Give Charity and Receive Blessing

1. Tzedakah saves from death

The mitzvah of tzedakah (charity) * is one of the greatest commandments in the Torah. The Talmudic Sages stated: "Tzedakah is equal to all the other commandments combined" (Bava Batra 9a). A person who gives tzedakah emulates Hashem who provides for the needs of all His creations. Since tzedakah adds life to the world, it saves from death, as it is written: "And tzedakah will save from death" (Proverbs 10:2).

The Midrash relates: "When a poor person stands at your door [asking for alms], Hashem stands at his right, as it is written (Psalms 109:31): 'For He stands at the right hand of the needy.' If you give to him, know that the One standing at his right will reward you; and if you don't give to him, know that the One standing at his right will collect from you, as it is written: 'To save him from those who condemn his soul.' Therefore, a person should always be sensitive to a poor person's distress, and the verse will be fulfilled (Psalms 41:2): 'Happy is he who considers the poor; Hashem will deliver him in time of trouble.'"

2. Giving tzedakah results in a direct blessing for sustenance

A person who gives tzedakah merits to receive Hashem's blessing for a livelihood. Hashem Himself, through His prophet Malachi, explains the link between the two:

"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this, says Hashem of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sake, so that it will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field, says Hashem of hosts. And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land, says Hashem of hosts."

3. It brings the Redemption closer

The prophet Isaiah states: "Zion shall be redeemed through justice, and those who return to her through tzedakah" (Isaiah 1:27). "Redeemed through justice" refers to the redemption, and "those who return to her through tzedakah" refers to the exiled Jewish People, for it is in the merit of tzedakah that the exiles are gathered.

And how do we know that giving tzedakah brings peace to the world? As it is written, "And the work of tzedakah shall be peace" (Isaiah 32:17).

Three important points to keep in mind when giving tzedakah

1. One must be more careful with this mitzvah than with any other

The mitzvah of tzedakah is one of providing material or emotional assistance to the needy, and it is a positive commandment from the Torah which is mentioned many times in our holy writings. Rambam (Maimonides) writes: "We must be more careful with the mitzvah of tzedakah than with any other positive commandment."

2. One must be sensitive toward the needy

Rambam emphasizes the importance of having the proper attitude toward the needy, stressing that when giving tzedakah, one must preserve the dignity of the poor and be sensitive to their distress:

"Someone who gives tzedakah with a sour expression on his face ... even if he gave an enormous sum of money, he loses the merit of giving. It is very important to give tzedakah to the poor with a pleasant expression and with joy, and also to share in their sorrow and to speak reassuring words.

"If someone is unable to help the needy with money, he must speak reassuringly and encourage them. And it is forbidden to rebuke the poor or to raise one's voice at them, because their hearts are broken and they feel crushed ... and woe to the person who humiliates the poor, woe to him."

3. The highest level of tzedakah: giving someone the means to become self-sufficient

Rambam rules that the highest level of tzedakah "above which there is no higher" is providing the needy person with the ability to support himself, by giving him "a gift or a loan or entering into a partnership with him or finding him employment ... so that he will not need to rely on others."

* The word "tzedakah" is derived from the word "tzedek" which means "justice." Whereas charity is optional, tzedakah is an obligation; Jews are obligated to care for each other's needs.