Bava Batra 10b — the Talmud in English

And which is it

charity

that saves him from an unusual death?

This is charity whose donor

gives it without knowing to whom he gives it , and

the poor person

takes it without knowing from whom he takes it.

And what they said, that the superior charity is the charity whose

donor gives it without knowing to whom he gives it,

is

to exclude

the charity

that

Mar Ukva

gave.

In Ketubot [67b] it is explained that Mar Ukva was accustomed to place four zuzim every day in a hole made at the threshold of the poor person’s door. And with this charity, the donor knew to whom he was giving the charity, and this is not the charity that saves from the judgment of Gehinnom.

And what they said, that the superior charity is the charity which the poor person

takes without knowing from whom he takes it,

is

to exclude

the charity

that

Rabbi Abba

gave.

For he would wrap the money in his scarf, and throw his scarf behind him, and poor people would come and take the money without Rabbi Abba seeing who was taking it. And with this charity, although the donor did not know to whom he gave, the recipient knew from whom he took.

But then what should he do?

How should a person perform charity in the most superior manner, in such a way that the donor would not know to whom he gives and the recipient would not know from whom he takes?

Let him give to the charity fund!

And the collectors will distribute it to the poor.

The baraita raises an objection,

for we learned in a baraita:

What should a person do so that he will have male children?

Rabbi Eliezer says: Let him distribute his money to the poor ;

Rabbi Yehoshua says: Let him gladden his wife for the sake of a mitzva

before he visits her .

And the baraita continues:

Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says: A person should not give a peruta to a charity fund unless a trustworthy person is appointed over it

a trustworthy person ,

such as Rabbi Ḥananya ben Teradyon

and if he does not find a fund over which such a person is appointed, he should not give the money to a charity fund, but should distribute it himself — and this is difficult: How did they say that a person should always give his money to a charity fund?

And he answers:

When we say

that a person should give his money to a charity fund, that is only in a situation

that a person is appointed over it

a trustworthy person is appointed over this fund

such as Rabbi Ḥananya ben Teradyon.

Rabbi Abbahu said: Moses said before the Holy One, blessed is He: Master of the Universe, through what will the glory of Israel be raised?

He said to him: “When you take a census,”

when you count them, take money from them for charity, and through this their glory will be raised ! And as it is stated in the verse: “When you take the census of the heads of the Children of Israel, each man shall give an atonement for his soul.”

And Rabbi Abbahu said: They asked Solomon son of David: How great is the power of charity?

He said to them: Go out and see what David my father interpreted

in Psalms: “

He distributed, he gave to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn shall be raised in honor” !

Rabbi Abba said

that the greatness of the power of charity is learned

from here .

It is stated in Isaiah: “

He shall dwell on high; rocky strongholds shall be his refuge; his bread shall be given, his waters trustworthy,”

and the Gemara expounds the verse:

What is the reason

that a person is blessed with these blessings, that

he shall dwell on high

and

rocky strongholds shall be his refuge?

It is only

because he gave his bread

to the poor

and his waters trustworthy!

And Rabbi Abbahu said: They asked Solomon: Who is a son of the World to Come?

He said to them: Anyone before whose elders there is honor.

That is, one to whom honor is accorded in this world on account of his wisdom and not on account of his wealth .

And the Gemara brings an incident proving that the sages who are important in this world are also important in the World to Come.

As in the case of Rav

Yosef, son of Rabbi Yehoshua, became ill,

he became ill,

and fainted,

and died.

His father said to him: What did you see?

What did you see in the World to Come?

He said to him: I saw an inverted world,

for those who were in this world

above

on account of their wealth and not on account of their wisdom , in the World to Come they are

below, and

those who were in this world

below,

despised on account of their poverty, in the World to Come they are

above.

He said to him

his father: This is not an inverted world, but

you saw a clear world!

For this world is the inverted world, in which the wealthy are honored .

And Rabbi Yehoshua continued to ask his son:

And us, how did you see us?

How do they regard us there, the Torah scholars?

He said to him: Just as we are regarded here, so are we regarded there.

Just as in this world the Torah scholars are important and honored, so it is in the World to Come.

And Rav Yosef added and said to his father:

And I heard that they were

the heavenly entourage

saying: Fortunate is the one who comes here with his learning in his hand

who knows how to recite his learning !

And

also

I heard that they were saying,

that

no creature can stand in the partition of those executed by the kingdom

because of their great stature .

Who are they?

