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Why does Rashi (רש"י) say that if a poor person doesn't bless you for returning his garment, "at least" you have the merit of tzedakah? The Torah (תורה) reveals that Hashem (ה׳) empowered the poor with a bracha greater than tzedakah itself. This transforms the dynamic: the recipient gives back more than he receives, preserving his dignity and motivating the giver.
The shiur examines the Torah (תורה)'s command to return a poor person's garment taken as collateral before nightfall (Parshas Ki Seitzei). Rashi (רש"י) makes a striking comment: if the poor person gives you a blessing, that's wonderful; if he doesn't, "nevertheless, it will still be tzedakah for you." This formulation reveals something extraordinary about the power of a poor person's blessing. Rabbi Zweig highlights the difficulty: tzedakah has tremendous spiritual power—it can nullify harsh decrees (maavir es ro'ah hagezeirah), save from death (tzedakah tatzil mimaves), and is prerequisite to effective prayer. Yet Rashi's language suggests that a poor person's blessing is even greater than tzedakah itself. The pasuk treats the bracha as the primary benefit, with tzedakah as a fallback: "If he doesn't give you a bracha, at least you still have tzedakah." This raises a fundamental question: why should poverty itself empower someone to give effective blessings? We understand the bracha of a tzaddik or talmid chacham, but what gives a poor person this power?
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Parshas Ki Seitzei - returning collateral garment
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