וַיְדַבֵּר ה’ אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר: כִּי תִשָּׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם וְנָתְנוּ אִישׁ כֹּפֶר נַפְשׁוֹ לַה’ בִּפְקֹד אֹתָם וְלֹא יִהְיֶה בָהֶם נֶגֶף בִּפְקֹד אֹתָם: (ל:יא-יב(
Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: When you will take a census of the Children of Israel according to their counts, every man shall give Hashem an atonement for his soul when counting them, and there will be no plague among them when counting them. (30:11-12)
It is explained in the writings of the early sages that for every sin a person commits, they must fast numerous times. These matters are also brought in the writings of the holy Arizal (see Sha’ar Ruach HaKodesh at length). Rabeinu, HaRema, codifies these teachings into practical law (see Orach Chaim Siman 334:26 and Siman 568:2, and Yoreh De’ah Siman 285:4). He writes that if a person has committed severe transgressions, he must undergo a great number of fasts. For example, for desecrating Shabbos unintentionally, forty fasts are required! [See there for an explanation of how these fasts can be redeemed.]
After generations of holy Jews following the guidance of these giants, the righteous leaders of the later generations—most notably the holy Baal Shem Tov and his saintly disciples—taught that although fasting purifies a person’s sins, it is not appropriate for people in our times to engage in excessive fasting. This is because souls are already weak, and fasting will only add further weakness. The very refinement that fasting accomplishes can be undone by the frailty it causes. When a person is weakened, they are more prone to stumbling into various sins—especially anger and neglect of Torah study, which are primarily caused by physical weakness. It is possible that the harm done by fasting could outweigh its benefits.
Among the Baal Shem Tov’s disciples who elaborated on the dangers of excessive fasting was the holy author of the Tanya. He writes in Iggeres HaTeshuvah (Chapter 3): ‘All of this applies to a strong and healthy person, for whom numerous fasts cause no harm to their physical well-being, as was the case in earlier generations. However, for one whose health would be harmed by excessive fasting—who could possibly even fall ill or suffer pain, chas v’shalom, as is common in our generations—it is forbidden to fast excessively, even for sins that incur the penalties of kareis (spiritual excision) or capital punishment by Beis Din. All the more so, one should not fast excessively for failing to fulfill positive commandments or for violating prohibitions that do not carry the penalty of kareis. Rather, one should only fast according to what he can clearly determine will not harm them in any way. For even in earlier generations, in the times of the Tannaim and Amoraim, only those who were healthy and able to endure suffering would engage in such fasting. But one who was not able to withstand it and still fasted was called a sinner, as stated in the Gemara (Taanit 11a).’
And even if one fasts for sins he has committed, as Rashi explains there, and as it is stated in the Gemara (Zevachim 5a), ‘There is no person in Israel who is not obligated in a positive commandment,’ etc. All the more so, one who is engaged in Torah study is considered to be sinning doubly, for due to the weakness caused by fasting, he will be unable to study Torah properly.’
However, since a person sins, it is his duty to rectify what he has corrupted. What, then, is his remedy? To this, the Tanya continues in his letter (Iggeres HaTeshuvah, ibid.), stating: “But what is his rectification? As it is written (Daniel 4:24), בצדקה וחטאך’ ’פרוק - ‘And redeem your sins with charity.’ And as the poskim wrote, one should give the monetary value of eighteen meals for each fast of repentance. The wealthy should give according to their means, as written by the Magen Avraham in the laws of fasting (Orach Chaim 568:12).”
For when a person reduces his wealth and sets aside money for charity, it leaves a deep impression on his soul. This is because a person’s essence is strongly connected to his possessions, as his financial resources provide him with stability and sustain his way of life. Therefore, when one diminishes his wealth, it is as if he is diminishing his very flesh and blood.
And after the author of the Tanya established that tzedakah is the means of rectification for a person, he urges the reader in his letter to engage in this rectification even when it involves a significant sum. He writes: ‘And even if the total amount reaches a considerable sum, one should not be concerned about the rule that ‘one should not give more than a fifth’ of his wealth. For this is not considered wasteful spending in such a case, since one is doing so to redeem his soul from fasting and affliction. It is no less important than medical treatment for the body and other essential needs. And since the number of fasts mentioned in the works of repentance is exceedingly great, it has now become customary for all those who are devoted to the word of Hashem to increase his giving of charity significantly, due to the physical weakness of this generation, as they are unable to endure such afflictions.’
Based on the above, we can say that our eternal Torah has already hinted at the obligation of the righteous to awaken the later generations to their rectification through tzedakah. The posuk states: “And Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying...”—this means that HaKadosh Baruch Hu told the tzaddik, who is considered the “Moshe of his generation”: “When you take a census of the Children of Israel...”—when you wish to uplift the heads of the Jewish people and purify them from all sin, so that this will be effective “for their count”, on the day when Hashem accounts for every living soul, then you must inspire them to “every man shall give...”—to contribute from their wealth to tzedakah. This elevation of charity will serve as “atonement for their souls before Hashem”, and then, “when you count them, there shall be no plague among them”, for through the power of tzedakah, they will attain atonement and remove the severity of any harsh decree upon them.
And since this is the rectification of the final generation, it is fitting to further quote from the holy words of the author of the Tanya in his Iggeres HaKodesh (Chapter 9) regarding the greatness of charity in these times. He writes: ‘Therefore, my beloved brothers, take these words to heart, though they are said very briefly, to understand how, in these times, in the footsteps of Moshiach, the primary service of Hashem is through tzedakah. As Chazal have said (Rambam, Laws of Gifts to the Poor, Chapter 10): ‘The Jewish people will be redeemed only through charity.’’
Chazal did not say (Kiddushin 40b) that ’The study of Torah is equal to acts of kindness” except in their days, when Torah study was the primary form of divine service. This is why they were great sages—Tannaim and Amoraim. However, in the era of the footsteps of Mashiach, when the Succah of Dovid has fallen to the level of “feet and heels,” which represents action, there is no way to truly cling to holiness and transform darkness into light except through action as well—specifically through acts of charity. As is known to those who understand, the aspect of action in divinity is the flow and extension of vitality down to the lowest levels, to those who have nothing of their own. And whoever sacrifices their own desires, opens his hand and heart, subdues the sitra achra (the forces of impurity), and thereby transforms darkness into light.’ Thus are the holy words.
These words complete the true perspective on the greatness of charity in our times. Without them, we might think that the rectification through charity in our generation is merely a b’dieved (after-the-fact) measure—that initially, Hashem desires only fasting and affliction, but due to our weakness, we are forced to rely on tzedakah as an alternative. However, from his words, it becomes clear that rectification through tzedakah in our days is le’chatchila (the ideal approach). Even if we had the strength to increase in fasts and afflictions, the service of tzedakah would still be preferable, for this mitzvah has a special significance in our times—it is the most effective path today for spiritual closeness and the refinement of the soul.
