It is related in Ta’anis (25a) that Rabbi Elazar ben Pedas once underwent a bloodletting operation when he was in dire financial straits, but after the procedure he had nothing with which to strengthen himself. All he could find was clove of garlic, so he cast it into his mouth. This caused his heart to become faint and he fell into a deep slumber. When the rabbis came to inquire after his welfare they saw him crying and then smiling, after which a spark emitted from his forehead. When he awoke, the rabbis inquired, “Why did the master cry and then smile and why did a spark then come out of his forehead?” He replied, “I beheld Hashem’s Shechinah and He wished me ‘peace.’” “Master of the Universe,” I said, “for how long will I remain in such sorrow and deprivation?” He said to me, “Elazar, My son, would you like Me to destroy the world and create it anew on the chance that you will be born at a time ordained for a more generous livelihood?” I said, “Master of the Universe, which are more numerous, the years that I have already lived or those that I have yet to live?” The Shechinah said, “Those that you have already lived.” “In that case I do not wish for You to do so,” I said. They then showed me thirteen rivers flowing with balsam. I inquired, “Who are these for?” Hashem said to me, “They are for you.” “Is that all?” I asked. To which the Shechinah replied, “What will be left for your colleagues?” [“Am I requesting of someone who lacks for anything?” I asked], whereupon He struck me with His finger upon the forehead, [after which a spark emitted from my forhead].
This passage is explained more fully in the Zohar on Bereishis (Tikkunim 69, 100a). There it is taught that a person’s offspring, life span and livelihood are all dependent upon his astrological sign (mazzal), not his merit. If a person was born under a sign indicating poverty, merit cannot change it. The best that merit can accomplish is to cause the Holy One Blessed is He to take his soul out and instill it into a different body. Through this change in location he may be granted a more generous income. But even then it is only a possibility.
This is what the Holy One Blessed is He meant when He asked Rabbi Elazar, “Would you like Me to destroy the world?” For it is well known that a human being is called a miniature “world.” Thus He was offering to destroy his current body by taking his soul from him and then to go back and create a new body into which to introduce his soul, opening up the possibility that he will merit a more generous income. This is why Rabbi Elazar responded, “I do not wish for You to do so.” We can learn from this passage that a person should not try to change his circumstances forcibly. Rather, let him trust that Hashem does not withhold the just reward of any creature. If he did not merit a life of comfort in this world he should not be concerned, for undoubtedly his reward will be many times greater in the next world.
Every God-fearing person should rejoice over the lot that Hashem has granted him, whether bountiful or meager. He should not be at all concerned if he must live frugally and he should certainly not harbor any ill thoughts about the ways of the Holy One Blessed is He, Heaven forbid! Let him show no sign of anger or irritation when speaking of the matter with others, either, for that would be as if he were rebelling against Hashem. Instead let him reflect that his deprivation and poverty are atonements and tokens of forgiveness for his sins and iniquities. As the Sages warn, “Whoever forces time, [and extends himself in an effort to succeed more quickly] the time will force him [so that he will encounter setbacks and not succeed]” (Eiruvin 13b). Whenever the Holy One Blessed is He requites a person for his transgressions in this world it is in fact an act of lovingkindness. Thus the wicked cry out in Gehinnom, “If only we had been poor and downtrodden in this world! If only we had suffered afflictions in this world to atone for our sins!” They say further, “The abundance of goodness and the financial power that we enjoyed was to our detriment. For now we are caught in the terrible trap of Gehinnom.
Therefore, let a person reflect on these things every day. And although all moments are not equal, let him be accustomed to say, “Whatever the Merciful One does is for the good.” And if Hashem has granted him wealth and bounty it is especially important that he conduct himself with justice, integrity and mercy. Let his hands be open to share his blessings with the poor and needy. Let every God-fearing individual bear in mind that whenever the opportunity to perform a mitzvah arises it is a sure sign that some evil decree has been issued against him, Heaven forbid, and it is only through this mitzvah that he can save himself from it. This is an essential principle leading to zeal in the performance of the commandments.
