Purim 5770

a h c a l a Psak H

t c u r t s n i e "Who ask that it is advisable all w

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Psak Hal Careful Consideration

Originally, Yidden prayed without a standard nusach (text). Each Jew faced his Creator on an individual basis and bared his heart. As time passed, the generations grew less and less worthy and the Anshei Knesses Hagedolah feared people would not know how to pray properly.

To solve this problem, they standardized the language of prayer. ‫ללל‬ Originally, Yidden used to give their tzedakah money, matanos levyonim money and ma’aser money to whoever seemed worthy in their eyes. As time passed, the generations grew less worthy and the Gedolei Hador began to fear that people won’t know whom to give their money to.

So they made a takanah to whom to give tzedakah.

Maran Hagaon Harav Aharon Leib Steinman, shlit”a, read the paper over and over again, lingering over each word of the soon-to-be publicized takanah and checking it for accuracy. He transferred his intense concentration from one word to another, considering the general significance of each sentence, then the content of each paragraph and then of the entire letter.

He read the letter once again. These words were the practical expression of the new takanah leaving the beis midrash addresing Am Yisrael. He knew that every word would be discussed and “chewed over” in kollelim and yeshivos, by avreichim and by G-d fearing businessmen. Every word had to be perfect.

“Omit this word,” he said pensively. “It might be interpreted the wrong way. Here you should add a word. This needs to be perfectly accurate.” He guided the gabbai, telling him what to change and how to change it. Every word was considered carefully.

A few hours later, in the evening, he would call again and ask that another word be omitted. The exact language of the letter was clear in his mind as an open book. This wasn’t “just a letter”; it was a takanah, and as such, it had to be perfect and unbreachable.

We in st

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mato n

os l ‫׳‬evy oni m

lacha When everything was to his satisfaction, he picked up his pen and signed, slowly and deliberately.

Maranan Hagaon Harav Shmuel Halevi Wosner, shlit”a, Hagaon Harav Michel Yehudah Lefkowitz, shlit”a, and Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a, all joined in issuing this new takanah. The beis hamedrash is theirs as well. The community is their community. The takanah must be strong, encompassing all streams and sectors, sharp as a razor and clear as the sun. A takanah is not something approximate.

A takanah is a tikkun for the wo r l d

Maran Hagaon Harav Shmuel Halevi Wosner, shlit‫״‬a, considering each word in the ksav hora‫׳‬ah.

to K upa tH a‫׳‬ir

and its power is nearly equal to that of explicit dinim in the Shulchan Aruch.

A ruling issued by the Gedolei Hador cannot be vague and ambiguous. Each Gadol read the letter and considered it with a degree of earnestness usually reserved for the Days of Judgment. They are all aware of how great is their responsibility.

T his is the ta kanah of the year 5770, When the the takanah of Kupat Ha’ir : letter was

signed, the instructions were made public:

The Psak of Kupat Ha’ir This year, 5770, the Gedolei Hador are issuing a directive to the public. The Gedolei Hador of 5770 instruct - they don’t “recommend,” or “suggest” or “publicize their opinion” – they instruct the public to give their matanos l’evyonim money, as well as their ma’aser and tzedakah money – to Kupat Ha’ir!

The Gedolei Hador of the present generation, the Gedolei Hador of 5770, have hereby established a takanah for Am Yisrael. From today, Chodesh Adar 5770, we give our tzedakah , ma’aser and matanos l’evyonim money to Kupat Ha’ir!

This does not negate any other tzedakah, G-d forbid.

A person can and should give all day long to his relatives, neighbors and other organizations.

There are halachos in t h e

Shulchan Aruch regarding the laws of kedimah with regard to giving tzedakah. But it is unthinkable, beginning from this day, to forgo contributing to Kupat Ha’ir. You can add - the more the better - but this is the base! This is the yesod! The money you are obligated to give – matanos l’evyonim, tzedakah and ma’aser money –is to be given to Kupat Ha’ir!

It is only now that the words appear black on white, now that the takanah has been announced to the public, that we can delve a little bit into its significance.

Basic Necessities Only The economic situation in Eretz Yisrael is at an all-time low. Don’t we all know it. Kupat Ha’ir, which bears the burden of more than two thousand families, feels the recession on its own flesh.

Kupat Ha’ir distributes more than five million shekels each month. Yes, five million shekels. Five m-i-l-l-i-o-n.

More than sixty million shekels a year. People say the number easily, half-handedly. If they were to try and count to a million – not five million, just one million; not to raise that much money, just to articulate the numbers at the rate of one second per number – how many hours would it take them?

People can’t count that far, but Kupat Ha’ir must raise that sum every month anew. Every month we face the same huge mountain and scale it, only to find ourselves facing another mountain of equally daunting height – or even taller, because new families have joined the circle of suffering.

The people in charge of the office that handles phone calls requesting support give us no rest.

“You sit in my chair for one day,” one o f them lashed out the other day, near tears. “You s i t

Maran Hagaon Harav Michel Yehudah Lefkowitz, shlit”a, considering each word of the ksav hora’ah.

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in my office and answer the phones one day. You listen to the people wailing. You can tell on these people’s voices that they never dreamed the day would come when they would have to ask the person in charge, ‘But what should I do with the money you sent – buy food for the children or special shoes for my handicapped son? Should I use it to pay the electric bill or return it to the neighbor so that we’ll be able to borrow again?’ You sit there and answer people.

Tell them to buy Tylenol rather than bread, because hunger is more manageable than the throbbing pain of untreated dental problems. Tell them to buy the psychiatric medication their older son requires rather than formula for the baby, because if the son harms the baby, it won’t help that the baby was full. You tell them! Let’s see you do it!”

Could it Be? And therefore we instruct everyone who asks us – this is a directive, an ordinance for those who ask and also for those who don’t.

This is not a private recommendation or a ruling that applies only to those who happen to be inside the beis midrash, whereas those who don’t happen to be there will never know about it. Therefore we instruct all those who ask us to give their matanos l’evyonim money, as well as tzedakah and ma’aser money, to Kupat Ha’ir

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that carry a lot of weight.

to K upa tH a‫׳‬ir

Tzedakah money, ma’aser money, matanos l’evyonim money – The Gedolei Hador have “covered” all the obligatory payments incumbent upon a Jew. Here they add another strong reason for the takanah, to remove all doubt: We know that at Kupat Ha’ir, everything is distributed to the poor in the worthiest manner possible. Clear and explicit. We know that everything is distributed to the poor in the worthiest manner possible. Can you think of a shorter way to document ten years of activism?

This year, the Gedolim have delivered clear instructions: Matanos l’evyonim money - to Kupat Ha’ir.”

These are words Maran Hagaon Harav Aharon Leib Steinman, shlit”a, considering each word of the ksav hora’ah.

Two life stories come together in this booklet. A wealthy man from Mexico and a shy yeshivah bachur: both came looking for da’as Torah.

The Moment of Truth

Without knowing one another and without being aware of each other’s existence, each sought the counsel of a different Gadol Hador, shlit”a.

Amazingly enough, they received identical answers. Both Yidden felt a sense of great chizuk upon receiving the very same halachic ruling.

Maran Hagaon Harav Aharon Leib Steinman, shlit”a, and Maran Hagaon Harav Michel Yehudah Lefkowitz, shlit”a, did not make up in advance what to say to the people seeking their counsel - but the bas kol emanating from their throats is one and the same.

