Too* many Meshulachim
תרתי משמע *
In 1822 an agreement was reached amongst the
various Kollelim not to send any Meshulachim to collect funds to the
territories of(Hod) Holland Germany & London. The exclusive rights to
collect for the Kollel belonged to R. Zvi Hersh Lehrin zt”l who was the Gabai
Tzedaka of Kollel Hod. R. Zvi Hersh was very capable, successful and
trustworthy. This agreement was done so that each territory supports it's own
Kollel.
In 1838 A group of Yerushalmim bought a Churva in
Yerushalayim with the intention to rebuild it as a Shul. There was another Shul
in the neighborhood but they desired a new one. They sent a Meshulach to
Chutz La’aretz to raise money for this project.
When the Meshulach arrived at the border of
R.Z.H.L. territory , R.Zvi Hersh held him back from collecting. He
argued that there are only limited funds to go around. If the Meshulach
will be collecting for the new shul, then he will have a hard time raising
money for the Aniyei E.Yisroel.
The Yeushalmi group held that R.Z.H.L. was
preventing others from doing a Mitzvah(build Shul) and should be put in
Cherem for doing so.
This Sheila was brought to the Chasam Sofer
(O.Ch.203). The Ch. S. sided with R.Z.H. Lehrin. The main argument of the Ch.S.
was being the money collected by R.Z.H. was to support the poor who
learn
all day, therefore it is considered for the donors own benefit. This
assures that Torah remains with us and the Torah will not ch”v evaporate.
Secondly even in a case where the money has already been collected for the Shul
we may take it away to support the poor, so for sure we may stop them from
collecting so as not to harm the poor. Since R.Z.H.L. claims having an
additional collection will harm his Tzedaka he has the full right to stop them
from doing so.
The Chasam Sofer seems to say these two
Tzedakos takes precedence over building a new Shul.
Kollel ( having them learn all day, guarantees the Torah to remain with us
and is for our own benefit)
The
poor
(in this case it was both poor & Kollel)