Shalom sweet friends
Parshas Mishpatim 22/22-23: "You shall not cause pain to any widow or orphan. אם ענה תענה אותו כי אם צעק יצעק אלי שומע אשמע צעקתו - If you cause him pain, for if he shall cry out to me I shall surely hear his outcry." [See the continuation of the psukim for the swift and severe punishment meted out.] We thank the Stone Chumash for the translating help but I say "English - How inadequate you are to completely capture the true biblical meaning". [The founding fathers of America actually considered making Hebrew the official language of the country because they were very religious people and appreciated the language of the Torah. They probably rejected the idea because they realized that they would have to learn a new language.... Plus they probably couldn't roll their ר's like a true Israeli. Over 25 years here and I still can't.] In the original there is a tautology [sounds like a boring subject in school - "Yeah, I'm taking Chemistry and Tautology" but actually means 'a needless repetition']. ענה תענה then צעק יצעק then שומע אשמע. What is THAT all about?? [Do all of my bracketed comments stifle the flow? Probably. But I sorta can't help it. Sorta.]
The Kotzker explains: When someone afflicts an orphan or widow it is really a double whammy. The first "wham" is what was actually said or done and in addition is that it reminds the person about their unfortunate state. A woman thinks to herself "If I wouldn't be a widow and had a husband the person wouldn't have done that to me" so she is reminded that she no longer has a husband. It is a double pain. The orphan thinks to himself "If I would have parents the person would not have done that to me" so he is reminded that he doesn't have parents. Another double pain.
Says the Torah - If a person causes them this dual affliction "ענה תענה אותו" then what will happen is that the orphan or widow will cry a dual cry to Hashem צעק יצעק and of course Hashem will listen "שמוע אשמע" and the punishment will come.
When we hurt someones feelings, even if the person is not a widow or orphan, we must remember that our words might well have touched a sensitive nerve and brought up painful feelings of the past. Maybe a person struggles with issues of self esteem and a well placed put down arouses years of painful feelings of inadequacy. Maybe a person felt unloved as a child and an insensitive comment will intensify those feeling buried under years of repression. We must be so careful with our words. Life and death are really in the power of the tongue, as the wisest of all men said.
Now I will engage in a wanton act of plagarism and copy from the blog "Mevakesh Lev" since his words highlight the positive עשה טוב aspect.
It's coooomin' upp! Adar! משנכנס אדר מרבים בשמחה - When Adar comes in we are supposed to increase our simcha levels. Why?
One of the Rishonim, Rav Dovid ben Rav Levi of Narvona [lived in Provence in southeast France in the 13th century] explained why we are so happy in his ספר המכתם.
The Rambam writes in hilchos purim in explaining why מתנות לאביונים is so important: שאין שם שמחה גדולה ומפוארה אלא לשמח לב אביונים ויתומים
אלמנות וגרים שהמשמח לב אומללים האלו דומה לשכינה שנאמר להחיות רוח שפלים ולהחיות לב נדכאים
There is no greater or more glorious simcha than gladdening the hearts of the poor, orphans, widows and converts. For one who gladdens these unfortunates is LIKE THE SHECHINA as it says about [Hashem] "He infuses spirit in the low and gives life to the downtrodden."
The greatest happiness is being like Hashem and the way to do that is to raise the spirits of those who are down. Says the ספר המכתם - don't wait until Purim comes to have the simcha of being like Hashem. Start already on Rosh Chodesh!
