When talking about issues that have been foreseen by gedolim, people often criticize the idea by saying "then let him tell us the lottery numbers, if he can see into the future".
Well, Rav Chaim Kanievsky has now addressed that claim.
During a consultation with Rav Kanievsky about financial problems, a member of the Kupat Ha'ir tzedakka fund jokingly said that the rav should either reveal the lottery numbers to them (50mil NIS prize) or daven that the ticket they purchase should be the winning ticket.
Rav Kanievsky responded, "Even if I could tell, I wouldn't. The Jewish nation has survived because of the merit of giving. If the money would come form the lottery, the Jewish nation would lose out on the many merits of the mitzva of tzedaka.
(source: bhol)
A side note - Does this mean that the Kupat Ha'Ir regularly uses donations to buy lottery tickets or were they just saying that if Rav Kanievsky would give them a bracha they would buy a ticket this time?
I've spoken with a few officers of RBS's Kupa Shel Tzedaka, and they all said that their theory is that although the world exists on tzedaka, we should always daven that there won't be anyone in need of tzedaka.
ReplyDeletefor sure.
ReplyDeleteCute. Translation: "I can't foresee diddly-squat, but I'm very happy to allow you all to keep thinking that I can."
ReplyDeletedror - except the pasuk in re'eh says "ki lo yechdal evyon mi'kerevha'aretz".
ReplyDeleteseperatley:
my only response to the reason given in this post is "BS".
Rafi, you do a lot of good with your blog, but you should seriously consider the ramifications after 120 of being a venue for people to talk disparegingly about gedolei yisroel (or even any Jew for that matter). Free speech to the nth degree isn't a Jewish concept. Please do a better job controlling it if you know what's good for you. Don't let this spiral out of control
ReplyDelete