When they were asked for da’as Torah, both provided the exact same reply.

When they sought the most mehudar place for tzedakah that had to be scrupulously honest, both Gedolim uttered the same words.

Here are the stories as they occurred.

A True Kapparah A blushing bachur entered the room of Maran Hgaon Harav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz, shlit”a, his knees trembling.

He tried to begin speaking but the words stuck in his mouth. Rav Lefkowitz regarded him with kindly eyes and waited.

Finally, with an effort, the bachur whispered, “I need a kapparah.”

A kapparah? Kapparah is a strong word, one that indicates there’s a story behind it. The bachur seemed so refined. His every movement bespoke yiras Shamayim. What reason had he to seek a kapparah?

“I wasn’t careful enough. My tefillin slipped from my hands and fell.” His eyes were filled with distress. “How can I do teshuvah?”

Rav Lefkowitz swayed back and forth. “I would tell you to make a generous contribution to tzedakah

but –” Rav Lefkowitz paused and the bachur waited tensely.

“Not always do we know who is really poor, who is really hungry…

“The truth is,” Rav Lefkowitz went on, “that al pi Torah, there’s no need to verify. You give to whoever asks without checking his credentials and it’s a mitzvah.

That’s the halachah. But this time, this time it’s a different story,” Rav Lefkowitz said with a sigh.

“This time the nefesh requires a kapparah. If the nefesh requires a kapparah, it is necessary to give tzedakah mehuderes, which means making sure you are indeed resuscitating a needy soul.”

The bachur, under pressure to begin with, began to feel even tenser. How might he know where to find an individual worthy of receiving his tzedakah mehuderes? What was the cutoff line at which one was considered really poor? Many people nowadays are in debt, yet they lead normal lifestyles. Were such people considered needy? How could you tell the difference between someone who is a real pauper al pi Torah and someone who isn’t? Who among the people begging on the streets is a real ani? How would his neshamah have a kapparah? He didn’t know a single poor person who hadn’t eaten for three days.

Rav Lefkowitz seemed to read the bachur’s thoughts.

“If you’re worried about finding a true ani – there’s a solution. Go to Kupat Ha’ir. Give them your money without fear. At Kupat Ha’ir, everything is thoroughly checked out. The Gedolei Hador are involved in everything that gets done over there.

Every person assisted by Kupat Ha’ir is a true pauper. If you give your money to Kupat Ha’ir, you’ll have given one hundred percent tzedakah.

And then –” A heartwarming smile illuminated Maran’s face.

“Then you’ll have a kapparah.”

Tzedakah Tehorah This story was related by Reb Shimon, shlit”a, founder of the Kollel located at Beis Hakneses Chanichei Hayeshivos – Ben Yaakov. To hear this story firsthand, you can contact Reb Shimon at 011-972-50-4138210.

Mexico. One day, a wealthy, G-d fearing man who supports Torah learned that his eight-year-old daughter was very sick.

She was just a little girl but a very big disease, silent and fatal, loomed inside her body. The family was plunged into distress.

Her father stood at her bedside, listening to her moan in pain. He was so wealthy, so powerful – but all he could do now was look at her helplessly. His sick little girl was alone on the battlefield, fighting for her life, and she was so tired.

Ribono shel Olam, perform a miracle.

He cried at work, cried during business deals, cried in the street, cried into his pillow. He pretended to continue living as usual but he was really crying in his heart the entire time. He cried aloud; he cried quietly. He cried with hope; he cried with distress; he cried with fear. He cried with his daughter; he cried behind her back. Was there any hope at all for a happy ending?

Standing at his daughter’s bedside, he felt he had to move worlds. He had to find a way to rescue her from the pit into which she’d fallen, to pull her back to the land of the living. He needed someone to lean on. He needed da’as Torah.

Holy Torah, what do you say? What should a father do who wants to save his daughter’s life?

Torah of Life, what is written between your lines?

The wealthy Jew from Mexico picked up the phone to his friend Reb Shimon, shlit”a, and asked him to go to the home of the Gedolei Hador, shlit”a, on his behalf and ask their advice.

The response he received was clear and unequivocal: “In such a case, one should support Torah. Torah is the elixir of life.”

This was the groundwork for the establishment of the well-known, prestigious Kollel Hagranat located in Beis Haknesses Chanichei Hayeshivos – Ben Yaakov.

A Yid from Mexico accepted da’as Torah upon himself and agreed to support thirty avreichim in kollel. He wanted a strong, healthy child in body and spirit. He wanted to merit walking her down the aisle to her chuppah. He wanted her to merit being a mother, to raise generations.

Amazingly enough, the moment he made the decision to open a kollel for thirty avreichim in the merit of a refuah shleimah for his daughter, she began to get well.

In Bnei Brak a kollel was founded

and in Mexico a little girl was healed.

The “Abaye and Rava” and the “Tanu Rabanan” of the Torah scholars stood guard at the little girl’s bed and protected her.

The “what’s the pshat?” and various svaros intervened with the test results and tipped the scales in her favor.

A little girl was delivered from death! She returned home, triumphant in battle.

And once again everyone cried.

This time they cried with joy; they cried amidst laughter. They cried and sang Hashem’s praises.

They cried and danced. They had witnessed a miracle.

Father and daughter flew to Eretz Yisrael to attend a seudas hoda’ah hosted by the Kollel.

Life rushed forward and business as usual resumed.

The little girl with the dramatic diary grew up.

One day, the disease struck again.

Suddenly, everything hurt her again. Suddenly, she and her parents were at the doctor again, listening as he chose his words carefully.

She was in the same situation once more.

Sick again.

Sick again. Such frightening, threatening words.

Where would she find the strength to fight the second round in the battle for her life? Last time, she was small and innocent.

Today she was older and understood her prognosis all too well. She was terrified.

Go, our daughter, go into battle and emerge triumphant once again. You’re not alone; we’ll ask da’as Torah once again.

This is the story of 5770.

Her father is so frightened he is unable even to cry.

His heart is gripped with fear. This time everything is more urgent. Once again, he sends his question to Rav Steinman, shlit”a. His question screams, “Help!”

What does the holy Torah say to do when your daughter is sick for the second time?

How can I save her life? We need an even bigger miracle this time around. How do we keep the Angel of Death at bay?

Maran, shlit”a, what should I do this time as a zechus for my daughter to regain her health?

The moment of truth.

Silence reigned in the room as Maran, shlit”a, contemplated the question.

A young girl’s life hung in the balance. Her father had sent an urgent question from abroad to ask what might grant her life.

“This time you must give pure tzedakah,” Maran said, his words slicing the air. “The type of support you gave last time is not enough. This time you must invest in real, one hundred percent tzedakah, to resuscitate hungry people!

You must be certain that every penny of your money reaches a poor person.”

“To whom shall I contribute?”

Maran rules clearly: When one seeks to give true tzedakah, there’s an address: Kupat Ha’ir.” And then he added a few amazingly powerful words.

Reb Shimon hurriedly phoned Mexico with a clear and astounding answer from Rav Steinman, shlit”a.

“Maran, shlit”a, says the support you give the kollel is not enough now. You don’t know the financial situation of the

avreichim in the kollel, after all. This time you should invest in tzedakah for the poor, tzedakah that goes one hundred percent to feed hungry people. You have to be sure that every penny goes to a true pauper.”

