Charity: Difference between revisions
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→How much to give
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# One who gives to charity shouldn't give more than a fifth of his income, so that he doesn't become poor himself during his life; on his death bed, he can give up to 1/3 of his inheritance to charity <ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:4 </ref>. | # One who gives to charity shouldn't give more than a fifth of his income, so that he doesn't become poor himself during his life; on his death bed, he can give up to 1/3 of his inheritance to charity <ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:4 </ref>. | ||
# One is forbidden to turn away a beggar empty-handed, even if one only gives him one fig. If one doesn't have any money, one should comfort him with words <ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:8 </ref>. | # One is forbidden to turn away a beggar empty-handed, even if one only gives him one fig. If one doesn't have any money, one should comfort him with words <ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:8 </ref>. | ||
===More than 20%=== | |||
#If someone can afford giving 20% of their money to tzedaka and there is a poor person who needs that money, some say that there is an obligation to give them,<ref>Chafetz Chaim (Ahavat Chesed 2:19:4) rules like the Rambam Pirush Mishanyot Peah 1:1 and explains how it isn’t in contradiction to Rambam (Matanot Aniyim 7:5) and Shulchan Aruch YD 249:1. His answer is that when there's a poor person in front of you in need there's an obligation to give even if it is more than 20% if you can afford it.</ref> while many others hold that there is no obligation but it is certainly an act of piety.<Ref>Birkei Yosef 249:1 explains the Pirush Mishnayot like the Chafetz Chaim but holds like the Rambam in the Mishna Torah and Shulchan Aruch that it is only an act of piety to give 20% and not an obligation even if a poor person comes asking. Laws of Tzedakah and Maaser p. 11 cites this dispute between the Chafetz Chaim and Birkei Yosef and concludes one should ask one's local Rav.</ref> | |||
#If someone can afford to give a poor person whatever he is lacking he should do so. If that would be in excess of 20% of his money, he does not have to give it, but if he could afford it comfortably it would be a pious act to do so.<ref>Chafetz Chaim (Ahavat Chesed 2:19:4 fnt. s.v. vyaan) explains the Rambam Pirush Mishnayot Peah 1:1 holds that it is an obligation to give up to 20% if one can afford it and not above that. Based on a halacha lmoshe msinai chazal instituted that a person can’t give more than 20% of their wealth for a mitzvah so that he doesn’t become poor. Even so it is a pious act to give more than 20% if one can afford it comfortably. Though he later notes that it sounds like the Rambam in Mishna Torah (Matanot Aniyim 7:5) and Shulchan Aruch 249:1 imply that one should give even more than a fifth. | #If someone can afford to give a poor person whatever he is lacking he should do so. If that would be in excess of 20% of his money, he does not have to give it, but if he could afford it comfortably it would be a pious act to do so.<ref>Chafetz Chaim (Ahavat Chesed 2:19:4 fnt. s.v. vyaan) explains the Rambam Pirush Mishnayot Peah 1:1 holds that it is an obligation to give up to 20% if one can afford it and not above that. Based on a halacha lmoshe msinai chazal instituted that a person can’t give more than 20% of their wealth for a mitzvah so that he doesn’t become poor. Even so it is a pious act to give more than 20% if one can afford it comfortably. Though he later notes that it sounds like the Rambam in Mishna Torah (Matanot Aniyim 7:5) and Shulchan Aruch 249:1 imply that one should give even more than a fifth. | ||
* Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igrot Moshe YD 1:143) understands that Shulchan Aruch YD 249:1 requires giving more than 20% if he can afford it and there is a poor person’s whose is in need of that money. However, he concludes that the Rama holds that generally it is forbidden to give more than 20% to tzedaka and rules in accordance with the Rama. | * Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igrot Moshe YD 1:143) understands that Shulchan Aruch YD 249:1 requires giving more than 20% if he can afford it and there is a poor person’s whose is in need of that money. However, he concludes that the Rama holds that generally it is forbidden to give more than 20% to tzedaka and rules in accordance with the Rama. | ||
* Minchat Yitzchak 5:34, however, argues with Igrot Moshe and holds that it is permitted to give above 20% for someone who can afford it.</ref> | * Minchat Yitzchak 5:34, however, argues with Igrot Moshe and holds that it is permitted to give above 20% for someone who can afford it.</ref> | ||
#Some hold it is an obligation to give more than 20% if you can afford it and there are poor people who need it,<ref>Shevet Halevi 2:121</ref> some hold that it is permitted but not obligatory.<Ref>Minchat Yitzchak 5:34:2</ref>, and some that it is forbidden.<ref>Igrot Moshe YD 1:143. Shevet Halevi explains that the reason that it is permitted to give more than 20% is because there is a poor person who is requesting it. That obligation to give him his needs allows giving more than 20% if he can afford it. He thinks that there’s is a prohibition even for someone very wealthy except that it is permitted when there is a pressing tzedaka need, in which case it is an obligation. | #Some hold it is an obligation to give more than 20% if you can afford it and there are poor people who need it,<ref>Shevet Halevi 2:121</ref> some hold that it is permitted but not obligatory.<Ref>Minchat Yitzchak 5:34:2</ref>, and some that it is forbidden.<ref>Igrot Moshe YD 1:143. Shevet Halevi explains that the reason that it is permitted to give more than 20% is because there is a poor person who is requesting it. That obligation to give him his needs allows giving more than 20% if he can afford it. He thinks that there’s is a prohibition even for someone very wealthy except that it is permitted when there is a pressing tzedaka need, in which case it is an obligation. | ||
* However, the Yavetz 1:3 vamnam and Ahavat Chesed 20:1 hold that it is permitted for someone very wealthy to give more than 20% even for non-tzedaka needs such as for mitzvot. The reason of not spending more than 20% doesn’t apply to someone very wealthy. Chachmat Adam 144:10 implies this as well but Shevet Halevi believes Chachmat Adam holds it is only permitted when there is a pressing tzedaka need.</ref> | * However, the Yavetz 1:3 vamnam and Ahavat Chesed 20:1 hold that it is permitted for someone very wealthy to give more than 20% even for non-tzedaka needs such as for mitzvot. The reason of not spending more than 20% doesn’t apply to someone very wealthy. Chachmat Adam 144:10 implies this as well but Shevet Halevi believes Chachmat Adam holds it is only permitted when there is a pressing tzedaka need.</ref> | ||
