Giving to Everyone on Purim

Hi,

Is there a requirement to give tzedakah to all who request it on Purim?

Normally, one is required to investigate a tzedakah recipient or fund before giving a gift that would reduce his tzedakah for others, lest he cheat authentically needy people. [There is an exception where the need is dire and immediate, as in a request for food.]

However, on Purim we are instructed to increase people's joy and to give gifts of money and portions of food. Therefore, the majority view of halachic authorities is that one should give to anyone who asks. [There is a minority view which contends that this rule applies specifically for official distributors of communal tzedakah funds.]

(Bava Metzia 78b; Bava Batra 9a; Yerushalmi Megilah 1:4; Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Megilah 2:16 and see Tzofnas Paneiach ibid.; Ramban to Bava Metzia 78b; Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 694:3; Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 249:7, 257:1; Rivivos Ephraim 6:386)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Donor Intent for Tzedakah

Hi,

It is assumed that non-earmarked donations to a general tzedakah fund are meant to be used locally. However, if it is known that the fund's donors generally give to non-local recipients as well, and the donor did not specify otherwise, then the donation may be used for non-local recipients in accordance with the fund's standard practice.

(Tzedakah uMishpat 3:20)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tzedakah: Ladies First

Hi,

Women precede men among tzedakah recipients, to avoid creating a need for them to solicit tzedakah door-to-door.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 251:8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tzedakah for those who rely on it in Israel

Hi,

When setting priorities for tzedakah, one should give precedence to the needy of Israel before the needy of other places. However, halachic authorities contend that one who is able to support himself outside of Israel, and then moves to Israel knowing that he will need to rely on tzedakah there, does not have precedence over others.

(Tzedakah uMishpat 3:14 and footnote 38)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Neighbours first

Hi,

As is commonly known, the needy of one's city precede the needy of other communities, in terms of priority for use of one's tzedakah money. Even within one's city, though, one's neighbours precede the rest of the community.

(Tzedakah uMishpat 3, footnote 34)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Supporting one's adult children

Hi,

Money given to support one's children, who have already passed the standard age of independence, is considered tzedakah.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 251:3, and see Tzedakah uMishpat 3:9 and the footnotes there)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Supporting one's parents

Hi,

Money spent in support of one's parents qualifies as tzedakah, assuming the parents lack the means to support themselves.

(Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 251:3, and see Tzedakah uMishpat 3:8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Family first

Hi,

One's first philanthropic obligation is to one's own family. Therefore, communal funds should not be used to support needy people if they have relatives who are able to aid them.

(Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat 257:8)

[I can't think that this rule would apply where the wealthy relatives refused to assist - but the Shulchan Aruch does not discuss that case.]

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Switching beneficiaries

Hi,

One who regularly supports a particular needy person should not switch his support to someone else, unless there is a compelling obligation to support the second party, such as where he is a relative or where he stands out for his righteousness.

(Tzedakah uMishpat 3:6 and footnotes 17-18)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Putting all of one's tzedakah eggs in one basket

Hi,

One should not give all of his tzedakah to a single needy person, unless doing so would enable him to provide all of this person's needs, to the standard of living to which he is accustomed.

(Tzedakah uMishpat 3:5, and footnote 16)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Micro-lending

Hi,

It's better to issue multiple small loans than one big loan. However, this may not be true where the big loan would meet an individual's total needs, and the small loans would not meed any recipient's total needs.

(Rambam to Pirkei Avot 3:15; Pitchei Choshen, Halvaah 1:8 and footnote 23)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Umbrella tzedakah organizations

Hi,

It is good to create umbrella tzedakah organizations, staffed by people who will honour the expectations of halachah in their work. Classically, Jewish communities did this with a kupah shel tzedakah. However, this is meant to aid the needy, not to hinder them, and therefore a community may not prevent needy people and institutions from engaging in their own collections, visiting the individual members of the community for aid.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah 1:149)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Clothing collected for tzedakah

Hi,

If one collects clothing for particular needy people, but then circumstances prevent delivery, then he may give that clothing to other needy people, pledging to collect more should the opportunity arise to help the originally intended recipients.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Yoreh Deah 1:148)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Honoring parents... with whose money?

Hi,

Although we have said that one must honor his parents by providing food, clothing and similar items, the child is not obligated to spend his own money in honoring his parents; this is a physical mitzvah rather than a financial mitzvah.

However, if the parent is needy then the parent has top priority as a recipient for the child's tzedakah.

(Code of Jewish Law Yoreh Deah 240:5)

Chag Purim Sameach,
Mordechai

Matanot laEvyonim: No Background Checks on Purim

Hi,

We have been learning about Purim.

Regarding the Mitzvah of giving to the needy on Purim: One should not examine people who come requesting money on Purim; one should give without any background check.

[This is most unusual; giving tzedakah usually requires that we ascertain the neediness of the recipient. However, this is not like the usual mitzvah of tzedakah.]

(Code of Jewish Law Orach Chaim 694:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai