The Rambam in Hilchot Melachim u'Milchamoteihem (The Laws of Kings and Their Wars), Chapter 10, Halachah 10:
"...if an idolater gives chaity, we should accept it from him and give it to the gentile poor."
Commentary: Two reasons are given as to why charity should not be accepted from gentiles:
- The merit of their generosity will prolong their rule over the Jews (Bava Batra 10b).
- The fact that Jews feel it necesary to receive charity from gentiles causes chillul HaShem, the desecration of God's name, (Rashi, Sanhedrin 26b).
What are the "spa days" to which you are referring? Seems like an inside story here, I wasn't following.
ReplyDeleteWhat did you understand from what I said?
DeleteFirst I heard from you, Devash, that we should not use NBN as the source to fly when making aliyah - I heard this a 2nd time from a rabbi. What did I just do last week when an email came for me to finish my NBN application? I emailed and stated that we would not be using their services when we make aliyah. As far as "spa days" I understood it to mean that monies received from these agencies could very well go into the pockets of the religious yidden for whatever.... lobbying going on... correct?
DeleteSorry, I wasn't trying to be cryptic. I thought the main point would be understood, which was that money donated by Xians was used for a frivolous activity because there were no pressing needs in the community.
DeleteIt actually happened that there was one place that used some of the donated money to fund a "spa day" for all the ladies in the yishuv. They went out to have fun on money donated by xians.
It's already a chillul Hashem to take their money for real needs, how much more so for frivolous activities? It makes it look like our God can't (or won't) provide for us so we need the provision of their god as channeled through "his" people.
And yes, even though they think it's the same God, they really do believe our God doesn't listen to us because we erred in rejecting their false dude. And that they must plead with Him on our behalf or we will perish. That He will act for them, but not for us and that we have all this suffering - not in order to rectify the world - but because we rejected Yeshu.
GoldieZP, will the Jewish Agency accept your application without going through NBN? Do you know who your local aliyah shaliach is and have you met him?
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