The Rebbe's Rambam | Marking the completion of the entire set

Hilchos Melachim | Ch 10

mikln zekld

421

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seems to me that we should give it to Jewish paupers, since he is sustained by the Jews, and it is a mitzvah upon them to sustain him. However, a gentile who gives charity — it should be accepted from him and given to gentile paupers. The Jewish courts are obligated to appoint judges for these gerim toshavim [resident con verts] to adjudicate according to these laws, so that the world will not be corrupted. If the courts see fit to appoint their judges from among them, they do so. And if they see fit to appoint judges from among the Jews, they do so.

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 perspective of the Ramban. As the prophet Yechezkel proclaimed, “Only this was the sin of Sodom [it was destroyed because it] did not support the poor and the needy.” 316 Sodom would not be utterly destroyed for a transgression of a commandment it was not obligated to keep in the first place! How would the Rambam approach this story? In truth, the entire world was created so that Jewish people can observe the Torah. The Seven Noahide Laws are a prerequisite for the Jewish people to have a civilized world within which they can freely practice Judaism and fulfill the mitzvos of Hashem. Therefore, although giving charity is not a mitzvah for a gentile, even the Rambam would agree that society must generally promote acts of charity and certainly not emulate the behavior of Sodom. The Talmud describes how “there was a young woman [in Sodom] who would take bread out to the poor people in a pitcher so the people of Sodom would not see it. The matter was revealed, and they smeared her with honey and positioned her on the wall of the city, and the hornets came and consumed her. And that is the meaning of that which is written: ‘And Hashem said: Because the cry of Sodom and Amorra is great.’” 317 Such a hostile attitude towards charity is the antith esis of a viable civilization and undermines the very basis of the Seven Noahide Laws. Likkutei Sichos vol. 5 pg. 150

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Pardes Hamelech

97. “If he gives charity, it should be accepted from him” This suggests that, ideally, it is not advisable for a Ben Noach to engage in tzedakah (if he does so as a commandment that deserves reward), because it may violate the prohibition against creating new religious practices, which the Rambam prohibited in the previ ous halachah. This needs further clarification: The prohibition against new religious practices does not apply to all mitzvos. As an example, Dama ben Nesina refused to wake his father for any amount of money, and was later rewarded for scrupulously honor ing his parents. 318 Why was he commended for his performance of a mitzvah which is not included in the Sheva Mitzvos? The explanation: Dama ben Nesina respected his father as a matter of principle. This was his way of expressing his decency as a human being with high ethical standards, and that is most certainly praiseworthy. However, our halachah is referring to one who gives charity as a way to connect to Hashem. Since it is not included in the Sheva Mitzvos [not even implicitly, as explained in the previous segment], it is best to avoid the practice altogether. 319 Reshimos, Choveres 159

.319 úøåúå ìëùä áåéç éðôî ä÷ãö ïúð íàù ø"åîãà ÷"ë éøáãî òîùî .äðéúð ïá àîã ìù à"åà ãåáéë åîë çáåùî æ"ä øñåîä

.316 .èî ,æè ìà÷æçé .317 .á ,è÷ ïéøãäðñ .318 .à ,àì ïéùåãé÷