Who are those executed by the kingdom in whose partition no creature can stand?

If you say

if the reference is to

Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues,

it is difficult: Is it only

because

they were

executed by the kingdom

that no creature can stand in their partition,

and nothing more?

Did they have no other merits besides this? Surely it is

obvious

that

in any event,

even without their having been executed by the kingdom,

also

no creature could be in their partition.

Rather,

the reference is to

those executed in Lod,

who were the brothers Lulianus and Papus, whom the wicked Turianus killed. After the king’s daughter was found murdered, and they suspected that Israel had killed her, they decreed to destroy Israel. These two brothers arose and said, “We killed her,” in order to save Israel. And concerning them they said that since they were executed by the kingdom, no creature can stand in their partition.

It was taught in a baraita: Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said to them

to his students: My sons, what is the meaning of that which Scripture says: “

Charity raises a nation, but the kindness of nations is a sin”?

Rabbi Eliezer responded and said,

this is the meaning of the verse: “

Charity raises a nation”—

these are Israel,

for Israel are called “a nation,”

as it is written: “

And who is like Your people Israel, one nation in the land.”

And what the verse says, “

but the kindness of nations is a sin,”

means that

all charity and kindness that the nations who worship the stars perform is a sin for them

and not a mitzva,

because

they do not perform

the charity and kindness

except in order to glorify themselves through it

in order to prolong their days ,

as it is stated: Cyrus commanded that cattle and sheep be given to the Jews so that

“there may be enough for them to offer pleasing fragrances to the God of Heaven

which the priests would offer as a pleasing fragrance to the Lord,

and pray for the life of the king and his sons.”

Thus, all Cyrus’s purpose in giving sacrifices was solely for his own benefit, so that they would pray for him.

Thus, Cyrus’s entire purpose in giving offerings was solely for his own benefit, so that they would pray for him.

And we raise an objection:

And one who acts in this manner,

that is, one who performs charity in this way, intending for his own benefit,

is it not complete charity?

But

is it

not taught in a baraita: One who says, “This sela is for charity so that my sons may live, and so that I may merit the World to Come”—he is a completely righteous person!

If so, why is the charity given by gentiles for their own benefit considered a sin for them?

And we answer:

This is not difficult.

Here,

in the baraita in which it is explained that one who gives charity for his own benefit is a completely righteous person, this is

in the case of an Israelite

who gives charity. For an Israelite’s intention is toward Heaven, and even if his son does not live, he does not regret giving the charity and does not question the attribute of justice . But

here,

where Rabbi Eliezer expounded that charity is considered a sin for the nations, it is

with

charity given by

a star-worshipper,

and a star-worshipper who gives for his own pleasure has his charity considered a sin, for he gives only on that condition; and if his request is not fulfilled, he regrets giving the charity.

Rabbi Yehoshua responded and said

concerning what Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai asked, what is the meaning of that which Scripture says, “Charity raises a nation, but the kindness of nations is a sin,” and Rabbi Yehoshua explained: “

Charity raises a nation”—

these are Israel,

who are called “a nation,” as

it is written: “

And who is like Your people Israel, one nation.”

And what the verse says, “

but the kindness of nations is a sin,”

means that

all charity and kindness that star-worshippers perform is a sin for them

and not a mitzva,

because

they do not perform

the charity

except so that their kingdom may endure

for a long time.

As it is stated

in the Book of Daniel, who interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream for him, that Nebuchadnezzar was destined to be removed from his kingdom and become like an animal and beast. Then Daniel advised Nebuchadnezzar:

“Therefore, O king, may my counsel be pleasing to you,”

therefore, may my counsel be good in the king’s eyes,

“and redeem your sins through charity,”

and redeem your sin through charity,

“and your iniquities through showing mercy to the poor,”

and atone for your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, and

then,

if you heed my counsel and give charity,

“there may be an extension to your tranquility,”

your tranquility will be extended, and you will sit securely upon your kingdom. Thus, the gentiles give charity only so that their kingdom may endure .

Rabban Gamliel responded and said:

this is how the verse “Charity raises a nation, but the kindness of nations is a sin” is to be explained, and Rabban Gamliel explained: “

Charity raises a nation”—

these are Israel,

who are called “a nation,” as

it is written: “

And who is like Your people Israel—

one nation.” And what the verse says, “

but the kindness of nations is a sin,”

means that

all charity and kindness that star-worshippers perform is a sin for them

and not a mitzva,

because they do not perform

the charity

except

in order

to boast through it.

