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It is a positive mitzvah to give [[Tzedaka]] (charity) to the poor people of [[Israel]]; one who hardens his heart and doesn't give violates a Torah commandment <ref> See Devarim 15:7-11, Rambam Sefer HaMitzvot (Mitzvah Aseh #195) </ref>.  
It is a positive mitzvah to give [[Tzedaka]] (charity) to the poor people of [[Israel]]; one who hardens his heart and doesn't give violates a Torah commandment <ref> See Devarim 15:7-11, Rambam Sefer HaMitzvot (Mitzvah Aseh #195) </ref>.  
==Miscellaneous Facts about Tzedaka==
# [[Tzedaka]] is a trait that characterizes the descendants of Avrohom Avinu <ref> KSA 34:1 </ref>.
# The Jewish religion isn't stable without charity <ref> ibid. </ref>
# The one who does [[Tzedaka]] <ref> In this instance, "[[tzedaka]]" refers to acts of kindness as well, because the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch described it as one who ''does'' [[Tzedaka]], not one who gives [[Tzedaka]] </ref> is better than all the Korbanos <ref> ibid. </ref>.
# [[Israel]] will only be redeemed through [[Tzedaka]] <ref> ibid. </ref>
# No one ever becomes poor out of giving [[Tzedaka]], and no bad thing nor damage comes from [[Tzedaka]] <ref> ibid. </ref>
# If one has mercy, Hashem will be merciful to him <ref> ibid. </ref>
# Hashem is close to the poor, so one must be careful to hear their cries <ref> ibid. </ref>.
# A person should think: just as he davens to Hashem for a Parnassa / livelihood, and Hashem gives to him, so too should a person listen to the poor <ref> ibid. </ref>.
# A person shouldn't say, "how can I diminish my money and give it to the poor", because he should know that the money doesn't belong to him, but is instead a a deposit from Hashem in order to do His will<ref> ibid. </ref>.
# [[Tzedaka]] pushes aside evil decrees and adds life.<ref> ibid. </ref>
   
   
==General guidelines==
==General guidelines==
# There is no bracha for the mitzvah of [[Tzedaka]]. See the footnote for different reasons suggested. <ref> The Sh"t HaRashba 1:18 explains that there's no bracha for the mitzvah of tzadaka because it depends on the reciever and since it is possible that he receiver will not accept the money, chazal didn't establish a bracha for the mitzvah. The Aruch HaShulchan YD 240:2 explains that the reason there is no bracha for Tzadaka is because both Jews and non-Jews do this deed. Since the primary difference between a Jew and non-Jew who take such actions is the intent, that the Jew does it in order to fulfill a mitzvah and the non-Jew does it because its moral, for such an action one may not say "Asher Kideshanu" - we were commanded in this specific action.</reF>
# There is no bracha for the mitzvah of [[Tzedaka]]. See the footnote for different reasons suggested. <ref> The Sh"t HaRashba 1:18 explains that there's no bracha for the mitzvah of tzadaka because it depends on the reciever and since it is possible that he receiver will not accept the money, chazal didn't establish a bracha for the mitzvah. The Aruch HaShulchan YD 240:2 explains that the reason there is no bracha for Tzadaka is because both Jews and non-Jews do this deed. Since the primary difference between a Jew and non-Jew who take such actions is the intent, that the Jew does it in order to fulfill a mitzvah and the non-Jew does it because its moral, for such an action one may not say "Asher Kideshanu" - we were commanded in this specific action.</reF>
# Many opinions hold that if one decided to give charity mentally without expressing it verbally, one should fulfill that decision. <ref>There's two opinions in Shulchan Aruch C”M 212:8 if a mental thought to make something hekdesh or [[tzedaka]] is binding. The Rama C”M 212:8 and Y"D 258:13 writes that the halacha is that it is binding. Yachava Daat 6:52 has a doubt about the opinion of Shulchan Aruch. On the one hand, since there are two opinions in S”A, it would seem that the halacha is like the second one, who in this case is lenient. But, on the other hand, the second opinion is quoted as yesh mi she'omer in singular, whereas the first is quoted in plural yesh omrim. Yalkut Yosef y"d 247-259:12 just quotes S"A but doesn't give a definitive ruling. In one article of [http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=1205 DailyHalacha by Rabbi Mansour], he writes that we're lenient according to the opinion of the Daat Esh who says that everyone agrees that its not binding if the whole event was mental but there's a dispute if you said you'd give but didn't specify. However, the Yachava Daat 6:52 argues that this opinion is not implied by S"A. However, in another article [http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=2375 Rabbi Mansour] writes that we're machmir that it is binding according to the Or Letzion. </ref>
# Many opinions hold that if one decided to give charity mentally without expressing it verbally, one should fulfill that decision. <ref>There's two opinions in Shulchan Aruch C”M 212:8 if a mental thought to make something hekdesh or [[tzedaka]] is binding. The Rama C”M 212:8 and Y"D 258:13 writes that the halacha is that it is binding. Yachava Daat 6:52 has a doubt about the opinion of Shulchan Aruch. On the one hand, since there are two opinions in S”A, it would seem that the halacha is like the second one, who in this case is lenient. But, on the other hand, the second opinion is quoted as yesh mi she'omer in singular, whereas the first is quoted in plural yesh omrim. Yalkut Yosef y"d 247-259:12 just quotes S"A but doesn't give a definitive ruling. In one article of [http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=1205 DailyHalacha by Rabbi Mansour], he writes that we're lenient according to the opinion of the Daat Esh who says that everyone agrees that its not binding if the whole event was mental but there's a dispute if you said you'd give but didn't specify. However, the Yachava Daat 6:52 argues that this opinion is not implied by S"A. However, in another article [http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=2375 Rabbi Mansour] writes that we're machmir that it is binding according to the Or Letzion. </ref>
# If one '''verbalizes''' this commitment, one must make good on it immediately to not violate the command "בל תאחר / do not delay" <ref> KSA 34:9 </ref>. If no poor are available, one must set it aside until he finds poor people. <ref> Ibid. </ref>.
# One who gives [[Tzedaka]] should do it from the best of his property. If one buys a place of [[prayer]], it should be nicer than his house. One who feeds a poor person should give him from the best things on his table. One who gives clothing to someone who doesn't have should give him from the nicest of his clothing. <ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:5 </ref>.
# One who gives [[Tzedaka]] should do it from the best of his property. If one buys a place of [[prayer]], it should be nicer than his house. One who feeds a poor person should give him from the best things on his table. One who gives clothing to someone who doesn't have should give him from the nicest of his clothing. <ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:5 </ref>.
# Anyone who gives [[Tzedaka]] to a poor person with a negative expression or face looking at the ground--even if he gave him 1,000 gold pieces--loses his merit, and in fact violates a Torah commandment <ref> KSA 34:7 </ref>. Rather, one is obligated to give him with a nice expression, with happiness, with empathy for his plight, and with words of encouragement <ref> ibid. </ref>.
# Anyone who gives [[Tzedaka]] to a poor person with a negative expression or face looking at the ground--even if he gave him 1,000 gold pieces--loses his merit, and in fact violates a Torah commandment <ref> KSA 34:7 </ref>. Rather, one is obligated to give him with a nice expression, with happiness, with empathy for his plight, and with words of encouragement <ref> ibid. </ref>.
# One should be very careful not to raise his voice against or embarrass a poor person <ref> ibid. 34:8 </ref>.