“But how can I know who’s a real pauper? Did Rav Steinman say whom I should contribute to?”

“Yes, he did. He was very specific about whom you should contribute to. To quote him verbatim, “ When you seek to give true tzedakah, there’s an address: you need to approach Kupat Ha’ir. Kupat Ha’r is known for its special integrity. Kupat Ha’ir works in tandem with da’as Torah. Every contribution there goes to people who are truly needy. If he’ll contribute there, his daughter will be saved, be’ezras Hashem.”

Maran’s holy words cross continents and reach all the way to Mexico. They enter the father’s wounded heart and offer consolation. If Maran, shlit”a, who is familiar with so many tzedakos, testifies to Kupat Ha’ir’s worthiness, there can be no doubt that a contribution to Kupat Ha’ir will effect a yeshuah.

“But that’s not all; Rav Steinman said something else,” Rabbi said.

“Listen to what Maran added, without my even asking.

Before I left the room, he stopped me suddenly and said, “In addition to all the wonderful qualities of Kupat Ha’ir, there is an additional advantage. The gabba’im there organize tefillah sessions at the mekomos hakedoshim and submit the names of contributors to tzaddikim. I see and hear the earnestness with which they submit each and every name to the Gedolim”, Rav Steinman said. “The names are prayed for at the holiest sights at the most auspicious times. Tell him, your friend in Mexico, that if he contributes to Kupat Ha’ir, he will merit also that his daughter’s name will be submitted regularly to the Gedolei Hador and to the Torah scholars who pray regularly at the mekomos hakedoshim”.

These were the words of Maran Hagaon Harav Aharon Leib Steinman, shlit”a, and he was not speaking for the sake of this advertisement. He was speaking during a moment of truth, when a Jewish girl’s life hung in the balance!

The last time she was sick, “Tanu Rabanan”

hovered in the air to protect her when she underwent radiation.

Today she is beginning treatment again. Thousands of Kupat Ha’ir angels will enter the room with her and surround her bed in a tight ring. These angels will tell of hungry children who received hot meals, of widows and brokenhearted Jews who received assistance, of medicine purchased at the pharmacy, of cleaning help for a woman who suffered a breakdown, of renovations for an apartment in danger of collapse.

Don’t worry, child. We’re here, we zechuyos of Kupat Ha’ir.

Soon the pain will be over, soon you’ll be healthy. Be strong.

We’ll accompany you the whole time, speaking in your favor and smoothing the way for you. Because when you need a miracle– the answer is Kupat Ha’ir. That is what da’as Torah said.

Don’t be afraid at night. Wipe your tears. True tzedakah to Kupat Ha’ir will protect you. That is what Maran, shlit”a, said. He revealed the proper course of action to take when in need of a powerful weapon.

This story does not have an ending yet. It is still unfolding.

She’s in Mexico, fighting.

Thousands of tzedakos are helping her in battle.

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The Gedolei Hador Contributing their Matonos L‫׳‬aevyonim right after the reading of the Megila

‫בכל שנה‬ ‫ושנה‬

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Cash Actively On

In anticipation of the upcoming Purim fundraising drive, we asked representatives of Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir to tell us about what goes on behind the scenes during the busy Purim period.

‫ •במזומן בפועל‬ At Kupat Ha’ir, this means cash, not checks made out to cash Actively distributed, not via credit

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Maran Hagaon Harav Aharon Leib Steinman, shlit”a

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Q. How is the matanos le‫׳‬evyonim fundraising drive different from other Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir fundraising drives?

A. The difference lies mostly in the intensity. It‫׳‬s like playing a cassette and hearing everything on it in two minutes instead of two hours. Everything appears to be normal - but it just seems that way. The period of time during which the money comes in is far shorter than usual, both because many, many people want to give their matanos le‫׳‬evyonim specifically on Purim - despite the fact that every year, the Gedolei Hador request that people make their contributions earlier and because of the maximal care we take with hiddurim. The resulting one-day fundraising drive is incredible; every year we have loads of stories. To understand, you‫׳‬d have to visit Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir on Purim and feel the frenetic pace of activity, the simchas hamitzvah, the dedication, the willingness and fervor with which people leave their personal Purim celebrations and devote themselves to their brethren.

It‫׳‬s not unusual for a gabbai to still be fasting late in the af-

The Belzer Rebbe shlit‫״‬a

y Distributed n Purim Day ternoon or wearing his tallis and tefillin in the office because he hasn’t yet had a chance to go home even for a moment. Droves of telephone operators come in from Yerushalayim, where Purim falls the following day, to man the phones. Every year anew, despite our advance preparations, we end up having to add more workstations to the telephone switchboard. A deluge of phone calls in one day…

Purim is Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir‫׳‬s big day. All of Am Yisrael gives. An astonishing sum of money comes in. It is incredibly touching to see how much money is distributed. And the expressions of joy from the poor cannot fail to melt even the toughest hearts.

Q. You mentioned hiddurim earlier. Can you elaborate?

A. One of Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir‫׳‬s top priorities is to do our utmost on behalf of contributors, in all areas. When it comes to tefillos, we make sure everything is carried out in the best way possible. When it comes to segulos, we go all the way. When it comes to mitzvos, we include every hiddur possible. That‫׳‬s why Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir has a whole slew of special hiddurim that turn the performance of the mitzvah of matanas le‫׳‬evyonim through Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir into the most special mitzvah possible.

1. ‫בו ביום‬: The most significant hiddur in this mitzvah is distributing the tzedakah on Purim day. That‫׳‬s why Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir distributes to the poor all the money that comes in on Purim on that same day. In order to ensure that even people who contribute via check or credit card receive the benefit of this hiddur, Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir borrows an astronomical sum of cash (we‫׳‬re talking about millions of shekels) and all matanos le‫׳‬evyonim that comes in via any means of payment is exchanged for cash that has been prepared in advance. In this way, everyone gives his contribution on Purim day.

2. An additional hiddur is to give tzedakah as early as possible so that the poor should still be able to purchase what they need for the Pu-

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Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky shlit‫״‬a donating to the matanos l‫׳‬evyonim campaign after the reading of the megilla.

‫בכל שנה‬ ‫ושנה‬ 5756

5757

5758

rim seudah. To that end, all the money that comes in to Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir in advance (every year, the Gedolim request that people submit their matanos le‫׳‬evyonim money early, for this reason) is prepared in advance. The money is placed into envelopes and the messengers set out early in the morning. After that, too, the money that comes in throughout the day is distributed with lightning speed, including money that comes in during the very final moments of the day. Last year, even money that came in 10 minutes before sundown was still distributed before sundown!

3. Worthy Evyonim: A special meeting of rabbanim discusses each family to decide whether or not they can be classified as evyonim mehudarim. For example, there is a family that urgently requires a hearing aid for a child. There is no doubt that they need to be helped, but they are not evyonim and money earmarked for matanos le‫׳‬evyonim will not go for this purpose. Only evyonim classified as mehudarim receive money on Purim day.

4. Discreetness: Special arrangements are made even on this complex, busy day, to deliver the money in such a way that the families do not suffer distress or shame.

5. The money is divided into separate ‫״‬Matanos‫ ״‬in accordance with the sum determined by the Gedolei Hador. This way, contributors merit many more mitzvos.

