Charity is one of the basic tenets of Judaism. According to the Torah, one should give one tenth (1/10) of his earnings to charity. One may give up to 20% for charity, if that won’t hurt him at home (he has sufficient funds to take care of all of his needs). G-d created poor people in order to help other people, who have money, feel better about themselves. Since all the money in the world belongs to G-d, by giving charity one is essentially ‘helping’ G-d by giving to those who need it.

When G-d created the world, He left it incomplete. The reason is so that we could ‘help’ Him complete it. According to the RAMBAM (Moses Maimonides), there are different levels of giving charity. The highest level is giving the person a job, or any other means of making a person self-sufficient. The levels are:

  • Giving the person a job, business, or means to make him/her self-sufficient.
  • Giving to someone who needs it, but the giver does not know the recipient and the recipient doesnt know the giver.
  • Giving to someone who needs it, the giver knows the recipient but the recipient doesnt know the giver.
  • Both sides know each other and the giver gives the charity with a smile and making the recipient feel that he is doing the giver a favor.
  • Both sides know each other, and the giving is done in a casual manner or with a ‘feeling of obligation’ attitude.

Now if a person gives charity to an organization, he receives several mitzvot since the organization helps many different people. Therefore people who give money to the organization have a share in all the funds being distributed.

All in all, it is said that one who gives a tenth to charity will become rich, since G-d pays back tenfold what a person gives to charity. Our sages (Chazal) of blessed memory say that “Charity saves one from death!” Furthermore, charity is the only way we have permission to “test G-d”! In the merit of giving charity, may G-d bless you with long life, wealth, and let us see our redemption with the coming of Moshiach, speedily in our days, Amen!

 

Article by Moshe Cohen z’l