J5: Charity

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Introduction

Tzedakah, is the Hebrew word that is used to refer to helping those in need. But it stands for much more than giving money. Tzedakah means giving of your time, of your consideration and ultimately of yourself.

Tzedakah is not charity

Charity, from the Latin caritas, refers to the love of God for Creation or to the love of one person for others. So charity is normally used to refer to a tangible expression of that love. Tzedakah, on the other hand, comes from the Hebrew word tzedek which means justice. So tzedakah refers to behaviour that is moral. The difference is revealing. Charity is helping people in need because you feel for them, whereas tzedakah is about helping people because it is the right thing to do. Tzedakah is an obligation for Jews whether they feel compassionate about the needy or not. It is a duty, not a sentimental choice. Now you might think that it is better to help others because you feel like it and not because you have to, but it's not so simple...

The double effect of Tzedakah

The Torah makes some very revealing statements about tzedakah. Look at this one:

"And when there is a needy person amongst you... you must not be heartless... you should give them what they lack..."
(Deuteronomy 15:7-8)

There seem to be two aspects to helping the needy. One is that we will learn to care: "you must not be heartless," and the other is that we must provide for their needs: "give them what they lack". These are two independent ideas. It is possible to care without actually giving what is needed, and it is also possible to satisfy a person's needs without actually caring about them. For example, you could be a very emotional person who is deeply affected by the thought and sight of poverty, but you may only occasionally give a donation. On the other hand you could be a wealthy business person who regularly supports many charities but has little interest in them and never gets personally involved. The Torah teaches us that both are required. True tzedakah - justice - is not only about actions, it is about attitudes too.

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