Obviously, Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir, which has the merit of distributing the matanos le‫׳‬evyonim money of all the Gedolei Hador, is the best place to fulfill this mitzvah. The special blessings showered by the Gedolei Hador upon Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir every year on erev Purim – do indeed come true.

We merit special siyatta dishmaya on this day and somehow manage to get everything done in the best possible way.

Q. What type of families are classified as evyonim mehudarim?

A. We shouldn‫׳‬t know from such tzaros… Families in which the main component of their tzarah is poverty. Sometimes, the poverty stems from a difficult disease afflicting a member of the family (or more than one, rachmana litzlan). Some of the recipients are widows and orphans. Some families have lost large sums of money and fallen into huge debt or suffered other tzaros. In all cases, we‫׳‬re talking about poor families who lack money to buy food. This gift gladdens their heart and enables them to make generous food purchases in honor of Purim.

Q. Who answers the halachic questions that arise?

A. The Gedolei Hador, of course. And questions do come up.

To make sure everything runs smoothly halachah-wise, we need to deal with all types of problems and difficulties. The

people and in the eyes of Hashem. Everything is done on a strictly voluntary basis by a staff of people whose Q. Is it more mehudar to contribute to Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir hearts beat together wtih devotion and prayer. All than to give money directly to evyonim one knows minimal expenses (computers, papers, etc.) are sponsored or donated. Every penny that comes in goes dipersonally? rectly to the poor.

A. This question gets asked every year anew and the Gedolim reply unequivocally: giving via Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir is Q. Really, then, is there any reason not to give matanos the most mehudar option. The Gedolim themselves le‫׳‬evyonim via Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir? submit their matanos le‫׳‬evyonim money to Kupat A. That‫׳‬s the best question… But there‫׳‬s no answer!

There isn‫׳‬t one reason not to contribute via Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir. There are a few reasons for this: 1. Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir knows what regular people don‫׳‬t know. Ha‫׳‬ir and many, many reasons to do just that. So let‫׳‬s Sometimes, those who seem to be “evyonim mehu- go…

Gedolei Hador are prepared for this and they have issued rulings for Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir on dozens of occasions.

darim” may actually have undisclosed assets or other sources of income.

2. The money is guaranteed to arrive at its destination. There is no risk of a private messenger getting drunk and falling asleep or forgetting. Kupat Ha’ir is responsible and your mitzvah is safe.

3. Whoever contributes via Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir merits the mitzvah of obeying talmidei chachamim in addition to the mitzvah of matanos le‫׳‬evyonim.

The Gedolim want Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir to be in charge of matanos le‫׳‬evyonim and to distribute the money in accordance with the decisions of the rabbanim.

4. Kupat Ha’ir has the advantages that make it most preferable in the eyes of the

The hiddurim in Matanos L‫׳‬evyonim Practiced by Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir 1. The money will be given on Purim day and not before (see Magen Avraham siman 694).

the money is divided into nesinos chashuvos(respectable sums) rather than shaveh perutah (see Maharsha, Megilla 7).

2. The money is actively distributed rather

6. All the evyonim are selected by the

than merely credited, so that it can be spent on the same day.

3. The money will be given in cash rather than in check form, so that it can be spent on the same day.

4. The money that comes in before 11:00 will be given before noon so that it can be used to purchase what is needed for Purim.

5. A

condition

(tnai)

is

made

that

Rabbanim Hagaonim, shlit‫״‬a.

7. One hundred percent of the contributions go to the needy.

8. Cash will be distributed on Purim day even on behalf of contributions via check or credit card.

9. Everything

is distributed discreetly, which is the greatest virtue when giving tzedakah.

RD

FOR DONATIONS BY CREDIT CA

m i l l i h e T f All o s e m i T 4 Purim is a well known as an auspicious day to daven and receive yeshuos.

Over the days of Purim, a minyan of talmidei chachamim will daven at the Kosel Hama’aravi and recite the entire Sefer Tehillim, consecutively,

4 times: 1. On the eve of 14 Adar – Purim Diprazim (in unwalled cities) 2. On the day of 14 Adar – Purim Diprazim (in unwalled cities) 3. On the eve of 15 Adar – Purim Demukafin (in walled cities) 4. On the day of 15 Aar – Purim Demukafin (in walled cities)

Thereafter, they will recite each name along with accompanying personal request.

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Donations can be sent to: Kupat Hair 4415 14th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11219 Malkiel Kotler Shlita 521 5th Street Lakewood, New Jersey 08701 Rabbi

Rabbi Aron

Schechter Shlita 1248 East 12th Street Brooklyn, New York 11230 Rabbi Shlomo Feivel Schustal Shlita

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Rabbi

Names may be submitted to the telephone hotline Until Erev Shabbos Zachor, 12 Adar $82 per name

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y a r p l il w , "a t li h s , r o d a iH On Purim day, the Gedole . day rim u P e r fo e b in e m o for all the names that c

Please daven on my behalf for:

‫נחת מהילדים‬ Nachas from children ‫זרע של קיימא‬ For children ‫רפואה שלמה‬ For a refuah sheleima (speedy recovery) ‫זיווג הגון‬ For a zivug hagun (worthy mate) ‫פרנסה‬ Parnassah (livelihood) with ease

Please fill in your Hebrew name and mother’s Hebrew name

Urgent requests are immediately forwarded to the home of the Gedolei Hador

How do I donate to Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir?

1envelope.

Send your donation in the enclosed Call the 24 Hour Tzeddakah Hotline (donation by credit card) at 1-866-221-9352 Fax:

21888-633-2188

Email: info@kupathairusa.org

3 your area (see list on Envelope).

Send your donation to the Rabbonim in

4

Send your donation to: Kupat Hair 4415 14th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11219

Please make checks payable to: American Friends of Kupat Ha'ir

Montreal: Rabbi Y. C. Wenger Shlita, 2227 Goyer Avenue, Montreal Quebec H3S 1H1 In Send your donation to: Toronto: Rabbi M. M. Lowy Shlita, 240 Carmichael, Toronto Ontario M5M 2x4 Canada Please make checks payable to: Canadian Friends of Kupat Ha‫׳‬ir

1-866-221-9352

24 Hour Tzeddakah hotline For all information or to receive a pushka call 1-800-233-2188 Our office number in Israel: 3-671-6994

: a h c a l a H k a Ps

t c u r t s n i e "Who ask that it is advisable all w

m i n o y v ‫׳‬e e l s o n a t a to give m . r ‫׳‬i a H t a p u K o t y mone

Careful Consideration Oriiginally y, Yiidd den n prray yed wiithou ut a standa ard nussacch (teextt). Eacch Jew faced his Creeato or on an n ind div vidu ual basiis and bared hiss hearrt.. As tim me pa assed d, the genera atio ons grew w lesss and d lesss worthy and the Anssheei Knesssess Hageedollah feared peoplee wou uld d no ot kn now how w to o pray properrly.

To solve this problem, they standardized the language of prayer. ‫ללל‬ Oriiginally y, Yiidd den n ussed d to o give their tzed dakah h mon ney y, matan nos levvyonim money y and ma’aserr money y to o wh hoever seemed wortthy y in th heir eyess. Ass time passed d, the gen nera atio onss grew w less wortthy and th he Geedollei Had dor began to fearr that peop plee won n’t kno ow whom to give theiir money y to o.

