aspect of contentment. For a person dies without even half his desires fulfilled, because if he has one hundred, he wants two hundred… (Kohelet Rabbah 1:34). No matter what he has does not content him. However, regarding the tithe it is written (Malachi 3:10), “Bring the entire tithe to the treasury. Please, test Me with this…[I will pour down blessings for you] until BLiY dai (they can no longer be contained).” And our Sages, of blessed memory, expounded: “Until your lips YiVLu (wear out) from saying, ‘Dai! (Enough!)’” (Makkot 23b). Thus it is that by means of the tithe, the aspect of contentment/the large hand is made. And through this God stretches out His hand and shelters him, saving him from enemies, as explained above.
שִׁוִּיתִי ה' לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד – בְּחִינַת מִתְנַגֵּד:
2. “I place God leNeGDy (opposite me), always” (Psalms 16:8)—the aspect of mitNaGeD (an opponent).