And anyone who boasts falls into Gehinnom, as it is stated: “

The proud, insolent one—his name is scorner; he acts with insolent anger.”

And the Gemara expounds the verse: The scorner will be judged with “anger.”

And “anger” means only Gehinnom, as it is stated

concerning the day of judgment: “

The day of anger,

that day.”

Rabban Gamliel said:

Despite all the expositions that they expounded concerning the verse “Charity raises a nation, but the kindness of nations is a sin,”

we still need

the exposition of Rabbi Elazar, who was from the mountain of

Modi'im,

for

Rabbi Elazar of Modi'im says

this is how the verse is to be explained: “

Charity raises a nation”—

these are Israel,

who are called “a nation,”

as it is written: “

And who is like Your people Israel, one nation”;

and what the verse says, “

but the kindness of nations is a sin,”

this is its meaning:

all charity and kindness that star-worshippers perform is a sin for them

and not a mitzva,

because they do not perform

this charity

except to disgrace us through it.

As it is stated:

when Nebuzaradan exiled Israel, he said to Jeremiah: “

And He came and did as the Lord had spoken, because you sinned against the Lord and did not listen to His voice, and

therefore

this thing happened to you.”

At that time Nebuzaradan performed charity with Jeremiah, releasing him from the chains, and at that same time he disgraced the people of Israel. Thus, the gentiles perform charity only in order to disgrace the people of Israel.

Rabbi Naḥunya ben HaKanah responded and said,

this is how the verse “Charity raises a nation, but the kindness of nations is a sin” is to be explained: “

Charity raises a nation, and kindness”

for Israel!

That is, the word “kindness” written in the verse refers to Israel, and not as the other amoraim expounded . And the continuation of the verse is: “

and for nations, sin,”

meaning that the gentiles have sin alone, and they do not possess charity and kindness.

Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai said to his disciples: The words of Rabbi Nehunya ben HaKana appear [more correct] than my words and than your words, because he grants charity and kindness to Israel ,

and to idolaters

he grants only

sin

alone, whereas according to your words, “kindness” was stated regarding the gentiles.

And this is difficult: From what Rabbi Yohanan said, “The words of Rabbi Nehunya ben HaKana appear [more correct] than my words and than your words,”

by implication,

from this one may learn,

that he,

Rabbi Yohanan himself,

also said

that this verse was expounded, and regarding his exposition he said that the words of Rabbi Nehunya appeared more correct than his.

And

what is it?

What is the exposition that Rabbi Yohanan expounded? —

For it was taught: Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai said to them: Just as

the sin-offering

atones for Israel, so charity atones for the nations.

For Rabbi Yohanan expounded the verse, “Charity elevates a nation, and the kindness of nations is a sin,” in such a manner that the entire verse deals with the nations. That is, the charity performed by the gentiles elevates them, and the kindness atones for them like a sin-offering .

Iphra Hormiz, [

the name of a woman ]

the mother of Shapur the king, sent four hundred dinars

she sent four hundred dinars

before Rabbi Ami

so that he would give them to charity ,

but he did not accept them

and Rav Ami did not accept them from her.

And again

he sent them

she sent the money

before Rava, and he accepted them because of the peace of the kingdom.

When

Rabbi Ami heard

that Rava had accepted the money,

he became angry

at Rava, and

said:

And is it that

he does not have,

does Rava not hold what is written in the verse,

“When its harvest dries, it shall be broken; women come and illuminate it”!?

And the meaning of this verse is that when the merits in the possession of the gentiles are exhausted, and the moisture of the charitable deeds that had been in their possession dries up, then they will be broken, and then even a weak nation, like women, will be able to kindle and burn them . And if so, one must not help them perform charitable deeds, so that their power will be broken.

And the Gemara explains what Rava’s position was when he took the money:

And Rava

took the money

because of the peace of the kingdom.

And

the Gemara adds that

Rabbi Ami too

held that the money should be taken

because of the peace of the kingdom ,

but he held

that he should have distributed it

that Rava should have distributed the money

to the poor of the idolaters

so that the queen would not have the merit of charity.

And

in truth

Rava too gave it to the poor of the idolaters .

And Rabbi Ami’s anger

and the reason Rabbi Ami became angry at him

was

because he thought that Rava had given the money to the poor of Israel, because of

they had not finished telling it before him

they had not finished telling him that Rava had given the money to the poor of the gentiles.