So they made a takanah to whom to give tzedakah.

Maran Hagaon Harav Aharon Leib Steinman, shlit”a, read the paper over and over again, lingering over each word of the soon-to-be publicized takanah and checking it for accuracy. He transferred his intense concentration from one word to another, considering the general significance of each sentence, then the content of each paragraph and then of the entire letter.

He read the letter once again. These words were the practical expression of the new takanah leaving the beis midrash addresing Am Yisrael. He knew that every word would be discussed and “chewed over” in kollelim and yeshivos, by avreichim and by G-d fearing businessmen. Every word had to be perfect.

“Omit this word,” he said pensively. “It might be interpreted the wrong way. Here you should add a word. This needs to be perfectly accurate.” He guided the gabbai, telling him what to change and how to change it. Every word was considered carefully.

A few hours later, in the evening, he would call again and ask that another word be omitted. The exact language of the letter was clear in his mind as an open book. This wasn’t “just a letter”; it was a takanah, and as such, it had to be perfect and unbreachable.

We in struc t:

"mat ono s

When everything was to his satisfaction, he picked up his pen and signed, slowly and deliberately.

Maranan Hagaon Harav Shmuel Halevi Wosner, shlit”a, Hagaon Harav Michel Yehudah Lefkowitz, shlit”a, and Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, shlit”a, Kanievsky shlit a all joined a, in issuing this new takanah. The beis hamedrash is theirs as well. The community is their community. The takanah must be strong, encompassing all streams and sectors, sharp as a razor and clear as the sun. A takanah is not something approximate.

A takanah is a tikkun for the wo r l d

Maran Hagaon Harav Shmuel Halevi Wosner, shlit"a, considering each word in the ksav hora'ah.

l'ev yon im

to K upa

tH

a'ir "

and its power is nearly equal to that of explicit dinim in the Shulchan Aruch.

A ruling issued by the Gedolei Hador cannot be vague and ambiguous. Each Gadol read the letter and considered it with a degree of earnestness usually reserved for the Days of Judgment. are all aware of Judgment. Th They h y aar how great iss their th heeirr responsibility. responsibilityy.

T his is the ta kanah of the year 5770, When thee the takanah of Kupat Ha’ir : letter wass

signed, th the he e instructions instructio on ns were made mad de e public: p ub blic:

The Psak of Kupat Kupa at Ha’ir This year, 5770, the Gedolei Gedoleei Hador are issuing a directive to the public. publicc. The Gedolei Hador of 5770 instruct - they don’t “recommend,” op pinion” – they or “suggest” or “publicize their opinion” t instruct the public to give their matanos l’evyonim money, as well as theirr ma’aserr and tzedakah money – to Kupat Ha’ir!

The Gedolei Hador of the present generation, g the Gedolei Hador of 5770, have herebyy established a takanah for Am Yisrael. From today, Chodesh Adar 5770, we give our tzedakah , ma’aserr and matanos l’evyonim money to Kupat Ha’ir!

This does not negate any other tzedakah, G-d forbid.

A person can and should give all day long to his relatives, neighbors and other organizations.

There are halachos in t h e

Shulchan Aruch regarding the laws of kedimah with regard to giving tzedakah. But it is unthinkable, beginning from this day, to forgo contributing to Kupat Ha’ir. You can add - the more the better - but this is the base! This is the yesod! The money you are obligated to give – matanos l’evyonim, tzedakah and ma’aserr money –is to be given to Kupat Ha’ir!

It is only now that the words appear black on white, now that the takanah has been announced to the public, that we can delve a little bit into its significance.

Basic Necessities Only The economic situation in Eretz Yisrael is at an all-time all time low. Don’t we all know it. Kupat Ha’ir, which bears the burden of more than two thousand families, feels the recession on its own flesh.

Kupat Ha’ir distributes more than five million shekels each month. Yes, five million shekels. Five m-i-l-l-i-o-n.

More than sixty million shekels a year. People say the number easily, half-handedly. If they were to try and count to a million – not five million, just one million; not to raise that much money, just to articulate the numbers at the rate of one second per number – how many hours would it take them?

People can’t count that far, but Kupat Ha’ir must raise that sum every month anew. Every month we face the same huge mountain and scale it, only to find ourselves facing another mountain of equally daunting height – or even taller, because new families have joined the circle of suffering.

The people in charge of the office that handles phone calls requesting support give us no rest.

“You sit in my chair for one day,” one o f them lashed out the other day, near tears. “You s i t

Maran Hagaon Harav Michel Yehudah Lefkowitz, shlit”a, considering each word of the ksav hora’ah.

We in struc t:

"mat ono s

in my office and answer the phones one day. You listen to the people wailing. You can tell on these people’s voices that they never dreamed the day would come when they would have to ask the person in charge, ‘But what should I do with the money you sent – buy food for the children or special shoes for my handicapped son? Should I use it to pay the electric bill or return it to the neighbor so that we’ll be able to borrow again?’ You sit there and answer people.

Tell them to buy Tylenol rather than bread, because hunger is more manageable than the throbbing pain of untreated dental problems. Tell them to buy the psychiatric medication their older son requires rather than formula for the baby, because if the son harms the baby, it won’t help that the baby was full. You tell them! Let’s see you do it!”

Could it Be? And therefore we instruct everyone who asks us – this is a directive, an ordinance for those who ask and also for those who don’t.

This is not a private recommendation or a ruling that applies only to those who happen to be inside the beis midrash, whereas those who don’t happen to be there will never know about it. Therefore we instruct all those who ask us to give their matanos l’evyonim money, as well as tzedakah and ma’aser money, to Kupat Ha’ir

that carry a lot of weight.

l'ev yon im

to K upa

tH

a'ir "

Tzedakah money, ma’aser money, matanos l’evyonim money – The Gedolei Hador have “covered” all the obligatory payments incumbent upon a Jew. Here they add another strong reason for the takanah, to remove all doubt: We know that at Kupat Ha’ir, everything is distributed to the poor in the worthiest manner possible. Clear and explicit. We know that everything is distributed to the poor in the worthiest manner possible. Can you think of a shorter way to document ten years of activism?

This year, the Gedolim have delivered clear instructions: Matanos l’evyonim money - to Kupat Ha’ir.”

These are words

Maran Hagaon Harav Aharon Leib Steinman, shlit”a, considering each word of the ksav hora’ah.

Two o liife sttoriies com me toge etherr in thiss boo okllet. A wea althy y man n fro om Mexiico and a shy y yeesh hiva ah bach hurr: botth cam me look kin ng fo or da’as Tora ah.

With hout kn now wing g on ne anotther and wiitho outt bein ng aw ware of ea ach h ottherr’s ex xisten nce, each h sou ugh ht thee co ounssel of a diffeereentt Gad dol Had dor, shllit”a.

Ama aziing gly eno oug gh, they y recceived d identical answ wers. Bo oth h Yiiddeen felt a sense of great chizzuk k upo on reeceiiving g th he veery same hala ach hic rulling g.

Marran n Ha aga aon n Ha arav v Aharon n Leib Steinman, shlitt”a,, and d Mara an Hag gaon n Hara av Michel Yehu udah h Le efko owiitz, shliit”a, did no ot make up in ad dva ancce what to sa ay to o thee peop ple seeking theiir cou unssel - but the bas kol emanating from m the eir thrroatts iss on ne an nd the same. ere ask ked for da’as To orah, both Wheen they we prov vid ded d th he exacct sa amee rep ply.