Thus the Zohar relates (Parashas Behar 110b): Rabbi Chiyya and Rabbi Yose were traveling along the road when they came to a certain mountain. There they noticed two people walking along. Meanwhile another person approached them, saying, “Please give me some bread! For I have been fasting for two days. I have been traveling through the desert and have eaten nothing.” One of the two men immediately went and took out the provisions he had brought along for the way, and gave them to him following which he ate and drank. Then his companion said to him, “Now what will you do? For now you have nothing to eat, since you have given everything to that beggar! Do not rely on mine because I have with me only meager rations.” He replied, “What claim do I have on you? Of course I will not ask you to give me anything. I will simply go without eating.” Then the beggar came and sat down beside him and continued eating until there remained only a little bread. This, too, the man gave him for the way, and the beggar moved on. Upon seeing this Rabbi Chiyya was distressed that he had not been granted the mitzvah of sustaining the poor man. But Rabbi Yose said to him, “Do not be distressed. For it is not in vain that the Holy One Blessed is He presented this man with the mitzvah. Perhaps an evil decree had been issued against him and the Holy One Blessed is He offered him the mitzvah that he might be spared in its merit.” Rabbi Chiyya responded, “Look, we have provisions. Let us give them to him to eat.” “We must not give him anything,” said Rabbi Yose, “because with the bread that we gave him we would deprive him of his merit. Let us simply go and see what transpires, for certainly a death sentence was hanging over him, from which he was saved in the merit of the sustenance that he granted the beggar.”
In the meantime the man had sat down and dozed off under a tree while his companion took leave of him to travel by a different route. Rabbi Yose said to Rabbi Chiyya, “Now let us sit at a distance and watch what happens because it is clear that the Holy One Blessed is He intends to perform a miracle on his behalf.” Meanwhile they saw a figure resembling flaming coal standing before him. Rabbi Chiyya declared, “Woe to him, for now he is about to die.” But Rabbi Yose said, “How deserving he must be, for the Holy One Blessed is He is about to do a miracle on his behalf.” While they were speaking a snake came down from the tree bent on killing the man. But the flame arose and trampled the head of the snake, killing it and then disappeared. Rabbi Yose said, “Did I not tell you that the Holy One Blessed is He wished to do a miracle for him and that you should not deprive him of his merit?” Soon the man awoke and stood up to continue along his way. But Rabbi Chiyya and Rabbi Yose caught up with him and gave him to eat. Afterwards they informed him of the miracle that the Holy One Blessed is He had done for him. Rabbi Yose then cited the verse, “And charity saves from death” (Mishlei 11:4). He explained, “There is a Tree of Life and a Tree of Death. Whoever does good deeds takes hold of the Tree of Life. Whoever does bad ones takes hold of the Tree of Death. This fellow who performed charity and gave sustenance to the poor was saved thereby from the snake and he thus weakened the power of the Tree of Death.”
Therefore let a person see clearly that this world is one of vanity and heartbreak, and that one’s only goal should be to inherit the World to Come. To this end let him occupy himself with charity, Torah and acts of lovingkindness that we may all merit swiftly a [portion in] the World to Come, Amein.
