Charity: Difference between revisions
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→Tzedaka Priorities
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## A poor neighbor or poor friend who lives in the city,<ref>Chachmat Adam 145:1 writes that giving to neighbors before other poor people of the city applies to anyone who one is friendly with and not specifically who lives in close proximity.</ref> | ## A poor neighbor or poor friend who lives in the city,<ref>Chachmat Adam 145:1 writes that giving to neighbors before other poor people of the city applies to anyone who one is friendly with and not specifically who lives in close proximity.</ref> | ||
## Other poor people of his city or his wife's relatives,<ref>Maharam Mintz 7 explains that relative of one's wife are a higher priority than relatives that live outside your city and are similar to poor of your city. This is cites by Maharam Ziskind 19 and Pitchei Teshuva 251:2.</ref> | ## Other poor people of his city or his wife's relatives,<ref>Maharam Mintz 7 explains that relative of one's wife are a higher priority than relatives that live outside your city and are similar to poor of your city. This is cites by Maharam Ziskind 19 and Pitchei Teshuva 251:2.</ref> | ||
## Poor people of Yerushalayim,<ref>Chatom Sofer YD 233-234 explains that the poor of Yerushalayim have priority since it is a mitzvah to live in Yerushalayim and someone who does more mitzvot has a higher priority to | ## Poor people of Yerushalayim,<ref>Chatom Sofer YD 233-234 explains that the poor of Yerushalayim have priority since it is a mitzvah to live in Yerushalayim and someone who does more mitzvot has a higher priority to collect tzedaka. Aruch Hashulchan 251:8 agrees.</ref> | ||
## Poor people of Israel,<ref>The Sifrei (Piska 116) understands כי יהיה בך אביון וכו' בארצך אשר ה' אלקיך נתן לך (Devarim 15:7) that it is a mitzvah to give to the poor of Eretz Yisrael before the poor outside Israel. Tur (Pirush Haaruch Devarim 15:11) derives it from ולאביונך בארצך (Devarim 15:11).</ref> | ## Poor people of Israel,<ref>The Sifrei (Piska 116) understands כי יהיה בך אביון וכו' בארצך אשר ה' אלקיך נתן לך (Devarim 15:7) that it is a mitzvah to give to the poor of Eretz Yisrael before the poor outside Israel. Tur (Pirush Haaruch Devarim 15:11) derives it from ולאביונך בארצך (Devarim 15:11).</ref> | ||
## Poor people outside Israel.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 251:3, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:6. Mechilta (Mishpatim ch. 19) learns from the pasuk את העני עמך (Shemot 22:24) that relatives come first and then poor of your city, and then the poor of another city. However, the Sifrei (Piska 116) derives this idea from the pasuk כי יהיה בך אביון מאחד אחיך באחד שעריך בארצך אשר ה' אלקיך נתן לך לא תאמץ את לבבך ולא תקפץ את ידך מאחיך האביון (Devarim 15:7) that the order of priorities in tzedaka are: paternal relatives, maternal relatives, poor people of your city, poor people of Eretz Yisrael, and then poor people of outside Israel. This is also found in Midrash Tenayim Devarim 15:7. Bet Yosef 251:3 codifies this Sifrei and quotes it from the Smag (Asin 162) and Mordechai (b"b 503). | ## Poor people outside Israel.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 251:3, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:6. Mechilta (Mishpatim ch. 19) learns from the pasuk את העני עמך (Shemot 22:24) that relatives come first and then poor of your city, and then the poor of another city. However, the Sifrei (Piska 116) derives this idea from the pasuk כי יהיה בך אביון מאחד אחיך באחד שעריך בארצך אשר ה' אלקיך נתן לך לא תאמץ את לבבך ולא תקפץ את ידך מאחיך האביון (Devarim 15:7) that the order of priorities in tzedaka are: paternal relatives, maternal relatives, poor people of your city, poor people of Eretz Yisrael, and then poor people of outside Israel. This is also found in Midrash Tenayim Devarim 15:7. Bet Yosef 251:3 codifies this Sifrei and quotes it from the Smag (Asin 162) and Mordechai (b"b 503). | ||
* See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:6 who learns this idea from לאחיך לעניך ולאביונך בארצך (Devarim 15:11). Ramban, Ibn Ezra, Bechor Shor, and Chizkuni on Devarim 15:11 all espouse this interpretation.</ref> | * See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:6 who learns this idea from לאחיך לעניך ולאביונך בארצך (Devarim 15:11). Ramban, Ibn Ezra, Bechor Shor, and Chizkuni on Devarim 15:11 all espouse this interpretation.</ref> | ||