Wheen they sou ugh ht th he mostt mehu udar place for tzeeda aka ah tha at had to be scrrupulous upulously hon nestt, botth Geedollim utteered tthe he sam same worrds..

Heree are the e sttoriies as th hey occurrred.

A Trrue e Kap ppa parah h A blushing bachur entered the room of Maran Hgaon Harav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz, shlit”a, his knees trembling.

He tried to begin speaking but the words stuck in his mouth. Rav Lefkowitz regarded him with kindly eyes and waited.

Finally, with an effort, the bachur whispered, “I need a kapparah.”

A kapparah? Kapparah is a strong word, one that indicates there’s a story behind it. The bachur seemed so refined. His every movement bespoke yiras Shamayim. What reason had he to seek a kapparah?

“I wasn’t careful enough. My tefillin slipped from my hands and fell.” His eyes were filled with distress. “How can I do teshuvah?”

Rav Lefkowitz swayed back and forth. “I would tell you to make a generous contribution to tzedakah

but –” Rav Lefkowitz Lef paused and the bachur waited tensely.

“Not alw always do we know who is really poor, who is real re ally ly hungry… h really “The tru truth is,” Rav Lefkowitz went on, “that al pi Torah, there’s no need to verify. You give to whoever asks withou without checking his credentials and it’s a mitzvah.

That’s the halachah. But this time, this time it’s a differen different story,” Rav Lefkowitz said with a sigh.

“This tim time the nefesh requires a kapparah. If the nefesh require requires a kapparah, it is necessary to give tzedakah mehude mehuderes, which means making sure you are indeed resusci resuscitating a needy soul.”

The ba bachur, under pressure to begin with, began to feel even tenser. How might he know where to find an individual worthy of receiving his tzedakah mehude mehuderes? What was the cutoff line at which one was conside considered really poor? Many people nowadays are in debt, ye yet they lead normal lifestyles. Were such people cons co nsid idee considered needy? How could you tell the difference betwee between someone who is a real pauper al pi Torah and someon someone who isn’t? Who among the people begging on the streets is a real ani? How would his neshamah have a kapparah? k He didn’t know a single poor person who ha hadn’t eaten for three days.

Rav Lef Lefkowitz seemed to read the bachur’s thoughts.

“If you’re worried about finding a true ani – there’s a solu solution. Go to Kupat Ha’ir. Give them your money without fear. At Kupat Ha’ir, everything is thorou thoroughly checked out. The Gedolei Hador are involve involved in everything that gets done over there.

Every person assisted by Kupat Ha’ir is a true pauper. If you give your money to Kupat Ha’ir, you’ll have given one hundred percent tzedakah.

And then –” A heartwarming smile illuminated Maran’s face.

“Then you’ll have a kapparah.”

Tzed dak kah Teh horah h This sttory y was rellated d by y Reb b Shim mon, shlit”a, foun nde er of the Kolllel loca ated at Beiss Hakneses Chan nich heii Ha ayeshiv vos – Been Yaa akov. To hear this story y firsttha and d, you ca an co ontact Reb Shimon at 011-972--50--413382110.

Mexico. One day, a wealthy, G-d fearing man who supports Torah learned that his eight-year-old daughter was very sick.

She was just a little girl but a very big disease, silent and fatal, loomed inside her body. The family was plunged into distress.

Her father stood at her bedside, listening to her moan in pain. He was so wealthy, so powerful – but all he could do now was look at her helplessly. His sick little girl was alone on the battlefield, fighting for her life, and she was so tired.

Ribono shel Olam, perform a miracle.

He cried at work, cried during business deals, cried in the street, cried into his pillow. He pretended to continue living as usual but he was really crying in his heart the entire time. He cried aloud; he cried quietly. He cried with hope; he cried with distress; he cried with fear. He cried with his daughter; he cried behind her back. Was there any hope at all for a happy ending?

Standing at his daughter’s bedside, he felt he had to move worlds. He had to find a way to rescue her from the pit into which she’d fallen, to pull her back to the land of the living. He needed someone to lean on. He needed da’as Torah.

Holy Torah, what do you say? What should a father do who wants to save his daughter’s life?

Torah of Life, what is written between your lines?

The wealthy Jew from Mexico picked up the phone to his friend Reb Shimon, shlit”a, and asked him to go to the home of the Gedolei Hador, shlit”a, on his behalf and ask their advice.

The response he received was clear and unequivocal: “In such a case, one should support Torah. Torah is the elixir of life.” undwork for the establishment of This was the groundwork restigious Kollel Hagranat located the well-known, prestigious in Beis Haknesses Chanichei Hayeshivos – Ben Yaakov.

A Yid from Mexico accepted da’as Torah upon himself pport thirty avreichim in kollel. He and agreed to support wanted a strong, healthy child in body and spirit. He wanted to merit walking her down the aisle to her ed her to merit being a mother, to chuppah. He wanted raise generations. h, the moment he made the Amazingly enough, decision to open a kollel for thirty avreichim in the hleimah for his daughter, she merit of a refuah shleimah began to get well. ollel was founded In Bnei Brak a kollel

and in Mexico a little girl was healed.

The “Abaye and Rava” and the “Tanu Rabanan” of the Torah scholars stood gguard gu ard at the little gi ggirl’ rl’s bed and p rotected h protected her.

The “what’s the pshat?” t and various svaros inte intervened with the test results and tipped the scales in her favor.

A little girl was delivered from death! She re returned home, triumphant in battle.

And once again everyone cried.

This time they cried with joy; they cried amidst laughter. They cried and sang Hashem’s praises.

They cried and danced. They had witnessed a miracle.

Father and daughter flew to Eretz Yisrael to attend a seudas hoda’ah hosted by the Kollel.

Life rushed forward and business as usual resumed.

The little girl with the dramatic diary grew up.

One day, the disease struck again.

Suddenly, everything hurt her again. Suddenly, she and her parents were at the doctor again, listening as he chose his words carefully.

She was in the same situation once more.

Sick again.

Sick again. Such frightening, threatening words.

Where would she find the strength to fight the second round in the battle for her life? Last time, she was small and innocent.

Today she was older and understood her prognosis all too well. She was terrified.

Go, our daughter, go into battle and emerge triumphant once again. You’re not alone; we’ll ask da’as Torah once again.

This is the story of 5770.

Her father is so frightened he is unable even to cry.

His heart is gripped with fear. This time everything is more urgent. Once again, he sends his question to Rav Steinman, shlit”a. His question screams, “Help!”

What does the holy Torah say to do when your daughter is sick for the second time?

How can I save her life? We need an even bigger miracle this time around. How do we keep the Angel of Death at bay?

Maran, shlit”a, what should I do this time as a zechus for my daughter to regain her health?

The moment of truth.

Silence reigned in the room as Maran, shlit”a, contemplated the question.

A young girl’s life hung in the balance. Her father had sent an urgent question from abroad to ask what might grant her life.

“This time you must give pure tzedakah,” Maran said, his words slicing the air. “The type of support you gave last time is not enough. This time you must invest in real, one hundred percent tzedakah, to resuscitate hungry people!