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# It is better to give a lot of poor people a little money, then to give one poor person a lot of money. <ref> Rambam Peirush Hamishnayot Avot 3:15 </ref>
# It is better to give a lot of poor people a little money, then to give one poor person a lot of money. <ref> Rambam Peirush Hamishnayot Avot 3:15 </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> KSA 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> KSA 34:4 </ref>.
# One is forbidden to turn away a beggar emptyhanded, even if it is only one fig. If one doesn't have any money, one should comfort him with words <ref> Ibid. 34:8 </ref>.


==Whom To Give To==
==Whom To Give To==
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# A person should endeavor to refrain from taking charity and endure some hardship in order not to take charity. Chazal state that it is preferable to make your [[Shabbat]] meal like a weekday rather than take from charity. (See the [[Kavod Shabbat]] page for the practical laws about how a poor person should fulfill [[Kavod Shabbat]].) Anyone who presses himself to live with difficulty without taking charity is blessed to one day have enough money to support others. Nonetheless, one who needs to take from charity in order to live and doesn't take is sinning.<ref>Kitzur S"A 34:15-16</ref>
# A person should endeavor to refrain from taking charity and endure some hardship in order not to take charity. Chazal state that it is preferable to make your [[Shabbat]] meal like a weekday rather than take from charity. (See the [[Kavod Shabbat]] page for the practical laws about how a poor person should fulfill [[Kavod Shabbat]].) Anyone who presses himself to live with difficulty without taking charity is blessed to one day have enough money to support others. Nonetheless, one who needs to take from charity in order to live and doesn't take is sinning.<ref>Kitzur S"A 34:15-16</ref>
# A person who doesn't need to take charity and nonetheless deceives people and takes is sinning and is cursed by chazal to really become poor.<ref>Kitzur S"A 34:16</ref>
# A person who doesn't need to take charity and nonetheless deceives people and takes is sinning and is cursed by chazal to really become poor.<ref>Kitzur S"A 34:16</ref>
==Miscellaneous Statements about Tzedaka==
# [[Tzedaka]] is a trait that characterizes the descendants of Avrohom Avinu <ref> KSA 34:1 </ref>.
# The Jewish religion isn't stable without charity <ref> ibid. </ref>
# The one who does [[Tzedaka]] <ref> In this instance, "[[tzedaka]]" refers to acts of kindness as well, because the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch described it as one who ''does'' [[Tzedaka]], not one who gives [[Tzedaka]] </ref> is better than all the Korbanos <ref> ibid. </ref>.
# [[Israel]] will only be redeemed through [[Tzedaka]] <ref> ibid. </ref>
# No one ever becomes poor out of giving [[Tzedaka]], and no bad thing nor damage comes from [[Tzedaka]] <ref> ibid. </ref>
# If one has mercy, Hashem will be merciful to him <ref> ibid. </ref>
# Hashem is close to the poor, so one must be careful to hear their cries <ref> ibid. </ref>.
# A person should think: just as he davens to Hashem for a Parnassa / livelihood, and Hashem gives to him, so too should a person listen to the poor <ref> ibid. </ref>.
# A person shouldn't say, "how can I diminish my money and give it to the poor", because he should know that the money doesn't belong to him, but is instead a a deposit from Hashem in order to do His will<ref> ibid. </ref>.
# [[Tzedaka]] pushes aside evil decrees and adds life.<ref> ibid. </ref>


==Sources==
==Sources==
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<references/>
[[Category:Between Man And His Fellow]]
[[Category:Between Man And His Fellow]]
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