אִיתָא בַּגְּמָרָא דְּתַעֲנִית: רַבִּי אֶלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן פְּדָת דְּחִיקָא לֵיהּ שַׁעְתֵּיהּ. עָבִיד מִלְּתָא (פֵּרוּשׁ, שֶׁהִקִּיז דָּם), וְלָא הֲוֵי לֵיהּ מִידִי לְמֵיכָל. אַשְׁכַּח חֲדָא תּוּמִי, שַׁדְיֵה לְפוּמֵיהּ, חַלָּשׁ לִבֵּיהּ וְנַים. עַיְלוּ רַבָּנָן לְשֵׁיוּלֵי בֵּיהּ. חַזְיוּהוּ דַּהֲוֵי בָּכִי וְחַיךְ, וְנָפִיק צוּצִיתָא דְּנוּרָא מֵאַנְפּוֹתֵיהּ. כַּד אִתְעַר, אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ רַבָּנָן: מַאי טַעֲמָא קָא בָּכִי מַר וְאַחַר כָּךְ חַיךְ. וְאַחַר כָּךְ נָפִיק צוּצִיתָא דְּנוּרָא מֵאַפּוֹתֵךְ? אָמַר לְהוּ: חֲזִינָא שְׁכִינָה, וְאָמְרָה לִי שָׁלוֹם, וְאָמַרְתִּי: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, עַד אֵימָתַי אֶהְיֶה בְּהַהוּא צַעְרָא וְדֻחְקָא? אָמַר לִי: אֶלְעָזָר בְּנִי, נִיחָא לָךְ דְּאִיחְרַב עָלְמָא, וְאִיהֲדַר וְאִיבְרִי יָתָךְ; אֶפְשָׁר דְּאִבְרִי יָתָךְ בְּשַׁעְתָּא דִּמְזוֹנֵי? אָמַרְתִּי: רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, שְׁנֵי דְּחַיָּא כְּבָר נָפִישָׁא אוֹ שְׁנֵי דְּחָיִנָא? אָמְרָה הַשְּׁכִינָה: דַּחָיִת. אָמַרְתִּי: אִי הָכֵי לָא בָּעִינָא. אַחֲזֵי לִי תְּרֵיסַר נַהֲרֵי דְּמָשְׁכֵי אֲפַרְסְמוֹן. אָמַרְתִּי: אֵלּוּ לְמָאן? אָמַר לִי: לָךְ. אָמַרְתִּי: וְתוּ לֹא? אָמְרָה הַשְּׁכִינָה: וּלְחַבְרָךְ מַאי? וְכוּ', וְהַיְנוּ דְּנָפִיק צוּצִיתָא כוּ'; עַיֵּן שָׁם.
It is related in Ta’anis (25a) that Rabbi Elazar ben Pedas once underwent a bloodletting operation when he was in dire financial straits, but after the procedure he had nothing with which to strengthen himself. All he could find was clove of garlic, so he cast it into his mouth. This caused his heart to become faint and he fell into a deep slumber. When the rabbis came to inquire after his welfare they saw him crying and then smiling, after which a spark emitted from his forehead. When he awoke, the rabbis inquired, “Why did the master cry and then smile and why did a spark then come out of his forehead?” He replied, “I beheld Hashem’s Shechinah and He wished me ‘peace.’” “Master of the Universe,” I said, “for how long will I remain in such sorrow and deprivation?” He said to me, “Elazar, My son, would you like Me to destroy the world and create it anew on the chance that you will be born at a time ordained for a more generous livelihood?” I said, “Master of the Universe, which are more numerous, the years that I have already lived or those that I have yet to live?” The Shechinah said, “Those that you have already lived.” “In that case I do not wish for You to do so,” I said. They then showed me thirteen rivers flowing with balsam. I inquired, “Who are these for?” Hashem said to me, “They are for you.” “Is that all?” I asked. To which the Shechinah replied, “What will be left for your colleagues?” [“Am I requesting of someone who lacks for anything?” I asked], whereupon He struck me with His finger upon the forehead, [after which a spark emitted from my forhead].
וּפֵרֵשׁ הָעִנְיָן בְּזֹהַר בְּרֵאשִׁית, כִּי בָּנֵי וְחַיֵּי וּמְזוֹנֵי — לָאו בִּזְכוּתָא תַּלְיָא, אֶלָּא בְּמַזְּלָא; וְהָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר נִבְרָא בַּמַּזָּל שֶׁיִּהְיֶה עָנִי — אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לְמֵהַפֵּךְ בִּזְכוּתָא אִם לֹא שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁזֶּה יִגְרֹם זְכוּתוֹ שֶׁיָּמוּת, וְיִקַּח הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת נִשְׁמָתוֹ וְיִתְּנֶנָּה בְּגוּף אַחֵר, וְאֶפְשָׁר עַל יְדֵי שִׁנּוּי מָקוֹם בְּגוּף אַחֵר יִהְיֶה לוֹ פַּרְנָסָה בְּרֶוַח וְכוּ' בְּאֶפְשָׁר וְלֹא בְּוַדַּאי.
This passage is explained more fully in the Zohar on Bereishis (Tikkunim 69, 100a). There it is taught that a person’s offspring, life span and livelihood are all dependent upon his astrological sign (mazzal), not his merit. If a person was born under a sign indicating poverty, merit cannot change it. The best that merit can accomplish is to cause the Holy One Blessed is He to take his soul out and instill it into a different body. Through this change in location he may be granted a more generous income. But even then it is only a possibility.
וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: נַיְחָא לָךְ דְּאִיחְרַב עָלְמָא? רָצָה לוֹמַר, כִּי כָּל אָדָם נִקְרָא עוֹלָם קָטָן, כַּיָּדוּעַ. וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁאַחֲרִיב זֶה הַגּוּף עַל יְדֵי נְטִילַת נְשָׁמָה מִמֶּנּוּ וְאִיהֲדַר וְאִיבְרִי גּוּף אַחֵר, וְאֶתֵּן בּוֹ הַנְּשָׁמָה, וְאָז אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁתִּזְכֶּה לְפַרְנָסָה בְּרֶוַח. וְלָכֵן אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: אִי הָכֵי לָא בָּעִינָא. וְנִלְמָד מִכָּאן, שֶׁאֵין לָאָדָם לִדְחֹק אֶת הַשָּׁעָה כְּלָל, וְיִבְטַח בַּה', שֶׁאֵין מְקַפֵּחַ שְׂכַר כָּל בְּרִיָּה; וְאִם לֹא זָכָה לִהְיוֹת בְּהַרְוָחָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בְּלִי דְּאָגָה — בְּוַדַּאי שְׂכָרוֹ יִהְיֶה כָּפוּל וּמְכֻפָּל בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
This is what the Holy One Blessed is He meant when He asked Rabbi Elazar, “Would you like Me to destroy the world?” For it is well known that a human being is called a miniature “world.” Thus He was offering to destroy his current body by taking his soul from him and then to go back and create a new body into which to introduce his soul, opening up the possibility that he will merit a more generous income. This is why Rabbi Elazar responded, “I do not wish for You to do so.” We can learn from this passage that a person should not try to change his circumstances forcibly. Rather, let him trust that Hashem does not withhold the just reward of any creature. If he did not merit a life of comfort in this world he should not be concerned, for undoubtedly his reward will be many times greater in the next world.
וְכָל מִי שֶׁהוּא שָׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ מַה שֶּׁחָנַן ה' אוֹתוֹ, אִם רַב אִם מְעַט, וְאַל יִהְיֶה לִבּוֹ דּוֹאֵג עֲבוּר פַּרְנָסָה שֶׁהוּא בְּקִמּוּץ, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁלֹּא יִקְרָא תִּגָּר, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אַחַר מִדּוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְלֹא לְהַרְאוֹת כַּעַס אוֹ רֹגֶז בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה עִם אֲנָשִׁים, כִּי זֶה הוּא בּוֹעֵט נֶגֶד הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ; רַק יָשִׂים עַל לִבּוֹ, כִּי כָּל הַדֹּחַק וְהָעֲנִיּוּת הוּא כַּפָּרָה וּסְלִיחָה לַחֲטָאָיו וּפְשָׁעָיו. וְכָל הַדּוֹחֵק אֶת הַשָּׁעָה — הַשָּׁעָה דּוֹחֶקֶת לוֹ, כִּי זֶהוּ הַחֶסֶד שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁמְּשַׁלֵּם לוֹ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה שְׁכַר הָעֲבֵרָה, כִּי הַרְבֵּה רְשָׁעִים צוֹעֲקִים בַּגֵּיהִנָּם: הַלְוַאי הָיִינוּ עֲנִיִּים וְדַלִּים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְהַלְוַאי הָיִינוּ סוֹבְלִים יִסּוּרִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה לְכַפָּרַת עֲווֹנוֹתֵינוּ! וְאוֹמְרִים הָרְשָׁעִים, שֶׁרֹב הַטּוֹבָה וּשְׁרִירוּת הַמָּמוֹן שֶׁהָיָה לָנוּ, הוּא עִנְיָן רַע, שֶׁעַכְשָׁו אֲנַחְנוּ בִּמְצוּדָה רָעָה בַּגֵּיהִנָּם.
