Who Do We Help First?

(7) If there be among you a needy man, one of your brethren, within any of your gates, in your land which the LORD your God gives you, you shalt not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your needy brother; (8) but you shall surely open your hand unto him, and surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wants. (9) Beware that there be not a low thought in your heart, saying: ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand’; and your eye be evil against your needy brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry unto the LORD against you, and it will be a sin in you. (10) You shall surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him; because that for this thing the LORD your G-d will bless you in all your work, and in all that you put your hand towards. (11) For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, saying: ‘You shall surely open your hand unto your poor and needy brother, in your land.’

1. It is a positive commandment to give Tzedaka to poor people according to what is appropriate for the recipient if the donor can afford it as it says "You shall surely open your hand to him" and it says "And you shall strengthen the stranger and he shall live among you." And it says "and your brother shall live among you."

(5. When a poor person comes and asks for his needs to be met and the giver does not have the financial capacity, he should give him according to his financial capacity. How much? The most desirable way of performing the mitzvah is to give one fifth of one's financial resources. Giving one tenth is an ordinary measure. Giving less [than that] parsimony. A person should refrain from giving less than a third of a shekel a year. A person who gives less than this has not fulfilled the mitzvah. Even a poor person who derives his livelihood from charity is obligated to give charity to another person.

A poor person who is one's relative receives priority over all others. The poor of one's household receive priority over the poor of one's city. And the poor of one's city receive priority over the poor of another city, as [implied by Deuteronomy 15:11]: "[You shall surely open your hand to] your brother the poor, and the destitute in your land.

(7) We provide sustenance and clothing for the poor of the gentiles together with the poor of the Jewish people as an expression of the ways of peace. If a poor person begs from door to door, we do not give him a large gift, but we do give him a small gift. And it is prohibited to turn the poor person away empty handed. Even if you give him a single date, as it says, "do not turn the downtrodden away humiliated."