You must be certain that every penny of your money reaches a poor person.”

“To whom shall I contribute?”

Maran rules clearly: When one seeks to give true tzedakah, there’s an address: Kupat Ha’ir.” And then he added a few amazingly powerful words.

Reb Shimon hurriedly phoned Mexico with a clear and astounding answer from Rav Steinman, shlit”a.

“Maran, shlit”a, says the support you give the kollel is not enough now. You don’t know the financial situation of the

avreichim in the kollel, after all. This time you should invest in tzedakah for the poor, tzedakah that goes one hundred percent to feed hungry people. You have to be sure that every penny goes to a true pauper.”

“But how can I know who’s a real pauper? Did Rav Steinman say whom I should contribute to?”

“Yes, he did. He was very specific about whom you should contribute to. To quote him verbatim, “ When you seek to give true tzedakah, there’s an address: you need to approach Kupat Ha’ir. Kupat Ha’r is known for its special integrity. Kupat Ha’ir works in tandem with da’as Torah. Every contribution there goes to people who are truly needy. If he’ll contribute there, his daughter will be saved, be’ezras Hashem.”

Maran’s holy words cross continents and reach all the way to Mexico. They enter the father’s wounded heart and offer consolation. If Maran, shlit”a, who is familiar with so many tzedakos, testifies to Kupat Ha’ir’s worthiness, there can be no doubt that a contribution to Kupat Ha’ir will effect a yeshuah.

“But that’s not all; Rav Steinman said something else,” Rabbi said.

“Listen to what Maran added, without my even asking.

Before I left the room, he stopped me suddenly and said, “In addition to all the wonderful qualities of Kupat Ha’ir, there is an additional advantage. The gabba’im there organize tefillah sessions at the mekomos hakedoshim and submit the names of contributors to tzaddikim. I see and hear the earnestness with which they submit each and every name to the Gedolim”, Rav Steinman said. “The names are prayed for at the holiest sights at the most auspicious times. Tell him, your friend in Mexico, that if he contributes to Kupat Ha’ir, he will merit also that his daughter’s name will be submitted regularly to the Gedolei Hador and to the Torah scholars who pray regularly at the mekomos hakedoshim”.

These were the words of Maran Hagaon Harav Aharon Leib Steinman, shlit”a, and he was not speaking for the sake of this advertisement. He was speaking during a moment of truth, when a Jewish girl’s life hung in the balance!

The last time she was sick, “Tanu Rabanan”

red in the air to protect her when she hovered rwent radiation. underwent Todayy she is beginning treatment again. Thousands pat Ha’ H air ir ang aangels ngel elss wi willll enter ent enter er the the room roo room m with with her her and and of Kupat Ha’ir und her her bed bed in in a tight tigh ti ghtt ring. ring ri ng. These Thes Th esee angels ange an gels ls will wil willl tell tell surround ngry children who received hot meals, of widows of hungry and brokenhearted Jews who received assistance, edicine purchased at the pharmacy, of cleaning of medicine help for a woman who suffered a breakdown, of renovations for an apartment in danger of collapse.

Don’t worry, child. We’re here, we zechuyos of Kupat Ha’ir.

Soon the pain will be over, soon you’ll be healthy. Be strong.

We’ll accompany you the whole time, speaking in your favor and smoothing the way for you. Because when you need a miracle– the answer is Kupat Ha’ir. That is what da’as Torah said.

Don’t be afraid at night. Wipe your tears. True tzedakah to Kupat Ha’ir will protect you. That is what Maran, shlit”a, said. He revealed the proper course of action to take when in need of a powerful weapon.

This story does not have an ending yet. It is still unfolding.

She’s in Mexico, fighting.

Thousands of tzedakos are helping her in battle.

m The

ost trusted matonos l

m oni

’ ev y

Maran Hagaon Harav Aharon Leib Steinman shlit"a donating to the matanos l'evyonim campaign after the reading of the megilla.

In anticipation of the upcoming Purim fundraising drive, we asked representatives of Kupat Ha'ir to tell us about what goes on behind the scenes during the busy Purim period.

‫• במזומן בפועל‬ At Kupat Kupat Ha’ir, Ha’ir, this thiis means means s cash, ca ash h, not checks check ks made e out out to cash cas sh Actively distributed, Ac ctively d istributted d, nott via credit crredit Q. How is the matanos le'evyonim fundraising drive different from other Kupat Ha'ir fundraising drives?

A. The difference lies mostly in the intensity. It's like playing a cassette and hearing everything on it in two minutes instead of two hours. Everything appears to be normal - but it just seems that way. The period of time during which the money comes in is far shorter than usual, both because many, many people want to give their matanos le'evyonim specifically on Purim - despite the fact that every year, the Gedolei Hador request that people make their contributions earlier and because of the maximal care we take with hiddurim. The resulting one-day fundraising drive is incredible; every year we have loads of stories. To understand, you'd have to visit Kupat Ha'ir on Purim and feel the frenetic pace of activity, the simchas hamitzvah, the dedication, the willingness and fervor with which people leave their personal Purim celebrations and devote themselves to their brethren.

It's not unusual for a gabbai to still be fasting late in the af-

ternoon or wearing his tallis and tefillin in the office because he hasn’t yet had a chance to go home even for a moment. Droves of telephone operators come in from Yerushalayim, where Purim falls the following day, to man the phones. Every year anew, despite our advance preparations, we end up having to add more workstations to the telephone switchboard. A deluge of phone calls in one day…

Purim is Kupat Ha'ir's big day. All of Am Yisrael gives. An astonishing sum of money comes in. It is incredibly touching to see ibuted. And the how much money is distributed. expressions of joy from the e poor cannot fail to melt even the toughest est hearts.

Q. You mentioned hiddurim earlier. rlier. Can you elaborate?

A. One of Kupat Ha'ir's top priorities rities is to do our utmost on behalf of contributors, butors, in all areas. When it comes to tefillos, we make sure everything is carried out in the best way possible. When it comes to segulos, we go all the way. When it comes to mitzvos, s, we include every hiddur possible. That's why hy Kupat Ha'ir rim that turn has a whole slew of special hiddurim the performance of the mitzvah ah of matanas le'evyonim through Kupat Ha'ir into the most special mitzvah possible.

1. ‫בו ביום‬: The most significant hiddur in this mitzvah is distributing the tzedakah on Purim day. That's why Kupat Ha'ir distributes to the poor all the money that comes in on Purim on that same day. In order to ensure that even people who contribute via check or credit card receive the benefit of this hiddur, Kupat Ha'ir borrows an astronomical sum of cash (we're talking about millions of shekels) and all matanos le'evyonim that comes in via any means of payment is exchanged for cash that has been prepared in advance. In this way, everyone gives his contribution on Purim Pu day. daay.

2. An hiddur give n additional addittio ion na h nal idd durr is to to giv ve tzedatzedaakkah ka h as early early ar y as as possible posssib po iblee sso o tthat hat tthe hee p poor oor sshould ho ould ulld st stil still ill be be able ablle to to purchase what they p pu urc rcchasee w haat th h hey ey n ne need eed fo for or tthe he P Puu-

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Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky shlit"a tanos donating to the matanos l'evyonim campaign after the reading of the megilla.

rim seudah. To that end, all the money that comes in to Kupat Ha'ir in advance (every year, the Gedolim request that people submit their matanos le'evyonim money early, for this reason) is prepared in advance. The money is placed into envelopes and the messengers set out early in the morning. After that, too, the money that comes in throughout the day is distributed with lightning speed, including money that comes in during the very final moments of the day. Last year, even money that came in 10 minutes before sundown was still distributed before sundown!

