Tzedek-Tzedek

A minor incident on Purim has troubled me. I collect on Purim day for Lema’an Achai. This year I teamed up for an hour on Purim with my friend Murray Shore from Toronto , and we went together door-to-door. A donor (we’ll call him Ploni) came up to us and proposed the following deal. Ploni offered to give Lema’an Achai 250 NIS, if Lema’an Achai will receipt him for 500 NIS . Ploni explained that he has given out at least 250 NIS in cash donations to individuals, who are not able to give tax receipts. So Ploni is giving 500 NIS total charity, and believes he’s entitled to a receipt for that full amount. Ploni further explained that Lema’an Achai loses nothing by this, as we doubtless have collected plenty of cash, which has not yet been receipted. At the moment, no-one gets tax benefit from this. And of course, we receive 250 NIS from Ploni, which he otherwise might not have donated. To finish off the proposal, Ploni named Rabbi X, an important community rabbi in town, who P

I fondly recall our rabbi in the synagogue I attended in England solemnly and loudly praying for the welfare of the Royal Family, in English, from the bimah. The older siddurim there had the names of kings, queens and princes long departed.  This is an ancient tradition in Jewish communities around the world, to pray for the welfare of one’s host countries and rulers, usually in the language of that country. The earliest source is Biblical: And seek the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you and pray to the Lord in its behalf; for in its prosperity you shall prosper. (Jeremiah 29:4-7) And in the Mishna, it states (Avot 3:2; and cf. Avodah Zarah 4a): Rabbi Hananya the Deputy High Priest says: Pray for the welfare of the Kingdom (= Rome ), for were it not for the fear of it, a man would swallow his neighbor alive. Rabbi Hananya lived at the end of the Second Temple period. He is saying that the Jews should pray for the Roman government for, if not for them, there w

From Hirhurim - Musings Blog.... The latest issue of the Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society (LX) has a very important article by the editor, R. Alfred Cohen, titled “Judging Transgression in the Absence of Witnesses.” R. Cohen surveys the sources and views regarding how to respond to reports of abuse that lack qualified witnesses, or any proof. This article is groundbreaking and sets the standard of discussion for this issue.   Full article at: http://torahmusings.com/2010/09/responding-halakhically-to-reports-of-abuse.html/comment-page-1

"How's business?" I asked a shop-keeper friend of mine. My friend explained that his store has been impacted by a host of individuals who have set up competing businesses. "A guy came into the shop recently," he explained,"and asked me who supplies us with a particular product? I gladly gave him the contact information. "Lo and behold, I hear that this guy has got together a group of my customers, and they are now buying this product together, and missing out me, the retailer." These businesses are run out of private homes; they generally do not have business permits, nor pay taxes, nor require staff, auditors, lawyers... zero overheads. "It's just not fair," my friend continued. "We have even had to lay staff off – that's local people, with families to support." So, are these individuals unfairly competing with the retailers, or are they budding entrepreneurs – tomorrow's Marks & Spencers? The