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Following is a rough translation of the Zohar’s strong statement. Whoever shortchanges the payment of a worker is like one who takes the soul of the worker and the members of his family. He harmed the soul of the workers; Hashem will shorten his life and take away from his Life to Come. The Rabbis said that the above is true for rich workers and all the more so for poor ones. This is how Rav Hamnuna would act: at the moment his worker would complete the job, he would say, "Take you soul," and he would pay him right away. Even if the worker said that Rav Hamnuna could hold on to the money because he did not need it yet, he would not agree. Rav Hamnuna would say that just as he could not be master over his worker’s body, so too he could not be master over his soul. This is something that is reserved for Hashem, as the pasuk says: "In Your hand I entrust my spirit."
This is among the sources that illustrate the extent to which the Torah was careful that we not detract from a worker’s rights. The matter is all the more so when the worker’s economic status is low and he makes no more than minimum wage. This applies not only to the wages of waiters and supermarket cashiers. This applies also to workers in educational institutions, including Torah education institutions. Not always do they receive all the benefits that are coming to them according to the law of the State, whether it be various social benefits or timely payment. Our parasha teaches that it is not enough to be careful about the kashrut of the food that the institutions feed their students and about modesty in dress and in action. They should be even more careful not to cheat workers out of what they deserve, whoever and wherever they work.
We hope that the "Torah world" will serve as a model for proper treatment of workers, just as it should be a model in a variety of Torah-mandated areas of behavior. This is included in the title and opening of our second parasha: "Be Holy."
P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Rabbis in Midrash
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P'ninat Mishpat P'ninat Mishpat: Complaints about Contractor’s Work – part II
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
(based on ruling 83037.1 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Chemdat Yamim Moreshet Shaul: Twin Foundations
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 690
D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
