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Tzedakah Priorities

 

Dorot Reunion, 2009

Elie Kaunfer and Lisa Exler

"To give away money is an easy matter and in any man's power. But to decide to whom to give it, and how large, and when, and for what purpose and how, is neither in every man's power nor an easy matter." -Aristotle

As you study the texts below, please consider the following questions:

  • What factors do these texts take into account when discussing tzedakah allocation?
  • What values and priorities do these texts express vis a vis tzedakah allocation?
  • Which of these values resonate with you and which of them challenge you?  Why?

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The Most Important Mitzvah

Rambam, Laws of Gifts to the Poor 8:10

Translation Original
Redeeming captives takes precedence over providing food and clothing for the poor. There is no greater mitzvah than redeeming captives, for the captive is in the category of the starving, the thirsting, and the naked, indeed in danger of losing his own life. One who remains indifferent to his redemption transgresses, “Do not harden your heart," and "Do not clench your hand," and "Do no stand idly by blood of your brother,” and "he shall rule ruthlessley in your sight," and "You shall open your hand to your poor," and "Your brother shall live with you," and, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” and "Save those taken to their death." There is no more inclusive mitzvah than redeeming captives. [AJWS translation]
פדיון שבויים קודם לפרנסת עניים ולכסותן, ואין לך מצוה גדולה כפדיון שבויים שהשבוי הרי הוא בכלל הרעבים והצמאים והערומים ועומד בסכנת נפשות, והמעלים עיניו מפדיונו הרי זה עובר על לא תאמץ את לבבך ולא תקפוץ את ידך ועל לא תעמוד על דם רעך ועל לא ירדנו בפרך לעיניך, ובטל מצות פתח תפתח את ידך לו, ומצות וחי אחיך עמך, ואהבת לרעך כמוך, והצל לקוחים למות והרבה דברים כאלו, ואין לך מצוה רבה כפדיון שבויים.
 
  1. According to this text, what is the most important mitzvah?
  2. How might you expand the logic of this text to arrive at a set of guidelines for prioritizing tzedakah-giving?

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To Whom and For What Am I Responsible?

Babylonian Talmud, Baba Metzia 71a

Translation Original
R. Joseph learnt: If you lend money to any of my people that are poor with you: [this teaches, if the choice lies between] a Jew and a non-Jew, a Jew has preference; the poor or the rich the poor takes precedence; your poor [i.e. your relatives] and the [general] poor of your town, your poor come first; the poor of your city and the poor of another town the poor of your own town have prior rights. [Soncino translation] דתני רב יוסף (שמות כ"ב) אם כסף תלוה את עמי את העני עמך, עמי ונכרי - עמי קודם, עני ועשיר - עני קודם, ענייך ועניי עירך - ענייך קודמין, עניי עירך ועניי עיר אחרת - עניי עירך קודמין
  1. What hierarchy of responsibility does this text set up?
  2. What role does relationship play in the hierarchy?

Maimonides, Mishneh Torah: Gifts to the Poor 9:12

Translation Original
A person who dwells in a city for thirty days is forced to give tzedakah to the Kupah (community fund that feeds the resident poor with a weekly food allocation) with the rest of the residents of the city. If he dwelt there three months they force him to give to the Tamhui (public soup kitchen for any hungry person). If he dwelt there six months they force him to give tzedakah for clothing to clothe the poor. If he dwelt there nine months they force him to give tzedakah for the burial fund which provides all the burial requirements for the poor.
מי שישב במדינה שלשים יום כופין אותו ליתן צדקה לקופה עם בני המדינה, ישב שם שלשה חדשים כופין אותו ליתן התמחוי, ישב שם ששה חדשים כופין אותו ליתן צדקה בכסות שמכסים בה עניי העיר, ישב שם תשעה חדשים כופין אותו ליתן צדקה לקבורה שקוברין בה את העניים ועושין להם כל צרכי קבורה.

 

What can you infer from this text about the relationship between length of time in a community and level of responsibility to provide for communal needs?

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What "Counts" as Tzedakah?

The following 4 texts express a range of perspectives on what "counts" as tzedakah.

  • Do you agree or disagree with the distinctions (or lack thereof) made by these texts?
  • Do you think it's important to distinguish between tzedakah and philanthropy?  Why or Why not?

Arthur Green, "These are the Words: A Vocabulary of Jewish Spiritual Life," (Woodstock: Jewish Lights Publishing, 1999), p.181

Original
The “needy” who receive tzedakah have also come to be defined as the educationally, emotionally, and spiritually hungry as well as those who literally cry out for bread

Aruch HaShulchan, Yoreh De'ah 249:8

Translation Original
Our Rabbi the Rama wrote, “one can’t use money set aside for the tithe to purchase a mitzvah-related object, such as candles for the synagogue or another mitzvah-related object. He can only give from the tithe to the poor.” But it is permissible to use the money set aside for the tithe to be a godfather and thus to provide for a new mother, or to pay for the circumcision ceremony when the father is poor, or to support a dowry for a poor bride, or other such things--all of these are permissible uses of tithe (Shach). Similarly, one who purchases an aliyah to the Torah and therefore makes a donation to the Beit haMidrash, this may be from the tithe. And likewise, all that is given as charity to the attendants of the community: these are definitely considered tzedakah. [translation by AJWS] וכתב רבינו הרמ"א דאין לעשות ממעשר שלו דבר מצוה כגון נרות לבית הכנסת או שאר דבר מצוה רק יתננו לעניים עכ"ל אבל להיות סנדק ובעד זה נותן להיולדות או הוצאות הברית מילה כשהאב עני וכן כשנותן על הכנסת כלה וכיוצא בזה וודאי הם בכלל מעשר [ש"ך סק"ג] וכן הקונה עלייה לס"ת ונותן בעד זה נדבה לבהמ"ד הוה ממעשר וכן כל מה שנותן צדקה למשרתי הקהלה וודאי דהוי בכלל צדקה

Tzitz Eliezer, Part 9, 1:2

Translation Original
(Commenting on Rabbi Meir of Rothenberg’s permission to use money designated for the poor to purchase books for study or to be lent to others.) One can say that he permits this because the books will be lent for study to those who need them, and anyone who needs these books is considered poor, insofar as this person lacks them. This is like distributing spiritual food, and is no less desirable than distributing physical food to those who need it...I have seen an opinion that...one may certainly use this money to buy books for the children of the poor, for providing spiritual food to the poor is also considered to be tzedakah. [translation by Rabbi Jill Jacobs]
וזה שמתיר במהר"ם שם לקנות מהכסף גם ספרים ללמוד בהם ולהשאילן לאחרים, יש לומר דהוא זה גם כן מפני שישאילם לנצרכים ללמוד בהם שכל הנצרך להם עני הוא בחסר לו זה והר"ז כמספק לו מזון רוחני שאין זה גרוע ממספק מזון גשמי לחסר לו . . . וראי' להאמור יש להביא מדברי ספר בית דינו של שלמה חיו"ד סי' א' שכותב דאבל לקנות ספרים לבני עניים זה ודאי דבא מן המעשר, שכ"כ הרב שכה"ג עיי"ש. והיינו מפני שהמצאת מזון רוחני לעניים ג"כ לנתינת צדקה תחשב וכנ"ז
 

Report of the Female Hebrew Benevolent Society, by Secretary, Rebecca Gratz, 1835.

Original
Ladies
The season has again arrived when we are amenable to renew our efforts for the relief of those who need aid from their fellow sojourners in this world of many wants and many sufferings—and while we feebly put forth a diminished strength to relieve the cravings of nature we would suggest the wish that our abilities might be directed to a more pressing need—the mental impoverishment of those who are rising to take their place among the thousands of Israel scattered throughout the facilities of the earth. . . .  The want of education shuts the door of advancement into private or public nations—which an Israelite might obtain in this country
 

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Immediate Needs vs. Root Causes

Rambam, Laws of Gifts to the Poor 7:2

Translation Original
And any who sees a poor person begging and hides his eyes and does not give him charity transgresses a negative commandment, as it says (Deuteronomy 15:7), “Do not harden your heart or close your hand from your poor brother.” [AJWS translation] וכל הרואה עני מבקש והעלים עיניו ממנו ולא נתן לו צדקה עבר בלא תעשה שנאמר (דברים טו:ז) לא תאמץ את לבבך ולא תקפוץ את ידך מאחיך האביון.

Rashi, Leviticus 25:35 (cf. Torat Kohanim, Sifre Behar, Chapter 5)

Translation Original

Do not let him slip down until he falls completely, for then it will be difficult to raise him; rather, strengthen him as he begins to fall. To what is this comparable? To a burden upon an donkey. While it is still on the donkey, one person can hold it and set it in place. If it falls to the earth, even five people cannot set it back. [AJWS translation]

והחזקת בו - אל תניחהו שירד ויפול ויהיה קשה להקימו, אלא חזקהו משעת מוטת היד. למה זה דומה, למשאוי שעל החמור, עודהו על החמור אחד תופס בו ומעמידו, נפל לארץ, חמשה אין מעמידין אותו:

 What tension do the previous two texts set up between addressing immediate needs and addressing root causes of poverty?

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Created By

Lisa Exler
American Jewish World Service