Electronic Age
When physical coins & wallets phase out
Another aspect to the Sign of "Moshiach not coming until coins run out"
Since the late 1900's
Money and Transactions
started to look like this:
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Cards (bank, debit, credit, travel)
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EFT, PayPal, direct debits
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For all purchasing, e-tags, Even your coffee…
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Exact amounts – no change
That means:
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No coins in your wallet!
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And no wallet either…!
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Instead pockets are used for mobile phones...
So What?
What's so unpleasant about this?
(This sign is part of the Unpleasant Signs for the Coming of Moshiach, listed in the Talmud)
The
Traditional
way of giving Charity is
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A coin being given
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from the hand of the Donor,
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through his arm,
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to the hand of the Recipient.
The four elements of this act correspond to the Name of G-d:
י
The coin is small (symbolizing the י of G-d's Name) but represents the sustenance that will eventually find the needy Recipient (the last ה).
ה
The hand of the Donor with its five fingers symbolizes the first ה of the Holy Name. It grabs the sustenance and gives it destiny and direction.
ו
The outstreched arm symbolizes the ו of the Name. It makes the act of giving possible by connecting the Donor's hand with the hand of the Recipient.
ה
The hand of the Recipient symbolizes the last ה of the Name. It receives the sustenance from the Donor to use for its needs.
This is the Name of G-d that makes the world exist, being the flow of life from the Almighty G-d (the "Donor") to the world (the "Recipient").
What makes G-d "behave" in this charitable manner?
Our charitable acts.
To the extent this Name is reflected in the physical act itself.
And until our Modern Age, physical coins from one's pocket was the only way to give...
But with no more coins in the pocket – how will all this happen??
However, now with technology, there's
e-Giving:
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Greater amounts than can be handled when giving physical money in person
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To anyone (may need to create an account – but that’s free and easy)
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To anywhere in the world, yet still instantly
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At any time, 24x7*
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At any frequency
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Automated and recurring
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By the click of a button (well, a few clicks)
Any boundary still unbroken?
So, it turns out that:
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The phasing out of wallets and coins is to give way to much greater and more diverse means of giving Charity.
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This unfortunate Sign was to have the Charity Collector helpless, with all his potential Donors penniless. However Technology has transformed this very phenomenon into many modes of financial salvation. Think online charity campaigns.
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This unfortunate Sign was to have both the Charity Collector and Donor embarrassed, with the latter not being able to help the needs of the former. With online fundraising, both retain their sense of integrity.
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e-Giving is also connected to the essence of the Messianic Times. The limitless ways of giving Charity are associated with the unlimited intensity of Divine revelations that will be experienced by the world in those times.
Notes and References:
(“Coins from the Wallet” in this context means a phrase – no more "taking coins out of wallets")
With no more coins – no more Charity...? Although:
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People can still make special effort to procure coins to give, or
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Charity Collectors can run around with mobile eftpos machines...
Traditional way of Giving Charity spells out, and makes, G-d's Name: The Rema (Rabbi Menachem Azariah) of Fano in his book "The Ten Commandments" Pt. 3 Ch. 20. Commentary of Kli Paz on Isaiah in the name of the Ari Zal.
Our charitable acts cause G-d's charitable acts (continual creation) being His Holy Name: Zohar Pt. 3 113b, Tanya Pt 4 (Igeret Hakodesh) Ch. 5, et al.
Charity can be given 24x7: Even on Shabbat, if set up to be done automatically before the holy day and no Jews will be involved during the transaction – See Code of Jewish Law Ch. 252. However financial institutions tend to transact only on business days anyway...
No limits to ways of giving Charity causes the Messianic Revelations: Before Mashiach comes, everything that comes down from G-d to the world goes through G-d's Name, which starts with the "י". As its relative size suggests and despite of representing the highest worldly levels (Wisdom / Chochma) – it greatly constrains how much can actually be revealed in the world. To use the Charity analogy described above: The scale that the Recipient (the world) can handle is only coins, very limited. This is why there needs to be a special "Opening of this י", as in the verse "פותח את ידך" – the word "ידך / Yadecha / Your Hands" also referring to G-d's "י" – Yudecha: Shaar Hakavanot, Tefilat Hashachar, Magen David Ch. 10 et al.
The Times of Mashiach, however, will see unlimited G-dly revelations in the world. And therefore, by means of transition and in preparation for that, the way we give Charity is changing, as described above: We give in unlimited ways and that will open up the unlimited channels of blessings and revelations in the pending Messianic Era. This could possibly be seen as the ultimate opening of the "Yud" to enable the revelations of G-d's Will (רצון / Ratzon) – the end of the verse and outcome of the Yud's opening.
[Note it is not only the manner of revelation that will be infinite but also the intensity of revelations themselves – as described in aspect of this Sign dealing with Credit].