Election Issues I: Taxes

It was taught: A scholar should not reside in a city where the following ten things are not found: A court of justice that imposes flagellation and decrees penalties; a charity fund collected by two and distributed by three [to ensure honesty in collection and distribution]; a Synagogue; public baths; toilet facilities; a circumciser; a surgeon, a notary; a slaughterer and a school-master. [Soncino translation]

In every city in which there are Jews, they are obligated to appoint of themselves tzedakah collectors who are known to the community and trustworthy. These collectors would return to the community each week and collect from every person the amount that is fitting for that person to give. They then distribute the monies each week and give each and every poor person food that will last them for seven days. This is called the tzedakah fund. [AJWS translation]

If a poor person comes and asks according to his or her need and the giver cannot afford to give, the giver should give according to his ability. And how much is that? The greatest way to fulfill this commandment is to give up to one fifth of your wealth. The average way to fulfill this commandment is to give 10% of your wealth. Less than this is considered an evil eye. One should never give less than 1/3 of a shekel in a year, and anyone who gives less than this has not fulfilled the commandment. Even a poor person who is supported by tzedakah is obligated to give tzedakah to another. [AJWS translation]

Our rabbis, the authors of the Shulchan Aruch ,wrote about one who gives money to the tzedakah collector, that neither that person nor their descendants has any power over (the destiny of that money), and the community will do with (the money) what is right in the eyes of God and humanity. However, if the person designated money as tzedakah before it reached the collectors (and passed away), we give the money to the giver’s poor relatives because we assume the giver’s intention was to do so when the money was designated. But this is only when the giver has poor relatives; if all the relatives are wealthy at the time of the designation and subsequently become poor, we do not give (from the money) to them. And this is all if the designation was made only in front of the allocator of the tzedakah. But if the designation was made in front of the allocator and the people of the town, the people of the town shall do with the money as they desire. [Translation by AJWS]