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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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Why didn't Noach daven for his generation while Avrohom advocated for Sedom? Noach viewed each person as an independent island responsible only for their own teshuvah. Avrohom understood that all humanity is interconnected through shared perspective and values, making prayer for others both possible and necessary.
