by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times
The members of Klal Yisroel are maaminim bnei maaminim, believers the children of believers. A vast majority realize that it is Hashem that brings us Parnassah, and not our own, “kochi v’otzem yadi.” We just must perform our proper hishtadlus, and daven to Hashem for parnassah.
But when is the best time to make the request?
The answer? Amud HaShachar.
Rav Yonasan Eibeshitz (1690-1764) writes in his Yaaros Dvash (Elul first Drasha):
“They [the sages] have said in tractate Brachos 3b. When the dawn arose, the sages of Israel entered to King David and said to him: Your nation Israel requires parnassah..
It requires clarification as to why they came to him at the crack of dawn. The answer is that in the morning Hashem is filled with compassion for Israel, hen he sees that the nations direct themselves to their Avodah Zarah. Israel serves Hashem with all their heart. It is then that he sustains and provides for us.. And then the Holy One blessed be He is filled with Mercy. Therefore it states (Tehillim 90:14), “sabeinu baboker chasdecha – Satisfy us in the morning with Your Kindness.” Similarly, while we were in the Midbar it was in the morning at dawn that we received a layer of dew.
The following prayer for Parnassah is found in the Sefer called Shaarei Dimah.
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מְזוֹנוֹתַי וּפַרְנָסָתִי וּמְזוֹנוֹת וּפַרְנָסַת בְּנֵי בֵיתִי עִם מְזוֹנוֹת וּפַרְנָסַת כָּל עָמְּךָ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, מֻכְתָּרִים וּמְאֻמָּתִים וּמֻצְדָּקִים בְּיָדְךָ, וְאַל תָצְרִיכֵנִי לִידֵי מַתְנַת בָּשָׂר וָדָם וְלֹא לִידֵי הַלְוָאָתָם, כִּי אִם לְיָדְךָ הַמְּלֵאָה הַפְּתוּחָה, הַקְּדוֹשָׁה וְהַרְחָבָה. וּתְהֵא מְלַאכְתִי וְכֹל עֲסָקַי לִבְרָכָה וְלֹא לַעֲנִיּוּת, לְחַיִּים וְלֹא לְמָוֶת, וּתְזַכֵּנִי שֶׁלֹּא יִתְחַלֵּל שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם עַל יָדִי. וְאֶהְיֶה מִן הַמּוֹעִילִים וּמַשְׁפִּיעִים טוֹב לְכֹל אָדָם תָּמִיד, וּתְמַלֵּא יָדִי מִבִּרְכוֹתֶיךָ וְשַׂבְּעֵנוּ מִטּוּבֶךָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ לְיוֹצְאֵי מִצְרַיִם, כִּי אַתָּה יְיָ בֵּרַכְתָּ וּמְבָרֵךְ לְעוֹלָם. עֵינֵי כֹּל אֵלֶיךָ יְשַֹבֵּרוּ, וְאַתָּה נוֹתֵן לָהֶם אֶת אָכְלָם בְּעִתּוֹ, פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת יָדֶךָ, וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל חַי רָצוֹן. הַשְׁלֵךְ עַל יְיָ יְהָבְךָ וְהוּא יְכַלְכְּלֶךָ, לֹא יִתֵּן לְעוֹלָם מוֹט לַצַּדִּיק. וְאַתֶּן נְשָׁמוֹת הַקְּדוֹשׁוֹת וְהַטְּהוֹרוֹת, הַעֲתִירוּ אֶל יְיָ בַּעֲדִי וּבִגְלָלִי, יָרִים קַרְנִי וְיַגְבִּיהַּ מַזָּלִי, לְמַעַן אוּכַל לְעָבְדוֹ בְּלֵבָב שָׁלֵם כָּל יְמֵי עוֹלָם אָמֵן:
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6 Responses
Rav Eliyashev, Z”L said that the time they take out the sefer Torah for kriyas hatorah is the time to daven for all yeshuas.
One thing thats always bothered me maybe someone can clear it up. Hashem says test me if you give massar you will have bountiful parnassah. its normally assur to test hashem and a big sin to do so. yet we see many people who give massar are totally struggling financially . now some might say hashem did make you rich, your healthy you have good frum children etc. i think saying that is good for other things like sheluach hakane were it says you will live long but there is no havtacha there is no promise of test me, so we just have to say we dont understand it must mean a long life in gan eden or what ever. but to my simple brain if hashem says test me hes talking to me not rav chaim not to the vilna goen to me, and he expects the simple person with limited understanding to test him
Dear Eric55,
This is a great and common question.
I think i recall learning 2 (or more) simple explanations:
1) Although Maaser is a “Segulah” (no guarantees) for Parnassah, the LITERAL translation of the Possuk regarding Maaser is referring to “Maaser Bahaimeh” (tithing new additions to the flock/herd). (and only indirectly regarding money)!
2) The financial-related blessing is that a person will not suffer LOSS because of (reasonable?) Tzeddokah contributions.
You give a buck, somehow you’ll get it back. No matter what. (Plus maybe a little, or a lot, extra).
And that’s, of course, besides the regular Mitzvah rewards…..
Bonus:
3) In my experience (over decades) I too know of people struggling financially in spite of their meticulous tithing.
However, i don’t recall EVER encountering such a person (or his immediate family) starving or homeless etc.
In some manner, after all the struggles and trials and tribulations, they, the meticulous Maaser-givers, still somehow get thru without missing the basics.
I hope I’ve relayed the above properly/correctly.
Thank you wise-guy
Actually, it’s referring to grain – ‘עַשֵּׂ֣ר תְּעַשֵּׂ֔ר אֵ֖ת כָּל־תְּבוּאַ֣ת זַרְעֶ֑ךָ’
Do you have a source that it refers to money even indirectly? I’ve heard that there is none.
@ wise guy- the chazal says “aser bishvil shetisasher”, which means ashirus- wealth. I’ve heard from rabbanim that the main issue preventing people from seeing the bracha is not being mafrish the maaser money properly. The hafrasha- separating the maaser from the rest of one’s money- is the key. Personally, I use the savings account linked to my checking account as my “maaser deposit box”, and transfer funds back to my checking account whenever I give.
May we all be zoche to see the full brachos of HKB”H’s goodness!