Every God-fearing person should rejoice over the lot that Hashem has granted him, whether bountiful or meager. He should not be at all concerned if he must live frugally and he should certainly not harbor any ill thoughts about the ways of the Holy One Blessed is He, Heaven forbid! Let him show no sign of anger or irritation when speaking of the matter with others, either, for that would be as if he were rebelling against Hashem. Instead let him reflect that his deprivation and poverty are atonements and tokens of forgiveness for his sins and iniquities. As the Sages warn, “Whoever forces time, [and extends himself in an effort to succeed more quickly] the time will force him [so that he will encounter setbacks and not succeed]” (Eiruvin 13b). Whenever the Holy One Blessed is He requites a person for his transgressions in this world it is in fact an act of lovingkindness. Thus the wicked cry out in Gehinnom, “If only we had been poor and downtrodden in this world! If only we had suffered afflictions in this world to atone for our sins!” They say further, “The abundance of goodness and the financial power that we enjoyed was to our detriment. For now we are caught in the terrible trap of Gehinnom.
עַל כֵּן יָשִׂים כָּל אָדָם בְּכָל יוֹם אֶל לִבּוֹ, אַף שֶׁאֵין כָּל הָעִתִּים שָׁוִים, צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר: כָּל מַאי דְּעָבִיד רַחֲמָנָא הוּא לְטַב. וְעַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה אִם נָתַן ה' עשֶׁר לְאֶחָד וְהַשְׁפָּעָה טוֹבָה — שֶׁיִּתְנַהֵג בְּצֶדֶק וּבְישֶׁר וְלֵב רַךְ, וְיָדוֹ פְּתוּחָה לְהַעֲנִיק לְאֶבְיוֹנִים וַעֲנִיִּים מִבִּרְכַּת ה' אֲשֶׁר בֵּרֵךְ אוֹתוֹ, וְכָל מִי אֲשֶׁר יִרְאַת ה' בִּלְבָבוֹ — יַחֲשֹׁב תָּמִיד כִּי בְּעֵת אֲשֶׁר נִזְדַּמֵּן מִצְוָה לְפָנָיו, וַדַּאי הוּא שֶׁנִּגְזָר אֵיזֶה גְּזֵרָה רָעָה עָלָיו; וְעַל יְדֵי זְכוּת שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ מִצְוָה, שֶׁהִמְצִיא לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ, עַל יְדֵי כָּךְ נִצּוֹל מֵהַצָּרָה שֶׁנִּגְזָר עָלָיו. וְזֶהוּ כְּלָל גָּדוֹל לִזְרִיזוּת קִיּוּם הַמִּצְווֹת.
Therefore, let a person reflect on these things every day. And although all moments are not equal, let him be accustomed to say, “Whatever the Merciful One does is for the good.” And if Hashem has granted him wealth and bounty it is especially important that he conduct himself with justice, integrity and mercy. Let his hands be open to share his blessings with the poor and needy. Let every God-fearing individual bear in mind that whenever the opportunity to perform a mitzvah arises it is a sure sign that some evil decree has been issued against him, Heaven forbid, and it is only through this mitzvah that he can save himself from it. This is an essential principle leading to zeal in the performance of the commandments.
