Charity: Difference between revisions
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# It is wrong to stop poor people from collecting by knocking at doors.<ref>Badei Hashulchan 250:30 citing Ahavat Chesed 2:17 fnt. s.v. vchadashim</ref> | # It is wrong to stop poor people from collecting by knocking at doors.<ref>Badei Hashulchan 250:30 citing Ahavat Chesed 2:17 fnt. s.v. vchadashim</ref> | ||
==From Who It Is Permitted to Take Tzedaka?== | ==From Who It Is Permitted to Take Tzedaka?== | ||
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===Earmarked Funds=== | ===Earmarked Funds=== | ||
# A community may not redistribute charity funds that were earmarked for a certain cause.<ref>Rambam (responsa Blau 206), Rama YD 256:4</ref> | # A community may not redistribute charity funds that were earmarked for a certain cause.<ref>Rambam (responsa Blau 206), Rama YD 256:4</ref> | ||
==Refraining from Taking Tzedaka== | |||
# 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.<ref>Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:15-16</ref> | |||
# Someone who can't live without [[Tzedaka]] (e.g. an elderly person, sick person, or someone suffering) but is haughty and doesn't take, sins by not taking.<ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:16 </ref> | |||
# A person who doesn't need to take charity and nonetheless deceives people and takes won't die before he genuinely becomes poor.<ref>Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:16</ref> | |||
== Statements of Chazal about Tzedaka== | |||
# [[Tzedaka]] is a trait that characterizes the descendants of Avrohom Avinu.<ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:1 </ref> | |||
# The Jewish religion isn't stable without charity.<ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:1 </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> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:1 </ref>. | |||
# [[Israel]] will only be redeemed through [[Tzedaka]]<ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:1. Gemara Baba Batra 10a also says that one who gives tzedaka brings the geula closer. Gemara Shabbat 139a says that Jerusalem will only be redeemed through tzedakah. </ref> | |||
# No one ever becomes poor out of giving [[Tzedaka]], and no bad thing nor damage comes from [[Tzedaka]].<ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:1, Mishlei 28:27 </ref> | |||
# If one has mercy, Hashem will be merciful to him.<ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:1 </ref> | |||
# Hashem is close to the poor, so one must be careful to hear their cries.<ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:1 </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> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:1 </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 deposit from Hashem in order to do His will.<ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:1 </ref> | |||
# [[Tzedaka]] pushes aside evil decrees and adds life.<ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:1. Mishlei 10:2 says that tzedakah saves from death. </ref> | |||
# One who convinces others to give is greater than the one who gives.<ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:11 </ref>. | |||
# The reward for a [[Tzedaka]] collector is great; if the poor give him a hard time, he shouldn't be worried, for this increases his reward <ref>Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 34:11 </ref>. | |||
# One who gives charity in secret is greater than Moshe Rabbenu <ref>Gemara Baba Batra 9b. Gemara Chagiga 5a tells that Rabbi Yanai once saw a man give money to a poor man publicly. He said, “It would have been better for you not to have given him anything rather than giving to him as you did, causing him embarrassment. </ref> | |||
# One who gives even a peruta to the poor merits to receive the presence of God.<ref> Gemara Baba Batra 10a </ref> | |||
# Whoever gives even a small coin to a poor man receives six blessings, but whoever speaks reassuringly to him receives eleven blessings.<ref> Gemara Baba Batra 9b </ref> | |||
# If a person closes his eyes to avoid giving [any] charity, it is as if he committed idolatry.<ref> Gemara Ketubot 68a </ref> | |||
==Testing Hashem== | |||
#The Gemara Tanit 9a explains that for maaser it is permitted to test Hashem that if you’re careful to give maaser Hashem will enrich you. There is a question whether this concept applies also to maaser kesafim or even to all forms of tzedaka. | |||
# Many poskim hold that it is forbidden to give tzedaka in order to test Hashem that he make you wealthy, but it is permitted to test Hashem when giving maaser kesafim. On the other hand, some poskim hold that it is forbidden to test Hashem even for maaser kesafim.<ref>Is it permitted to test Hashem by giving Tzedaka that he will make you rich? Tur 247:1 writes that it is permitted to test Hashem for all tzedaka. Bet Yosef says it is only permitted for maaser. Rama quotes these two opinions. It is implied from the Bet Yosef and Rama that they hold it is permitted to test Hashem for maaser kesafim. Ahavat Chesed 2:18:1 fnt. 2 agrees with the Rama that you can test Hashem for maaser kesafim. | |||
* Or Zaruah (Tzedaka ch. 13) permits testing Hashem for giving tzedaka like the opinion of the Tur. Radvaz 3:441 implies that he holds like the Tur. Rabbenu Yonah (Shaarei Teshuva 3:30), Yereyim (361), and Smag (Lavin 4) disagree. They're not clear if it is permitted for maaser kesafim or not. Maharshal on Smag 4 makes this distinction between maaser and tzedaka. | |||
* Yavetz 1:3 argues that it is only permitted to test Hashem for maaser rishon of grain but not maaser kesafim. [https://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=37856&st=&pgnum=535 Shlah (Hilchot Tzedaka)] and Pitchei Teshuva 247:2 quoting Mishnat Chachamim agree. Meiri Tanit 9a has an extreme opinion that it is always forbidden to test Hashem. One can give tzedaka to get a reward but can't give maaser or do any mitzvah on condition that he gets a reward.</ref> | |||
#If you hold that it is permitted Hashem for matters of tzedaka, why is that so? | |||
## One understanding is that Hashem permitted testing Him for tzedaka because tzedaka is such a great mitzvah and so important to Him.<Ref>Radvaz 3:441</ref> | |||
## Some explain that it is permitted to test Him since He promised to enrich someone who gives tzedaka, so it isn’t a test of Hashem, it is merely revealing his promise.<ref>Maharshal (cited by Derisha 247 and Shach 247)</ref> | |||
## Another explanation is that testing Hashem is problematic because if one’s test isn’t fulfilled one might question Him, but for tzedaka there is a certain protective power that it will not lead to questioning Him.<ref>Badei Hashulchan (247:1 Biurim)</ref> | |||
==Redeeming Captives== | ==Redeeming Captives== | ||
