YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Family and Society
- Financial Laws and Tzedaka
- Neighbors and Partners
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- D'varim
- Ki Tetze
Moshe’s eyelids, formerly at half mast, were now fully open, as he grabbed his phone out of his pocket. "Yossi!" Moshe exclaimed. "I need your help with something!"
"Of course, Moshe. Anything to help a friend. Is everything OK?" Yossi responded
"It’s more than OK!" Moshe gushed. "There’s going to be a 50 million shekel lottery drawing. Just think what I could do with the kind of money!"
"Uh, that’s great Moshe. But what does that have to do with me?" Yossi inquired.
"Yossi, my friend." Moshe paused. "We both know that you’re a Torah scholar. With the merit that you have, you can pray for me to win the lottery! You know what, and if I win, I’ll give you a percentage."
"OK, Moshe. It’s a deal."
With Yossi’s prayer behind him, Moshe went and bought the ticket. A week later his phone rang.
"We’re pleased to let you know that you’ve won 5 million shekel!"
"What?" Moshe yelled into the phone. "But this was a 50 million shekel lottery!"
"The sum total of prizes being awarded is 50 million shekel. You are one of the lucky winners!"
Moshe wasn’t sure what to think. Yes he’d won, but 5 million shekel was hardly the lottery winning of his dreams. Soon he had Yossi on the phone.
"Yossi, I won 5 million shekel in the lottery. I thought that I could win 50 million, but the truth is that the prize is being divided among a few different winners." Moshe took a deep breath. "Yossi, this means that I don’t have to give you a percentage."
"I don’t understand you, Moshe. You asked me to pray for you to win the lottery, and you won!"
"Yossi, I wouldn’t have entered the lottery if I had known that it was for such a small amount. There’s a weekly lottery for that amount, and I never asked you to pray for me for that. I only asked you to pray for me, because I thought I could win 50 million, so I don’t owe you anything!"
Who is correct? Does Moshe have to share his earnings with Yossi or not?
Answer of Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, zt"l:
The matter is very straightforward. If Moshe knew that the prayers of a Torah scholar would win him 4.5 million shekel, he would agree to give the Torah scholar a tenth of his earnings. Moshe’s argument, that he can prove that he wouldn’t have made a deal with Yossi for only 5 million shekel, because Moshe doesn’t make that deal for the weekly lotteries for smaller amounts, is just a lie! If Moshe insists on his contention, he should swear that his words are true. If Moshe refuses to swear, his words cannot be relied upon. The fact that Moshe never asked Yossi in the past, is only because the idea never entered Moshe’s mind before. When the prize was listed as 50 million shekel, the idea of praying for success occurred to him.
In summary:Moshe is obligated to honor his commitment to Yossi, and pay him a percentage of his earnings
(based on the book Kav V’naki, siman 314, page 287)
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
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.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
