Questions for today:
We can only tolerate a certain amount of anything - even Divine blessing. Is there a way to overcome this limit?
The Torah compares charity to an armor, with every coin acting like a metal tile protecting us from harm.
This analogy isn't semantic. It's a very specific illustration of clothing in relation to our need for protection.
When we compare food to clothing in their Divine parallel, food represents G-dliness that's small enough to come 'into our body' and give sustenance to every part 'specifically'.
Clothing represents G-dliness that's too high to be regulated within us. However, because of this, it has the extra benefit to protect us from cold or from harm.
This is similar to the contrast between Torah, that we can understand personally and individually, versus commandments, which are G-d's desire, and much higher than our understanding.
However, what happens when the commandment gives us internal physical sustenance? E.g. charity and kindness which give us long life and wealth.
Wouldn't getting a blessing from a level above our understanding be like getting antibiotics without a pharmacist?
This concern is alleviated by the term the Torah uses regarding charity giving's effect: "abundant measure", a term that contains both extremes.
G-d is great enough to give us infinite blessing, in the correct dose.
224 05 Tanya Menachem Av 7 ~ m253 05 Menachem Av 11
Tanya book 4, Essay 3 pt 1
Study today’s Tanya in full:
https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=8/8/2022
See today’s video: