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The Mitzva of Tzedaka

The Mitzva: 

The Mitzva of Tzedaka is repeated numerous amount of times throughout the Torah to underscore its great importance:
ืžืฆื•ืช ืขืฉื” ืœื™ืชืŸ ืฆื“ืงื” ื›ืคื™ ื”ืฉื’ืช ื™ื“ ื•ื›ืžื” ืคืขืžื™ื ื ืฆื˜ื•ื™ื ื• ื‘ื” ื‘ืžืฆื•ืช ืขืฉื” ื•ื™ืฉ ืœื ืชืขืฉื” ื‘ืžืขืœื™ื ืขื™ื ื™ื• ืžืžื ื” ืฉื ืืžืจ ืœื ืชืืžืฅ ืืช ืœื‘ื‘ืš ื•ืœื ืชืงืคื•ืฅ ืืช ื™ื“ืš ื•ื›ืœ ื”ืžืขืœื™ื ืขื™ื ื™ื• ืžืžื ื” ื ืงืจื ื‘ืœื™ืขืœ ื•ื›ืื™ืœื• ืขื•ื‘ื“ ืืœื™ืœื™ื ื•ืžืื“ ื™ืฉ ืœื™ื–ื”ืจ ื‘ื” ื›ื™ ืืคืฉืจ ืฉื™ื‘ื ืœื™ื“ื™ ืฉืคื™ื›ื•ืช ื“ืžื™ื ืฉื™ืžื•ืช ื”ืขื ื™ ื”ืžื‘ืงืฉ ืื ืœื ื™ืชืŸ ืœื• ืžื™ื“ ื›ืขื•ื‘ื“ื ื“ื ื—ื•ื ืื™ืฉ ื’ื ื–ื•

ืฉื•"ืข ื™ื•"ื“ ืกื™' ืจืž"ื– ืกืขื™' ื

Who: 

The Mitzva of Tzedaka is incumbent upon every individual, rich and poor alike:
ื›ืœ ืื“ื ื—ื™ื™ื‘ ืœื™ืชืŸ ืฆื“ืงื” ืืคื™ืœื• ืขื ื™ ื”ืžืชืคืจื ืก ืžืŸ ื”ืฆื“ืงื” ื—ื™ื™ื‘ ืœื™ืชืŸ ืžืžื” ืฉื™ืชื ื• ืœื• ื•ืžื™ ืฉื ื•ืชืŸ ืคื—ื•ืช ืžืžื” ืฉืจืื•ื™ (ืœื•) ืœื™ืชืŸ ื‘ื™ืช ื“ื™ืŸ ื”ื™ื• ื›ื•ืคื™ืŸ ืื•ืชื• ื•ืžื›ื™ืŸ ืื•ืชื• ืžื›ืช ืžืจื“ื•ืช ืขื“ ืฉื™ืชืŸ ืžื” ืฉืืžื“ื•ื”ื• ืœื™ืชืŸ ื•ื™ื•ืจื“ื™ื ืœื ื›ืกื™ื• ื‘ืคื ื™ื• ื•ืœื•ืงื—ื™ืŸ ืžืžื ื• ืžื” ืฉืจืื•ื™ ืœื• ืœื™ืชืŸ:

ืฉื•"ืข ื™ื•"ื“ ืกื™' ืจืž"ื— ืกืขื™' ื

What:

The minimum amount of Tzedaka one must give is no less than one-third of a shekel a year (the equivalent of approximately 11.33 in modern U.S dollar):
ืœืขื•ืœื ืœื ื™ืžื ืข ืื“ื ืขืฆืžื• ืคื—ื•ืช ืžืฉืœื™ืฉื™ืช ื”ืฉืงืœ ืœืฉื ื” ื•ืื ื ืชืŸ ืคื—ื•ืช ืžื–ื” ืœื ืงื™ื™ื ืžืฆื•ืช ืฆื“ืงื”

ืฉื•"ืข ื™ื•"ื“ ืกื™' ืจืž"ื˜ ืกืขื™' ื‘

When:

There is a notable exception to the all-inclusive Mitzva of Tzedaka, that being, one who only has the money of others:
ื•ืื ืื™ืŸ ื‘ื™ื“ืš ืืœื ืžืฉืœ ืื—ืจื™ื ืืœ ืชืชืŸ ืฆื“ืงื” ืฉืžื ืœื ื™ื”ื™ื” ืœืš ื‘ืžื” ืœืฉืœื:

ืกืคืจ ื”ื—ืกื™ื“ื™ื ืฉืฆื”

Similarly, such an individual should not make pledges or acquire seforim with such monies:
ืจื‘ืŸ ืฉืžืขื•ืŸ ืื•ืžืจ ืื ื—ื•ื‘ื• ืžืจื•ื‘ื” ืžื”ืงื“ืฉื• ืœื ื”ืงื“ื™ืฉ ื›ืœื•ื ืœื›ืš ืื“ื ืฉื—ื™ื™ื‘ ืœืื—ืจื™ื ืžืžื•ืŸ ื•ืื™ืŸ ืœื• ืžืฉืœื• ืœื ื™ืงื ื” ืกืคืจื™ื ื•ืœื ื™ืชืŸ ืฆื“ืงื” ื•ืœื ื™ืฉื›ื™ืจ ืกื•ืคืจื™ื ื•ืœื ื™ืชืŸ ื ืจื•ืช ืœื‘"ื”. ื•ืขืœ ื–ื” ื ืืžืจ (ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื• ืกื ื—) ืฉื•ื ื ื’ื–ืœ ื‘ืขื•ืœื” ืžื™ ืฉื™ืฉ ืœื• ืžืžื•ืŸ ืžืื—ืจื™ื ื›ืœ ืชืงื ื•ืช ืฉื™ื•ื›ืœ ืœืขืฉื•ืช ืœืชืงื ืช ืื•ืชื ืฉื”ืคืงื™ื“ื• ื‘ื™ื“ื• ื™ืขืฉื”:

ืกืคืจ ื”ื—ืกื™ื“ื™ื ืฉืฆื–



Giving Tzedakah on Someone Else's Behalf


Reb Yankel Katz had the custom of purchasing the honor of saying the Atah Horiasa for the Frierdiker Rebbe. In the year 5708, Rโ€™Yankel was not present, and the Rebbe decided to purchase the Atah Horaisa in his place.

In the following letter written to Rโ€™ Yankel Katz the Rebbe explained the motives that led him to that decision:

ื‘"ื”, ื›"ื” ืชืฉืจื™ ืชืฉ"ื— ื›ื‘ื•ื“ ื”ื•ื•"ื— ืื™"ื ื ื•"ื  ืžื•"ืž ื‘ืืžื•ื ื” ืžื•ื”ืจ"ื™ ืฉื™' ื”ื›ื”ืŸ [ื›"ืฅ] โ€ฆืœื•ื™ื˜ ื•ื•ื™ ืื™ืจ ื•ื•ื™ื™ืกื˜, ืื™ื– ื™ืขื“ืขืจ ื™ืืจ ืฉืžื—ืช ืชื•ืจื” ืื™ืŸ ื“ืขืจ ืคืจื™ ืคืืจืงื•ื™ืคื˜ ืžืขืŸ ืœื•ื™ื˜ ื“ืขื ืกื“ืจ ืคื•ืŸ ื›"ืง ืžื•"ื— ืื“ืžื•"ืจ ืฉืœื™ื˜"ื, ืคืกื•ืงื™ ืืชื” ื”ืจืืช ืคืืจ ื“ืขื ืžืจื›ื– ืœืขื ื™ื ื™ ื—ื ื•ืš. ื“ืขื ื™ืืจ, ืื– ืื™ืจ ื–ื™ื™ื˜ ื“ื ื ื™ื˜ ื’ืขื•ื•ืขืŸ, ื‘ื™ืŸ ืื™ืš ืœื›ืชื—ื™ืœื” ื’ืขื•ื•ืขืŸ ืžืกื•ืคืง ื•ื•ืืก ืฆื• ื˜ืืŸ: ื) ืฆื™ ืงื•ื™ืคืŸ ืคืืจ ืื™ื™ืš ื ืคืกื•ืง, ื‘) ืื•ื™ื‘ ื™ื, ืคืืจ ื•ื•ืืก ืคืืจ ื ืกื›ื•ื, ื•ื‘ืคืจื˜ ืื– ืื™ืจ ื”ืื˜ ื ื™ื˜ ื’ืขืฉืจื™ื‘ืŸ ื•ื•ืขื’ืŸ ื“ืขื. ื“ืขืจื ืืš ืื‘ืขืจ, ื ืขืžืขื ื“ื™ืง ืื™ืŸ ืื›ื˜ ืื–: ื) ืœื•ื™ื˜ ื“ืขื ืืœื˜ืŸ ืจื‘ื™'ื ืก ืœืฉื•ืŸ (ืื’ืจืช ื”ืงื“ืฉ ืกื™ืžืŸ ื˜ื–) ืœื ื ืขืœื ืžืžื ื™ ืฆื•ืง ื”ืขืชื™ื ืืฉืจ ื ืชื“ืœื“ืœื” ื”ืคืจื ืกื”.. ื•ืขื ื›ืœ ื–ื” ืœื ื˜ื•ื‘ ื”ื ืขื•ืฉื™ื.. ืืฉืจ ืงืคืฆื• ื™ื“ื ื”ืคืชื•ื—ื” ืžืขื•ื“ื ืขื“ ื”ื™ื•ื ื”ื–ื” ืœื™ืชืŸ ื‘ื™ื“ ืžืœืื” ื•ืขื™ืŸ ื™ืคื”. ื‘) ื”ืฆื“ืงื” ืื™ื ื” ืจืง ื”ืœื•ืื” ืœื”ืงื‘"ื”... ื•ื’ืžื•ืœื• ื™ืฉืœื ืœื• ื‘ื›ืคืœื™ื ื‘ืขื•ืœื ื”ื–ื”. ื’) ื™ืฉ ืœื—ื•ืฉ.. ื›ืฉื—ื‘ืจื™ื• ื ืžื ื™ื ืœื“ื‘ืจ ืžืฆื•ื” ื•ื”ื•ื ืœื ื ืžื ื” ืขืžื”ื. ื“) ื•ื•ื™ ืื™ืš ื”ืื‘ ืืžืืœ ื’ืขื”ืขืจื˜ ืคื•ืŸ ื›"ืง ืžื•"ื— ืื“ืžื•"ืจ ืฉืœื™ื˜"ื "ืื– ืžืขืŸ ื“ืืจืฃ ื ื™ื˜ ื‘ืื•ื•ื™ื™ื–ืŸ ื ื•ื•ืขื’ ืื•ื™ืฃ ืคืืจืงืœืขื ืขืจืŸ". ื”) ื–ื›ื™ืŸ ืœืื“ื ืฉืœื ื‘ืคื ื™ื• - ืื™ื– ื‘ื ืžื™ืจ ื’ืขื‘ืœื™ื‘ืŸ, ืื– ืื™ืš ืคื•ืŸ ืžื™ื™ืŸ ื–ื™ื™ื˜ ื“ืืจืฃ ืจืขื›ืขื ืขืŸ ืื•ืŸ ื–ืื’ืŸ ืื– ืื–ื•ื™ ื•ื•ื™ ืคืืจ-ื-ื™ืืจืŸ ืงื•ื™ืคื˜ ืื™ืจ ื ืคืกื•ืง ืื•ืŸ ืคืืจ ื“ืขื ื–ืขืœื‘ืŸ ืกื›ื•ื (ื—"ื™ ืคืขืžื™ื ื—"ื™ ื“ื•ืœืจ). ื“ื™ ืคืกื•ืงื™ "ืืชื” ื”ืจืืช" ืฉืžื—ืช ืชื•ืจื” ืื™ืŸ ื“ืขืจ ืคืจื™, ื•ื•ืืก ืž'ื”ืื˜ ื’ืขืงื•ื™ืคื˜ ืคืืจ ื“ื™ ื•ื•ืืก ื–ื™ื™ื ืขืŸ ื“ื ื ื™ื˜ ื’ืขื•ื•ืขืŸ, ื”ืื˜ ื’ืขื–ืื’ื˜ ื›"ืง ืžื•"ื— ืื“ืžื•"ืจ ืฉืœื™ื˜"ื. ื‘ื‘ืจื›ืช ื›ื˜"ืก ืœื• ื•ืœื›ืœ ื‘"ื‘ ืฉื™ื—ื™ื•,

ืื’"ืง ื—"ื‘ ืขืž' ืฉื”


Hashem Has Many Messengers to Provide


From the following Passuk in Parshas hamon and Rashi thereon we see how a Yid must trust that Hashem has many different avenues for how to provide:

Shemos 16:32

ื•ึทื™ึผึนึฃืืžึถืจ ืžึนืฉืึถึ—ื” ื–ึถึคื” ื”ึทื“ึผึธื‘ึธืจึ™ ืึฒืฉืึถึฃืจ ืฆึดื•ึผึธึฃื” ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ืžึฐืœึนึคื ื”ึธืขึนึ™ืžึถืจึ™ ืžึดืžึผึถึ”ื ึผื•ึผ ืœึฐืžึดืฉืึฐืžึถึ–ืจึถืช ืœึฐื“ึนืจึนืชึตื™ื›ึถึ‘ื ืœึฐืžึทึฃืขึทืŸโ€‰ื€ ื™ึดืจึฐืึฃื•ึผ ืึถืชึพื”ึทืœึผึถึ—ื—ึถื ืึฒืฉืึถึจืจ ื”ึถืึฑื›ึทึคืœึฐืชึผึดื™ ืึถืชึฐื›ึถืึ™ ื‘ึผึทืžึผึดื“ึฐื‘ึผึธึ”ืจ ื‘ึผึฐื”ื•ึนืฆึดื™ืึดึฅื™ ืึถืชึฐื›ึถึ–ื ืžึตืึถึฅืจึถืฅ ืžึดืฆึฐืจึธึฝื™ึดืืƒ

Rashi

ืœื“ืจืชื™ื›ื. ื‘ึผึดื™ืžึตื™ ื™ึดืจึฐืžึฐื™ึธื”ื•ึผ; ื›ึผึฐืฉืึถื”ึธื™ึธื” ื™ึดืจึฐืžึฐื™ึธื”ื•ึผ ืžื•ึนื›ึดื™ื—ึธื ืœึธืžึผึธื” ืึตื™ืŸ ืึทืชึผึถื ืขื•ึนืกึฐืงึดื™ื ื‘ึผึทืชึผื•ึนืจึธื”? ื•ึฐื”ึตื ืื•ึนืžึฐืจึดื™ื ื ึทื ึผึดื™ื—ึท ืžึฐืœึทืื›ึฐืชึผึตื ื•ึผ ื•ึฐื ึทืขึฒืกึนืง ื‘ึผึทืชึผื•ึนืจึธื”, ืžึตื”ึตื™ื›ึธืŸ ื ึดืชึฐืคึผึทืจึฐื ึตืก? ื”ื•ึนืฆึดื™ื ืœึธื”ึถื ืฆึดื ึฐืฆึถื ึถืช ื”ึทืžึผึธืŸ ืึธืžึทืจ ืœึธื”ึถื ืึทืชึผึถื ืจึฐืื•ึผ ื“ึผึฐื‘ึทืจ ื”', ืฉืึดืžึฐืขื•ึผ ืœึนื ื ึถืึฑืžึทืจ ืึถืœึผึธื ืจึฐืื•ึผ, ื‘ึผึธื–ึถื” ื ึดืชึฐืคึผึทืจึฐื ึฐืกื•ึผ ืึฒื‘ื•ึนืชึตื™ื›ึถื, ื”ึทืจึฐื‘ึผึตื” ืฉืึฐืœื•ึผื—ึดื™ืŸ ื™ึตืฉื ืœื•ึน ืœึทืžึผึธืงื•ึนื ืœึฐื”ึธื›ึดื™ืŸ ืžึธื–ื•ึนืŸ ืœึดื™ืจึตืึธื™ื•

The abovementioned point, that Hashem can use even โ€œfarfetchedโ€™ avenues to provide is highlighted in the following story brought in the Gemara:
A certain person came before Rava to request charity. He said to him: On what do you normally dine? He said to him: On a fattened hen and aged wine. He said to him: And were you not concerned for causing a burden to the community by expecting such opulent foods? He said to him: Is that to say that it is from their funds that I eat? I eat from the support of the Merciful One. This would seem to be a reasonable argument, as we already learned that in the verse โ€œthe eyes of all wait for You, and You give them their food in its timeโ€ (Psalms 145:15), the phrase: At their time, is not stated, rather โ€œin its time.โ€ This teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, gives each and every one his personally appropriate sustenance at its proper time, and the community is merely His agent in discharging His will. Therefore, the man is justified in maintaining his standard.In the meantime, while they were talking, Ravaโ€™s sister, who had not seen him for thirteen years, came. And as a gift, she brought him a fattened hen and aged wine. Rava said to himself: What is this that happened in front of me that suddenly I am brought food that I do not usually eat? He then understood that this was a providential response to what he had earlier said to the man. Rava said to him: I have responded [naโ€™aneti] to your contention. Arise and eat.

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