Moishe Houws Beit Midrash Money & the Ethics of Giving 11.6.17

(5) When you see the ass of your enemy lying under its burden and would refrain from raising it, you must nevertheless raise it with him.

(1) Every seventh year you shall practice remission of debts. (2) This shall be the nature of the remission: every creditor shall remit the due that he claims from his fellow; he shall not dun his fellow or kinsman, for the remission proclaimed is of the LORD. (3) You may dun the foreigner; but you must remit whatever is due you from your kinsmen. (4) There shall be no needy among you—since the LORD your God will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as a hereditary portion— (5) if only you heed the LORD your God and take care to keep all this Instruction that I enjoin upon you this day. (6) For the LORD your God will bless you as He has promised you: you will extend loans to many nations, but require none yourself; you will dominate many nations, but they will not dominate you. (7) If, however, there is a needy person among you, one of your kinsmen in any of your settlements in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsman. (8) Rather, you must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs. (9) Beware lest you harbor the base thought, “The seventh year, the year of remission, is approaching,” so that you are mean to your needy kinsman and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will incur guilt. (10) Give to him readily and have no regrets when you do so, for in return the LORD your God will bless you in all your efforts and in all your undertakings. (11) For there will never cease to be needy ones in your land, which is why I command you: open your hand to the poor and needy kinsman in your land. (12) If a fellow Hebrew, man or woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall set him free. (13) When you set him free, do not let him go empty-handed: (14) Furnish him out of the flock, threshing floor, and vat, with which the LORD your God has blessed you. (15) Bear in mind that you were slaves in the land of Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you; therefore I enjoin this commandment upon you today. (16) But should he say to you, “I do not want to leave you”—for he loves you and your household and is happy with you— (17) you shall take an awl and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall become your slave in perpetuity. Do the same with your female slave. (18) When you do set him free, do not feel aggrieved; for in the six years he has given you double the service of a hired man. Moreover, the LORD your God will bless you in all you do. (19) You shall consecrate to the LORD your God all male firstlings that are born in your herd and in your flock: you must not work your firstling ox or shear your firstling sheep. (20) You and your household shall eat it annually before the LORD your God in the place that the LORD will choose. (21) But if it has a defect, lameness or blindness, any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to the LORD your God. (22) Eat it in your settlements, the unclean among you no less than the clean, just like the gazelle and the deer.

and I forced them to feed him, for which he is grateful. The Gemara interprets this incident in light of the issue at hand: Granted, if you say that this was not according to the halakha, i.e., the man’s sons had the right to refrain from sustaining him, due to that reason Rabbi Yonatan had to force them to feed their father; but if you say this is the halakha, i.e., the man’s sons were required to sustain him, why did he need to force them to provide the sustenance of their own accord? The court could have simply requisitioned the necessary amount from the property. This shows that the halakha is not in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Ile’a. § Apropos the ordinances instituted by the Sages in Usha, the Gemara cites another one. Rabbi Ile’a said: In Usha the Sages instituted that one who dispenses his money to charity should not dispense more than one-fifth. That opinion is also taught in a baraita: One who scatters should not scatter more than one-fifth, lest he render himself destitute and need the help of other people. And an incident occurred involving a certain individual who sought to dispense more than one-fifth of his property as charity, and his friend did not let him act upon his wishes. And who was this friend? Rabbi Yeshevav. And some say that Rabbi Yeshevav was the one who wanted to give too much charity, and his friend did not let him do so, and who was the friend? Rabbi Akiva. Rav Naḥman said, and some say it was Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov who said: What is the verse that alludes to this maximum amount of charity? “And of all that You shall give me, I will surely give a tenth of it [aser a’asrenu] to You” (Genesis 28:22). The double use of the verb that means to donate one-tenth indicates that Jacob, who issued this statement, was actually referring to two-tenths, i.e., one-fifth. The Gemara asks: But the latter tenth is not similar to the first tenth, as it would be one-tenth of what remained after the first tenth had been removed. Consequently, the two-tenths would not equal one-fifth of the original total. The Gemara answers that Rav Ashi said: Since the verse could have said: I will surely give one-tenth [aser a’aser], and instead stated: “I will surely give a tenth of it [aser a’asrenu],” it thereby alludes to the fact that the latter tenth is like the first one.

