From our Torah portion for this week (i.e., Re’eh) we read: aser te’aser: “You shall tithe…” (Deut. 14:22). Understand this as the great blessing of becoming a conduit of heavenly good to others. The sages say that giving tzedakah (צְדָקָה, i.e., “charity”) to others is like a nursing mother. As long as she suckles her child, her milk supply is replenished and even increases; but once she weans the child, her supply dries up… So also when we give of our substance – the more we give, the more we will have; the less we give, the less we will have (Matt. 13:12). Therefore as our Lord taught us: “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. ‘Middah keneged middah’ (מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה) – for with the measure you use it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38). It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).
