שולחן ערוך, יורה דעה רנו:א
כל עיר שיש בה ישראל חייבין להעמיד מהן גבאי צדקה ידועים ונאמנים שיהו מחזירין על העם מערב שבת לערב שבת ולוקחין מכל אחד מהן מה שהוא ראוי ליתן ודבר הקצוב עליהן והן מחלקין המעות מערב שבת לע"ש ונותנין לכל עני ועני מזונות המספיקין לשבעת הימים והוא הנקרא קופה של צדקה.
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]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. What goal does the tzedakah fund accomplish that individual donors could not do themselves?
2. This text does not call for a collection of donations, but rather for a group to collect mandated amounts. What is the significance of this detail?
3. What can we learn about tzedakah giving from this text - on local, national and international levels?
Time Period: Medieval (Geonim through the 16th Century)