(1) We must be especially careful to observe the mitzvah of tzedakah, more so than any other positive mitzvah, for tzedakah is a sign of the righteous [tzadik] lineage of Abraham, our father, as it is said, (Genesis 18:19) For I have singled him out, that he may instruct his children and his posterity [to keep the way of the LORD] by doing what is just [tzedakah].¹⁷⁵See Babylonian Talmud Yevamot 79a. The throne of Israel is established and the religion of truth stands only on tzedakah, as it is said, (Isaiah 54:14) You shall be established through righteousness [tzedek]. And Israel will only be redeemed through tzedakah, as it is said, (Isaiah 1:27) Zion shall be saved in the judgment; her repentant ones, in the retribution [tzedakah].¹⁷⁶See Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 139a.

(2) Never has anyone become poor by giving to tzedakah, nor has anything bad ever come of it, nor has any harm occurred because of tzedakah, as it is said, (Isaiah 32:17) The work of righteousness [tzedakah] is peace. Anyone who shows compassion, others will show compassion to him, as it is said, (Deut. 13:18) [May God] show you compassion, and let your compassion increase.¹⁷⁷This is a play on the text. The original reads, "and in His compassion increase you," that is, God will multiply your descendants. Here, the compassion itself increases. And if someone is cruel and without compassion, then his lineage is suspect, for cruelty is only found among the idolatrous nations, as it is said, (Jer. 50:42) They are cruel, they show no mercy.¹⁷⁸See Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 151b. All Israel and all who are associated with them are like brothers, as it is said, (Deut. 14:1) You are children of the LORD your God.¹⁷⁹See Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 10a and the Introduction. And if a brother does not show compassion for another brother, then who will have compassion for him? And to whom can the poor of Israel look? To the idolatrous nations that hate them and pursue them? They can only look to rely upon their brothers.

(3) Anyone who averts his eyes from [the need of] tzedakah is called Belial ["Wickedness"], just as the idolaters worship Belial, and of the idolaters Scripture says, (Deut. 13:14) That some scoundrels [children of Belial] from among you have gone [and subverted the inhabitants of their town] by averting their eyes from [the need of] tzedakah. It says, (Deut. 15:9) Beware lest you harbor a base [belial] thought.¹⁸⁰See Babylonian Talmud Ketubot 68a. And such a person is called, "wicked," as it is said, (Prov. 12:10) The compassion of the wicked is cruelty. Such a person is called, "a sinner," as it is said, (Deut. 15:9) He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will incur a sin.¹⁸¹See Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 10a. The translation reads, "guilt," but the connection here is through "sin." The Holy One, Blessed Be He, is close to the cries of the poor, as it is said, (Job 34:28) He listens to the cry of the needy.¹⁸²Maimonides does not quote this exactly. Therefore, one needs to be especially sensitive to their cries, for they [the poor] have a covenant established [between them and God], as it is said, (Exodus 22:26) Therefore, if he cries out to Me, I will pay heed, for I am compassionate.

(4) Anyone who gives tzedakah to a poor person with a scowl and causes him to be embarrassed,¹⁸³Literally: causes his face to fall in shame. even if he gave him a thousand zuz, has destroyed and lost any merit thereby. Rather, one should give cheerfully, with happiness [to do so] and empathy for his plight, as it is said, (Job 30:25) Did I not weep for the unfortunate? Did I not grieve for the needy? And one should speak to him words of comfort and consolation, as it is said, (Job 29:13) [I received the blessing of the lost,] I gladdened the heart of the widow.

(5) If a poor person asks of you [to give him something], and you do not have anything in your possession to give to him, comfort him with words.¹⁸⁴See Leviticus Rabbah 34:15 as well as Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 9b. It is forbidden to speak harshly to a poor person or to raise your voice in a shout, for his heart is broken and crushed. Thus it says in Scripture, (Psalms 51:19) God, You will not despise a contrite and crushed heart. And it says, (Isaiah 57:15) Reviving the spirits of the lowly, reviving the hearts of the contrite. And woe to anyone who shames a poor person! Woe to him! Rather, let him be like a father to him, in compassion and in words, as it is said, (Job 29:15) I was a father to the needy.

