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Matanot LeEvyonim: Difference between revisions
From Halachipedia
→What should one give for Matanot Laevyonim?
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==What should one give for Matanot Laevyonim?== | ==What should one give for Matanot Laevyonim?== | ||
# One can give either money or food as long as these things can be easily used on Purim. <ref> M.B. 694:2 explains that it is best to give the poor person specifically for his needs on the day of Purim. Thus, food can often be better than money. </ref> | # One can give either money or food as long as these things can be easily used on Purim. <ref> M.B. 694:2 explains that it is best to give the poor person specifically for his needs on the day of Purim. Thus, food can often be better than money. </ref> | ||
==Customs related to Matanot Laevyonim== | |||
# In addition to Matanos Le’evyonim, there is a minhag to give Machatzis Hashekel on erev Purim, before Mincha. In order to fulfill this mitzvah, one should give half a coin of the common currency of his country. <ref> Rama 694:1. The Rama explains that this custom serves as a zecher to the machatzis hashekel that was collected during the month of Adar. </ref> | |||
# There is a custom to give three half coins since it says “Terumah” three times in parshas Shekalim. <ref> Rama 694:1 </ref> | |||
# Machatzis Hashekel is only an obligation for men over the age of 20 because they were the ones who gave the half shekel in the midbar. However, it is customary for everyone to give Machatzis Hashekel. <ref> The Rambam in Hilchos Shekalim 9:7 says that anyone over the age of bar mitzvah should give the half shekel. M.B. 694:5 writes that this is to fulfill the absolute obligation, but the minhag is that everyone should give the half shekel, even a pregnant woman for her fetus. </ref> | |||
==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