3. Worthy Evyonim: A special meeting of rabbanim discusses each family to decide whether or not they can be classified as evyonim mehudarim. For example, there is a family that urgently requires a hearing aid for a child. There is no doubt that they need to be helped, but they are not evyonim and money earmarked for matanos le'evyonim will not go for this purpose. Only evyonim classified as mehudarim receive money on Purim day.

4. Discreetness: Special arrangements are made even on this complex, busy day, to deliver the money in such a way that the families do not suffer distress or shame.

5. The money is divided into separate "Matanos" in accordance with the sum determined by the Gedolei Hador. This way, contributors merit many more mitzvos.

Obviously, Kupat Ha'ir, which has the merit of distributing the matanos le'evyonim money of all the Gedolei Hador, is the best place to fulfill this mitzvah. The special blessings showered by the Gedolei Hador upon Kupat Ha'ir every year on erev Purim – do indeed come true.

We merit special siyatta dishmaya on this day and somehow manage to get everything done in the best possible way.

Q. What type of families are classified as evyonim mehudarim?

A. We shouldn't know from such tzaros… Families in which the main component of their tzarah is poverty. Sometimes, the poverty stems from a difficult disease afflicting a member of the family (or more than one, rachmana litzlan). Some of the recipients are widows and orphans. Some families have lost large sums of money and fallen into huge debt or suffered other tzaros. In all cases, we're talking about poor families who lack money to buy food. This gift gladdens their heart and enables them to make generous food purchases in honor of Purim.

Q. Who answers the halachic questions that arise?

A. The Gedolei Hador, of course. And questions do come up.

To make sure everything runs smoothly halachah-wise, we need to deal with all types of problems and difficulties. The

Gedolei Hador are prepared for this and they have is- people and in the eyes of Hashem. Everything is done on a strictly voluntary basis by a staff of people whose sued rulings for Kupat Ha'ir on dozens of occasions.

Q. Is it more mehudar to contribute to Kupat Ha'ir hearts beat together wtih devotion and prayer. All than to give money directly to evyonim one knows minimal expenses (computers, papers, etc.) are sponsored or donated. Every penny that comes in goes dipersonally? rectly to the poor.

A. This question gets asked every year anew and the Gedolim reply unequivocally: giving via Kupat Ha'ir is Q. Really, then, is there any reason not to give matanos the most mehudar option. The Gedolim themselves le'evyonim via Kupat Ha'ir? submit their matanos le'evyonim money to Kupat A. That's the best question… But there's no answer!

There isn't one reason not to contribute via Kupat Ha'ir. There are a few reasons for this: 1. Kupat Ha'ir knows what regular people don't know. Ha'ir and many, many reasons to do just that. So let's Sometimes, those who seem to be “evyonim mehu- go… darim” may actually have undisclosed assets or other sources of income.

2. The money is guaranteed to arrive at its destination. There is no risk of a private messenger getting drunk and falling asleep or forgetting. Kupat Ha’ir is responsible and your mitzvah is safe.

3. Whoever contributes via Kupat Ha'ir merits the mitzvah of obeying talmidei chachamim in addition to the mitzvah of matanos le'evyonim.

The Gedolim want Kupat Ha'ir to be in charge of matanos le'evyonim and to distribute the money in accordance with the decisions of the rabbanim.

4. Kupat Ha’ir has the advantages that make it most preferable in the eyes of the

The hiddurim in Matanos L'evyonim Practiced by Kupat Ha'ir 1. The money will be given on Purim day and not before (see Magen Avraham siman 694).

the money is divided into nesinos chashuvos(respectable sums) rather than shaveh perutah (see Maharsha, Megilla 7).

2. The money is actively distributed rather

6. All the evyonim are selected by the

than merely credited, so that it can be spent on the same day.

3. The money will be given in cash rather than in check form, so that it can be spent on the same day.

4. The money that comes in before 11:00 will be given before noon so that it can be used to purchase what is needed for Purim.

5. A

condition

(tnai)

is

made

that

Rabbanim Hagaonim, shlit"a.

7. One hundred percent of the contributions go to the needy.

8. Cash will be distributed on Purim day even on behalf of contributions via check or credit card.

9. Everything

is distributed discreetly, which is the greatest virtue when giving tzedakah.

FOR DONATIONS BY CREDIT CA

m i l l i h e T f All o 4 Times Purrim is well known as an auspiicious day to daven n a nd receive yesh huos.

Over the days of Purim, a minyan of talmidei chachamim will daven at the Kosel Hama’aravi and recite the entire Sefer Tehillim, consecutively,

4 times: 1. On th he ev ve of 14 4 Adar – Purim m Dipra azim (in unwa alled d cities) n th he day y of 14 Adar – 2. On Purrim Diprazim (in unwallled d ciitie es) 3. On the ev ve of 15 Adar – m Dem mukafin (in walle ed cittiess) Purim 4. On n the day of 15 Aa ar – Purim Demukaffin (in walle ed cities)

Thereafter, they will recite each name along with accompanying personal request.

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Donations can be sent to: Kupat Hair 4415 14th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11219 Malkiel Kotler Shlita 521 5th Street Lakewood, New Jersey 08701 Rabbi

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Names ma ay be submiitted d to o th he te elep phone hotline Unttil Erev Sh habbos Zachor, 12 Adar $82 per name

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ray p l il w , "a t li h s , r o d a H i le o On PURIM DAY, the Ged .

Y A D IM R U P e r fo e b in e m for all the names that co

Please daven on my behalf for:

‫נחת מהילדים‬ Nachas from children ‫זרע של קיימא‬ For children ‫רפואה שלמה‬ For a refuah sheleima (speedy recovery) ‫זיווג הגון‬ For a zivug hagun (worthy mate) ‫פרנסה‬ Parnassah (livelihood) with ease

Please fill in your Hebrew name and mother’s Hebrew name

Urgent requests are immediately forwarded to the home of the Gedolei Hador

How do I donate to Kupat Ha' Ha'ir?

Send your donation in the enclosed S

1eenvelope.

Call the 24 Hour Tzeddakah Hotline ((donation by credit card) at 1-866-221-9352 Fax:

211888-633-2188

Email: info@kupathairusa.org

Send your donation to the Rabbonim in

3 your area (see list on Envelope).

4

Send your donation to: Kupat Hair 4415 14th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11219

Please make checks payable to: American Friends of Kupat Ha'ir

Montreal: Rabbi Y. C. Wenger Shlita, 2227 Goyer Avenue, Montreal Quebec H3S 1H1 In Send your donation to: Toronto: Rabbi M. M. Lowy Shlita, 240 Carmichael, Toronto Ontario M5M 2x4 Canada Please make checks payable to: Canadian Friends of Kupat Ha'ir

1-866-221-9352

24 Hour Tzeddakah hotline For all information or to receive a pushka call 1-800-233-2188 Our office number in Israel: 3-671-6994

t c u r t s n i e "W m i n o y v 'e l s o n a t to give ma . r 'i a H t a p u K o t money