When it comes to what I need vs want, it gets a bit confusing. I think this is because we sometimes categorize what we want with what we need. Although, when you actually put what your thinking in reality, you clearly know the differences. If I want something, I will sometimes think of it as a need. Meaning, I “need” that item to live. However, when you take a minute to think about what you are actually thinking, and know that other people may not even be as fortunate as you to have something else, you get a better idea of what you may want, vs need.

It is one of my pet peevs when someone says “Oh my gosh! I need that to live”, and it’s some kind of toy, or something silly like that. When you really take a minute and realize that many people don’t even have food to eat, or a place to sleep, it helps get a better idea of what other people feel or are going though. And thank G-d I don’t know from that!

1. When discussing issues of hunger, we often use these biblical sources to cite our tradition’s concern for fighting hunger. However, we no longer live in an agricultural society, and the laws of reaping and tithing no longer apply. How do we make these texts relevant today? What can we do in our modern lives to realize the principles that underlie these laws?

When should always help people who are in need, or those who are less fortunate than we are. Also, we should not feel weird or bad about it. A matter of a fact, you should feel even better than you helped someone that needed it rather than just doing something for yourself. It is a really amazing and unique feeling when you go out of your way to do a mitzvah for someone, and they really appreciate it, they don’t take everything for granted.

 

2. The Torah recognizes certain categories of people who are particularly vulnerable: the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, the widow, etc. What categories of people today require special assistance and our focused attention? Why?

I think that everyone in a sense requires individual, or special attention to an extent. If you are not loved and cared for by your family and peers, you feel dead inside. And one day when you get a little older and are rude, abrupt, and not patient with others, it is most likely because YOU were treated like that. Always make sure you treat people how you want to be treated. Although, if you are talking about needing special attention in a different sense, the sick, homeless, and hungry would need special attention. If you are one of those things, you should not be made to feel bad. You are a person just like everyone else, and you should be treated with love and respect.

 

3. Explain the tension between Deuteronomy chapter 15 verses 4 and 11, found in the same chapter in Deuteronomy.

One of them is saying that there should not be anymore needy, and the other is totally contradicting with it and saying that there will always be needy! I actually find this quite funny! They are both saying the complete opposite. I like to relate it to the yetzer Tov and yetzer harah. They are both “fighting” each others views. Although, in this case, neither of them are bad ways to look at situations, they are just completely different, which is OK!

 

4. If we accept an obligation to care for the needy in our society, does that mean that we have to do it without regret for our own financial loss? Do you personally feel that you are able to give without regret or hesitation?

Even if you give a donation, or help the needy in some way or another, that does not mean that you have to sacrifice your life for them! You are still free to make your own choices and decisions, and view life on your own level. Don’t give up what you like or what makes you happy! And say you did lose a little time or money… you gain it back through caring and love. Through the mitzvah you did, you gain everything back through your heart! Abd love and caring is a MUCH larger gift than money!

 

In terms of my own contribution, I am most proud of making the whole process happen! I was not here for the beginning stages, although, I was here for the first day we started putting the Sukkah up! That was a great day to come. To me, “construction work” looked very complicated and hard. Although, when I started using drills, saws etc… to put the wood panels up, I felt a sense of accomplishment. I also really liked how we all worked together as a community to get this done! One person couldn’t do this alone.

On the other hand, there obviously were the things that didn’t work out as planned. One of the hardest things for me with this was probably the struggle of the schach! The original plan was for there to be cornstalks, but that didn’t quite work out for various reasons. We had to problem solve and see what better solutions we could think of in a pinch. It’s very hard to have a good plan that was well thought out, and then it ends up not working.

If I could change something about the Sukkah project it would be to maybe have a “plan B” for problem that hit us “just like that” when we were not at all expecting it to. For example, the schach! We very fast did figure out a good solution to the problem, but it may have helped if we had other ones ready to go right when we need them. Also it could have helped if we brought out all the supplies we needed in one trip, rather than going in and out multiple times.

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