The Wheel in the Sky Keeps on Turning - פרשת ראה - פָּתֹחַ תִּפְתַּח אֶת יָדְךָ

I mean, the verse commands us not to harden the heart and not to shut the hand.

Right, which seems a bit redundant at first glance.

Yeah.

Usually, we conceptualize giving as one fluid action, you know?

Yeah.

You decide you want to give, and so you physically give.

Why split them into two distinct failures?

Because human reluctance happens in distinct stages.

Uh, one prominent observation from the sources, this is from Rashia, points out that hardening the heart refers strictly to the internal hesitation.

So that's the math.

Exactly.

Doing the math in your head, judging whether the person genuinely deserves your hard-earned money, or wondering if you can truly afford the loss, that's the heart.

Shutting the hand, however, is a completely different mechanism.

How so?

Well, that describes the physical act where you have already won the mental battle.

You decided to give-

Yeah

... you reached your hand out or dipped into your pocket, and then at the absolute last microsecond, panic sets in, and you pull your hand back empty.

Wow.

It's, it's the digital equivalent of opening up a GoFundMe page for a friend in trouble.

Yes, perfect modern example.

You read their story, you feel the empathy, so you don't have a hard heart yet.

You stare at the donation button, you type in $50, but as your mouse hovers over submit, you suddenly think about your own upcoming car insurance bill.

The panic hits.

Right.