J5: Charity

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Who is a Jew?

Involvement in tzedakah is a basic characterisation
of being Jewish. Abraham, the first Jew was loved
by God because of this. God says: "...for I know that
he [Abraham] will instruct his children to perform tzedakah..."
(Genesis 18:19) It is to our credit that there are so many Jewishly run charities. To promote tzedakah is to follow the path of Abraham.

Tales of Tzedakah

Jewish texts are full of stories and maxims about tzedakah, each one revealing another aspect of this important but complex law. Here are some of them, it is left to you to find the messages they teach...

(a) Hillel the Elder brought a riding horse for a poor man who had formerly been wealthy, as well as a servant to run before him. Once when he could find no servant, Hillel himself ran before the man for three miles. (Ketuvot 67b)

(b) A poor man came to Rabbi Nechemiah. The rabbi asked, "What do you usually eat?" "Fatted meat and old wine," he replied. "Would you be willing to live on lentils with me?" He shared the rabbi's diet and soon died. "Pity that man, for Rabbi Nechemiah killed him." On the contrary, one should rather pity Rabbi Nechemiah, for there was no need for that man to have spoiled himself so much. (Ketuvot 67b)

(c) One should give tzedakah cheerfully, with joy and a good heart, commiserating with the poor person about their troubles and saying words of consolation to them. (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 349:3)

(d) If a poor person asks you for money and you have nothing to give them, comfort them with words. It is wrong to tell off a poor person or to raise your voice to shout at them, seeing that their heart is broken and crushed... (Maimonides: Gifts to the Poor 10:5)

(e) A person's intellect tells them to give, but their heart feels distress in giving to the poor. Therefore the Torah instructs them, "do not harden your heart," only your intellect. (Netziv, Deuteronomy 15:7)

(f) There are four types of charity donors:

1. One who wants to give but doesn't want others to give - he begrudges others.
2. One who wants others to give but doesn't want to give himself - he begrudges himself.
3. One that wants himself and others to give - he is pious. 4. One who wants neither himself nor others to give - he is wicked. (Ethics of the Fathers 6:16)

(g) The sages would sometimes tie money in a cloth bag, then throw it behind their backs for poor people to pick up, so that the poor should not feel shame. (Maimonides)

A tradition of Tzedakah

The Torah contains a variety laws associated with tzedakah which built it into how ancient societies worked. There is a tithe for the poor (ma'aser ani), gleaning of fields is left for the poor (leket), after every seventh year is when outstanding loans are cancelled (shemittah) and field-corners are left to be reaped by the poor (pe'ah). These laws give the needy rights, with no stigma attached, and have allowed Jewish societies to function justly for thousands of years.

From the early Middle Ages, every Jewish community had its alms collector who administered the charity fund or community chest (kuppah). Other provisions included a special fund for food and clothing, a soup kitchen, a communal dowry for poor brides, Shabbat Kiddush in Synagogue for travellers as well as home hospitality, and where necessary, free burial arrangements again organised by the community.

Today, tzedakah is still close to the heart of every Jewish community.

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