וְכִדְמָצִינוּ בַּזֹּהַר, פָּרָשַׁת בְּהַר: רַבִּי חִיָּא וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָזְלֵי בְּאוֹרְחָא. פָּגְעוּ בְּהַאי טוּרָא אַשְׁכָּחוּ תְּרֵי דַּהֲוֵי אָזְלֵי. אַדְהָכֵי חֲמוּ בַּר נָשׁ דַּהֲוֵי אָתֵי. אָמַר לְהוּ: בְּמָטוּ מִנַּיְכוּ, הֲבוּ לִי נַהֲמָא, דַּהֲוֵין תְּרֵין יוֹמִין בְּתַעֲנִיתָא. הָיִיתִי מְהַלֵּךְ בְּמַדְבְּרָא, וְלֹא אָכִילְנָא מִידִי. מִיָּד אִשְׁתָּמִיט חַד מֵאִנּוּן תְּרֵין גַּבְרֵי אַפִּיק מְזוֹנָא דְּאִיהוּ אַיְתֵי לְאוֹרְחָא, וְיָהִיב לֵיהּ, וְאָכִיל וְאַשְׁקֵי לֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ חַבְרֵיהּ: מַה תַּעֲבִיד, דְּלֹא יִהְיֶה לָךְ מִידִי לְמֵיכַל, שֶׁנָּתַתָּ הַכֹּל לְאוֹתוֹ הֶעָנִי?! אַל תִּסְמֹך עַל שֶׁלִּי, כִּי לֹא יֵשׁ בְּיָדִי רַק מְעַט מָזוֹן! אָמַר לֵיהּ: וּמָה אִית לִי גַּבָּךְ? בְּוַדַּאי לֹא אֲבַקֵּשׁ מִמְּךָ שֶׁתִּתֵּן לִי. אֲנָא אֵיזוֹל בְּלָא מְזוֹנָא. יָתִיב גַּבֵּיהּ הַאי מִסְכֵּנָא, וַהֲוֵי אָכַל, וְנִשְׁתַּיֵּר רַק מְעַט לֶחֶם, וְגַם זֶה הַמּוּעָט יָהִיב לֵיהּ לְאוֹרְחָא וְאָזִיל לֵיהּ, הֲוֵי קָא מְצַעֵר רַבִּי חִיָּא עַל שֶׁלֹּא נַעֲשָׂה מִצְוָה זוֹ עַל יָדוֹ לְהַחֲיוֹת נֶפֶשׁ הָאֶבְיוֹן. אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: אַל תִּצְטַעֵר, דְּלֹא לְחִנָּם הֲוֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִזְדַּמֵּן מִצְוָה זוֹ לִפְנֵי הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה דִּלְמָא דִּינָא אִתְגְּזַר עַל הַאי גַּבְרָא, וּבָעֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְזַמְּנָא לֵיהּ קַמֵּיהּ מִצְוָה זוֹ בְּגִין לְשֵׁזָבָא לֵיהּ לְהַאי עָנִי לְהַחֲיוֹת נַפְשׁוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא: הָא מְזוֹנָא גַּבָּן נֵיהִיב לֵיהּ לְהַאי גַּבְרָא לְמֵיכוּל. אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: לֹא נִתֵּן לֵיהּ כְּלוּם, דִּבְהַאי נַהֲמָא דְּנִתֵּן לֵיהּ נָפִיקְנָא מִנֵּיהּ זְכוּתָא. נֵיזוּל נֶחֱזֵי דְּהָא וַדַּאי נִגְזַר עָלָיו גְּזֵרַת מִיתָה, וּבִזְכוּת פַּרְנָסָה זוֹ שֶׁנָּתַן לְעָנִי — יִהְיֶה נִצּוֹל.
Thus the Zohar relates (Parashas Behar 110b): Rabbi Chiyya and Rabbi Yose were traveling along the road when they came to a certain mountain. There they noticed two people walking along. Meanwhile another person approached them, saying, “Please give me some bread! For I have been fasting for two days. I have been traveling through the desert and have eaten nothing.” One of the two men immediately went and took out the provisions he had brought along for the way, and gave them to him following which he ate and drank. Then his companion said to him, “Now what will you do? For now you have nothing to eat, since you have given everything to that beggar! Do not rely on mine because I have with me only meager rations.” He replied, “What claim do I have on you? Of course I will not ask you to give me anything. I will simply go without eating.” Then the beggar came and sat down beside him and continued eating until there remained only a little bread. This, too, the man gave him for the way, and the beggar moved on. Upon seeing this Rabbi Chiyya was distressed that he had not been granted the mitzvah of sustaining the poor man. But Rabbi Yose said to him, “Do not be distressed. For it is not in vain that the Holy One Blessed is He presented this man with the mitzvah. Perhaps an evil decree had been issued against him and the Holy One Blessed is He offered him the mitzvah that he might be spared in its merit.” Rabbi Chiyya responded, “Look, we have provisions. Let us give them to him to eat.” “We must not give him anything,” said Rabbi Yose, “because with the bread that we gave him we would deprive him of his merit. Let us simply go and see what transpires, for certainly a death sentence was hanging over him, from which he was saved in the merit of the sustenance that he granted the beggar.”