#A public charity collector must not give precedence to his relatives.<ref>Mordechai b"b 502 cited by Darkei Moshe 251:3, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:6 </ref> | #A public charity collector must not give precedence to his relatives.<ref>Mordechai b"b 502 cited by Darkei Moshe 251:3, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:6 </ref> | ||
===Proportions for Each Priority Level=== | |||
#When giving to a higher level priority strictly speaking one can give all of one’s tzedaka to that level, however, the poskim recommend that it is not proper to give all of one’s tzedaka to one’s relatives but divide some of it to others.<ref>[https://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=43141&st=&pgnum=91 Maharam Ziskind 19] writes that one should only give 2/3 of one's tzedaka to their relatives and the rest could be given to poor people of the city or his wife's relatives. His understanding is that when dealing with the orders of precedence of chazal, it isn't absolute that everything is given to those of highest priority, rather up to 2/3 is and the rest given to lower priorities. Badei Hashulchan questions this because the other poskim do not assume so. Chatom Sofer YD 231 writes that essentially the priorities are absolute but for relatives it is a good idea not to give all of it to relatives to learn torah but only up to half. Igrot Moshe YD 1:144 echoes this sentiment.</ref> | |||
# If a lower priority level needs tzedaka more than the higher priority level needs it, they have precedence over the lower priority level.<ref>Chatom Sofer YD 231 quoting the Haflah writes that the rule that a higher priority level deserves the tzedaka first is qualified by the rule that one should give to the poor person whose needs are greater. However, that qualification does not apply to relatives, to whom one can give even if they aren't in as great of a need as the next priority level. In responsa YD 234 he applies this to the poor of Yerushalayim and other cities in Israel. If they all need food or all need clothing, Yerushalayim has priority, however, if Yerushalayim has food but needs clothing and the poor of another city needs food, the poor who need food come first. Pitchei Teshuva 251:4 cites this. Aruch Hashulchan 251:8 agrees.</ref> Some disagree.<ref>Igrot Moshe YD 1:144 holds that the priority levels are absolute even if someone on a lower priority level needs it more.</ref> | |||
===Breaking a Tie=== | |||
# If two people in the same priority level<ref>Pitchei Teshuva 251:3 citing Shemesh Tzedaka 19 that a talmud chacham has precedence to collect tzedaka only over others of his category, but he would not take precedence of a non-talmud chacham who lives locally in the city and the talmud chacham lives outside the city.</ref> are coming to collect tzedaka and there isn't enough tzedaka for both of them, the follow ordering system is applied: Talmud Chacham, Kohen, Levi, Yisrael, Chalal, Mamzer, and then Ger.<ref>Mishna Horiyot 3:8, Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 251:9</ref> | |||
===Children=== | ===Children=== | ||
# It is called "Tzedaka" to give money to one's children above 6 years of age (one is not obligated to support them beyond that age), in order to support one's sons for Torah learning or guide one's daughters in a proper path, and to give money to a father who can't support himself. Indeed, they take precedence over other people entitled to receive [[Tzedaka]]. <ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:6 </ref> | # It is called "Tzedaka" to give money to one's children above 6 years of age (one is not obligated to support them beyond that age), in order to support one's sons for Torah learning or guide one's daughters in a proper path, and to give money to a father who can't support himself. Indeed, they take precedence over other people entitled to receive [[Tzedaka]]. <ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:6 </ref> | ||
