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BUILDING A WORLD OF LOVE A BIT AT A TIME
The Glue Holding Humanity Together
The Importance of Tzedakah – Charity adapted from the Rambam Hilchot Matanot l’Aniyim Chapter 10 by Rabbi David Bassous
We are obligated to be careful with regard to the mitzvah of Tzedakah-charity to a greater extent than all [other] positive commandments, because charity is an identifying mark for a righteous person, a descendant of Abraham, our patriarch, as [Genesis 18:19] states: “I have know…n him, because he commands his children… to perform charity.” The throne of Israel will not be established, nor will the true faith stand except through charity, as [Isaiah 54:14] states: “You shall be established through righteousness.” And Israel will be redeemed solely through charity, as [Isaiah 1:27] states: “Zion will be redeemed through judgment and those who return to her through charity.”
A person will never become impoverished from giving charity. No harm or damage will ever be caused because of charity, as [Isaiah 32:17] states: “And the deed of charity is peace.” Everyone who is merciful evokes mercy from others, as [Deuteronomy 13:18] states: “And He shall grant you mercy and shower mercy upon you and multiply you.” Whenever a person is cruel and does not show mercy, his lineage is suspect…
The entire Jewish people and all those who attach themselves to them are as brothers, as [Deuteronomy 14:1] states: “You are children unto God your Lord.” And if a brother will not show mercy to a brother, who will show mercy to them? To whom do the poor of Israel lift up their eyes? Behold their eyes are pointed to their brethren alone.
Anyone who turns his eyes away from [giving] charity is described as being “rebellious” like someone who worships false divinities is described as “rebellious, as [Deuteronomy 13:14] states with regard to the worship of false divinities: “Rebellious men went out.” And with regard to a person who turns his eyes away from [giving] charity, [Deuteronomy 15:9] states: “Be careful, lest a rebellious thought arise in your heart.” Such a person is also called “wicked,” as [Proverbs 12:10] states: “The mercies of the wicked are cruel.” And he is called a sinner, as [Deuteronomy 15:9] states: “And he shall cry out against you to God and you will be deemed as sinning.” The Holy One, blessed be He, is close to the outcry of the poor, as it is written: “You hear the outcry of the poor.” Therefore one must be careful with regard to their outcry, for a covenant has been established with them, as [Exodus 22:26] states: “When he will cry out to Me, I will listen, for I am compassionate.”
A person will never become impoverished from giving charity. No harm or damage will ever be caused because of charity, as [Isaiah 32:17] states: “And the deed of charity is peace.” Everyone who is merciful evokes mercy from others, as [Deuteronomy 13:18] states: “And He shall grant you mercy and shower mercy upon you and multiply you.” Whenever a person is cruel and does not show mercy, his lineage is suspect…
The entire Jewish people and all those who attach themselves to them are as brothers, as [Deuteronomy 14:1] states: “You are children unto God your Lord.” And if a brother will not show mercy to a brother, who will show mercy to them? To whom do the poor of Israel lift up their eyes? Behold their eyes are pointed to their brethren alone.
Anyone who turns his eyes away from [giving] charity is described as being “rebellious” like someone who worships false divinities is described as “rebellious, as [Deuteronomy 13:14] states with regard to the worship of false divinities: “Rebellious men went out.” And with regard to a person who turns his eyes away from [giving] charity, [Deuteronomy 15:9] states: “Be careful, lest a rebellious thought arise in your heart.” Such a person is also called “wicked,” as [Proverbs 12:10] states: “The mercies of the wicked are cruel.” And he is called a sinner, as [Deuteronomy 15:9] states: “And he shall cry out against you to God and you will be deemed as sinning.” The Holy One, blessed be He, is close to the outcry of the poor, as it is written: “You hear the outcry of the poor.” Therefore one must be careful with regard to their outcry, for a covenant has been established with them, as [Exodus 22:26] states: “When he will cry out to Me, I will listen, for I am compassionate.”
Rabbi David Bassous 