Bava Batra 10: Tzedaka and the World-to-Come

Tzedaka is our focus again.  Today's daf introduces us to stories and arguments that further clarify the opinions of the rabbis regarding tzedaka.

• Tumas Rumus challenges Rabbi Akiva about G-d's goodness: why are some people poor?  Why doesn't G-d feed the poor?
• We benefit from giving tzedaka in many ways
• We are judged based on our giving and this affects our lot in the World-to-Come
• On Rosh Hashana the sum of our losses are decided - these might be only what we have given as tzedaka or we may lose more money in other ways
• One who turns his/her eyes away from a poor person is as bad as one who worships idols
• Our acts of tzedaka and chesed brings us peace and facilitates the relationship between us and G-d
• Tzedaka brings on the redemption

• Rabbi Yehuda teaches:
• iron can smash a mountain
• fire can melt iron
• water can put out fire
• clouds can absorb water
• wind can move clouds
• the human body can withstand wind
• fear can break the body
• wine can soften fear
• sleep can dull the effects of wine
• death is more powerful than sleep
• tzedaka can save us from death

• Even giving only one peruta to a poor person makes us worthy of the World-to-Come
• tzedaka  saves us from the judgement of Gehena
• It is best to give tzedaka when one does not know the giver or the receiver - this prevents an unnatural death
• It is also beneficial to give or receive tzedaka when one knows only the receiver or the giver
• We should only give to the charity box if that box is guarded by someone trustworthy, like Rabbi Chanina ben Tradyon

• Yosef had a dream: the World-to-Come is the opposite of this world: those who have stature in this world are lowly in that world and those who are disrespected in this world are lauded in that world.  Rabbi Yehuda believes that this dream is true
• The rabbis affirm that Talmud scholars who are respected here are also respected in the World-to-Come, however
• A person who comes to the World-to-Come with a Torah in hand is lucky
• Anyone who dies as a martyr to save the Jewish community has a special place in the World-to-Come

• Is all charity done by non-Jews sinful because it is not performed simply for the sake of G-d?
• The rabbis argue that even a Jew who declares that s/he is giving tzedaka so that s/he will benefit (my son will live; I will merit the World-to-Come, etc.) is a righteous person
• Haughty people will fall into Gehena
• Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai teaches that tzedaka atones for all of the nations of the world

It is noteworthy that much of today's daf focuses on the utmost importance of one's sincere, kind deeds.  The rabbis are very aware of the power of status: those who have power and think highly of themselves may not be so powerful after all.  However, they exclude themselves from these considerations.  Certainly some of the Sages/rabbis must have been less than perfect, and certainly the other rabbis knew about less-than-pious behaviour.  Why then would they simply defend each other?  Was it to maintain the hierarchical societal structure that was working so well for them?  Was it to maintain their own positions and the stature of rabbinical Judaism?