אַדְהָכֵי יָתִיב הַאי בַּר נָשׁ וְנָאִים תְּחוֹת אִילָנָא, וְחַבְרֵיהּ אִתְרָחִיק מִנֵּיהּ וְהָלַךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ אַחֵר. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי לְרַבִּי חִיָּא: הַשְׁתָּא נֵיתוּב מֵרָחוֹק וְנֶחֱזֵי, דְּוַדַּאי בָּעֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמִרְחַשׁ לֵיהּ נִסָּא. אַדְהָכֵי חָזוּ דְּמוּת כְּשַׁלְהֶבֶת עִם גֶּחָלִים עוֹמֵד לְנֶגְדּוֹ, וְנָחָשׁ אֶחָד נָחִית מֵאִילָנָא חַד, וּבָעֵי לְהָמִית הַאי גַּבְרָא. קָם הַאי שַׁלְהוּבָא וְרָהִיט עַל רֹאשׁ הַנָּחָשׁ — וּמִית הַנָּחָשׁ, וְשׁוּב לֹא נִרְאֶה הַשַּׁלְהוּבָא. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: לָא אֲמִינָא לְכוֹ, דְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְמִרְחַשׁ נִסָּא לְהַאי גַּבְרָא, וְלָא תִּפּוֹק זְכוּתָא מִנֵּיהּ? אַדְהָכֵי אִתְעַר הַאי גַּבְרָא וְקָם וְאָזִיל לֵיהּ. אַחְדוּ לֵיהּ רַבִּי חַיָּא וְרַבִּי יוֹסִי וְיַהֲבֵי לֵיהּ לְמֵיכַל. בָּתַר דְּאָכַל, אִתְחַוִּיאוּ לֵיהּ נִסָּא דְּרָחִישׁ לֵיהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. פָּתַח רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: וּצְדָקָה תַּצִּיל מִמָּוֶת. כִּי יֵשׁ אִילָנָא דְּחַיֵּי, וְיֵשׁ אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא; וְהָעוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים מַחֲזִיק בְּאִילָנֵי דְחַיֵּי, וְהָעוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשִׂים רָעִים מַחֲזִיק בְּאִילָנֵי דְּמוֹתָא. וְהַאי גַּבְרָא, דְּאַחֲזִיק בִּצְדָקָה, וְיָהִיב פַּרְנָסָה לֶעָנִי, וְעַל יְדֵי צְדָקָה זוֹ הָיָה נִצּוֹל מֵאוֹתוֹ חִוְיָא וְהִתִּישׁ כֹּחַ אִילָנָא דְּמוֹתָא. עַד כָּאן.
In the meantime the man had sat down and dozed off under a tree while his companion took leave of him to travel by a different route. Rabbi Yose said to Rabbi Chiyya, “Now let us sit at a distance and watch what happens because it is clear that the Holy One Blessed is He intends to perform a miracle on his behalf.” Meanwhile they saw a figure resembling flaming coal standing before him. Rabbi Chiyya declared, “Woe to him, for now he is about to die.” But Rabbi Yose said, “How deserving he must be, for the Holy One Blessed is He is about to do a miracle on his behalf.” While they were speaking a snake came down from the tree bent on killing the man. But the flame arose and trampled the head of the snake, killing it and then disappeared. Rabbi Yose said, “Did I not tell you that the Holy One Blessed is He wished to do a miracle for him and that you should not deprive him of his merit?” Soon the man awoke and stood up to continue along his way. But Rabbi Chiyya and Rabbi Yose caught up with him and gave him to eat. Afterwards they informed him of the miracle that the Holy One Blessed is He had done for him. Rabbi Yose then cited the verse, “And charity saves from death” (Mishlei 11:4). He explained, “There is a Tree of Life and a Tree of Death. Whoever does good deeds takes hold of the Tree of Life. Whoever does bad ones takes hold of the Tree of Death. This fellow who performed charity and gave sustenance to the poor was saved thereby from the snake and he thus weakened the power of the Tree of Death.”
לָכֵן יִרְאֶה הָאָדָם בְּעֵינָיו, כִּי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הוּא הֶבֶל וּרְעוּת רוּחַ, וְאֵין תַּכְלִיתוֹ שֶׁל הָאָדָם רַק שֶׁיִּירַשׁ עוֹלָם הַבָּא. עַל כֵּן יִרְאֶה לַעֲסֹק בִּצְדָקָה וּבְתוֹרָה וּבִגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, כְּדֵי שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה כֻּלָּנוּ בִּמְהֵרָה לְחַיֵּי עוֹלָם הַבָּא, אָמֵן.
Therefore let a person see clearly that this world is one of vanity and heartbreak, and that one’s only goal should be to inherit the World to Come. To this end let him occupy himself with charity, Torah and acts of lovingkindness that we may all merit swiftly a [portion in] the World to Come, Amein.