5:9
A person will never
be satisfied with something to which he is naturally drawn. He can be
sated by all other things in the world, but that thing he will not
stop chasing. If a person loves alcoholic beverages he can't wait to
sober up enough to find more. Someone who loves sexual relations will
chase opportunities constantly. This is true when it comes to bad
things as well as good things. A person may chase after opportunities
to do kindness to others, or loves to study Torah and is never
satisfied.
We need to keep in
mind that just as someone who is drawn to physical things needs to
learn self-control and to limit his involvement to what is
appropriate, the same is true with good things. A person should not
spread himself thin and incapable of taking care of himself because
he is so busy taking care of others. He cannot study Torah all day
and neglect his other obligations.
[I would add that
anytime a person is doing something because he feels compelled to do
it it is time to stop and wonder why he is doing it. This is true
both for good things and bad. Anything we do should be as a result of
a decision and determination to do it, a desire to do, not a
compulsion. Mitzvos by rote are lacking in Kavanah (intention)
and are devoid of a spiritual component.]
5:10
Take a look during the summer when there is an abundance of "good" in the world as the earth provides its bounty with the ripening of the produce. Rodents emerge to eat of the ripe fruit as do locusts, and crawling and flying insects find what they like to eat. This is what the verse means that when there is "much good there are many to eat it." God wants everyone to be aware that everything is His; He provides an abundance to feed all of His Creations and does not permit the land owner to take it all for himself.
This is why we are commanded to tithe so that the owner should be aware that there is a master above his mastery.
The verse concludes ומה כשרון לבעליה כי אם ראות עיניו, what good is there for the owner other than that which his eye sees.
The word כשרון to indicate good is a bit unusual. It is indicating that if a person truly understands that his bounty of meant by God to be shared then it follows that he should share with a generous eye. "Do not permit your heart to be pained when you give to him, for this matter God will bless you."
The word כשרון shares the same Gematria (numerical value) as the word עושר, wealth. The true value of your worldly possessions is commensurate with your attitude when it comes to sharing them.
Just as God creates more than He needs for himself and shares it with every creature and enjoys the sight of His bounty being enjoyed so, too, we should learn to not be stingy but to give to others with great joy so as to emulate God.
and are devoid of a spiritual component.]
5:10
Take a look during the summer when there is an abundance of "good" in the world as the earth provides its bounty with the ripening of the produce. Rodents emerge to eat of the ripe fruit as do locusts, and crawling and flying insects find what they like to eat. This is what the verse means that when there is "much good there are many to eat it." God wants everyone to be aware that everything is His; He provides an abundance to feed all of His Creations and does not permit the land owner to take it all for himself.
This is why we are commanded to tithe so that the owner should be aware that there is a master above his mastery.
The verse concludes ומה כשרון לבעליה כי אם ראות עיניו, what good is there for the owner other than that which his eye sees.
The word כשרון to indicate good is a bit unusual. It is indicating that if a person truly understands that his bounty of meant by God to be shared then it follows that he should share with a generous eye. "Do not permit your heart to be pained when you give to him, for this matter God will bless you."
The word כשרון shares the same Gematria (numerical value) as the word עושר, wealth. The true value of your worldly possessions is commensurate with your attitude when it comes to sharing them.
Just as God creates more than He needs for himself and shares it with every creature and enjoys the sight of His bounty being enjoyed so, too, we should learn to not be stingy but to give to others with great joy so as to emulate God.