(6) One who coerces others to give tzedakah is considered to have performed even a greater deed then the person who actually gives, as it is said, (Isaiah 32:17) For the work of the righteousness [tzedakah] shall be peace, [and the effect of righteousness [tzedakah], calm and confidence forever.]¹⁸⁵See Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 9a. The first half of the verse refers to the one who gives. The second part of the verse refers to one who coerces others and whose reward is more lasting. Of collectors of tzedakah and similar people it is written, (Daniel 12:3) Those who lead the many to righteousness [matzdiké harabim] will be like the stars [forever and ever].

(7) There are eight levels of tzedakah, each one greater than the other. The greatest level, higher than all the rest, is to fortify a fellow Jew and give him a gift, a loan, form with him a partnership, or find work for him, until he is strong enough so that he does not need to ask others [for sustenance]. Of this it is said, (Lev. 25:35) [If your kinsman, being in straits, comes under your authority,] and you hold him as though a resident alien, let him live by your side. That is as if to say, "Hold him up," so that he will not fall and be in need.¹⁸⁶See Babylonian Talmud Shabbat 63a.

(8) One level lower than this is one who gives tzedakah to the poor and does not know to whom he gives, and the poor person does not know from whom he receives.¹⁸⁷Maimonides holds the anonymity of both giver and receiver of great importance, but he does not require anonymity at the highest level of giving. This is perhaps because the highest level of giving addresses the source of poverty whereas giving something to a beggar only alleviates a person's temporary need. Preventing poverty is therefore of such importance that anonymity becomes secondary in that instance. This is purely a mitzvah for its own sake, such as the Chamber of Secrets in the Holy Temple, for there the righteous would give in secret [and leave], and the poor, of good background, would sustain themselves from it in secret. Very close to this is one who gives to the kupah of tzedakah, but one should not contribute to the kupah of tzedakah unless one is certain that the one who counts it is trustworthy and wise and behaves competently, as was Rabbi Chanania ben Teradion.¹⁸⁸See Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 10b and Avodah Zarah 17b. Rabbi Chanania ben Teradion had a reputation for competence and honesty, so he dealt with the collection and distribution of charity funds. He was later tortured and executed by the Romans.

(9) One level lower is one who gives tzedakah and the giver knows to whom he gives but the poor person does not know from whom he takes. Such did the great sages who would go in secret and throw money onto the doorways of the poor.¹⁸⁹See Babylonian Talmud Ketubot 67b. A method such as this one is a good way when the keepers of tzedakah do not behave competently.

(10) One level lower is when the poor person knows from whom he takes but the giver does not know to whom he gives. Such was the way of the sages who would tie coins to their garments and would throw the bundle over their shoulder so the poor could come up [behind them] and take [them] without being embarrassed.¹⁹⁰See Babylonian Talmud Ketubot 67b.

(11) One level lower is to give to him with one's own hand before he can ask.¹⁹¹It can be assumed that from this point on the situation is one of face to face encounter, handing something to another.

(12) One level lower is to give to him after he has asked.

(13) One level lower is to give him less than one should but with kindness.

(14) One level lower is to give to him begrudgingly.

(15) The greatest among the sages used to give a perutah to the poor before every prayer service and only afterwards would they pray, as it is said, (Psalms 17:15) Then I, justified [betzedek], will behold Your face.¹⁹²See Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 10a.

(16) One should give sustenance to one's sons and daughters who have come of age and to whom one is no longer required to give such support so that they may study the testimonies of Torah and to guide one's daughters on an upright path and not become shameful.¹⁹³See Babylonian Talmud Ketubot 50a. So also one should give sustenance to one's father and mother, for this is essential tzedakah. It is an important principle of tzedakah that a relative takes precedence [over another].¹⁹⁴See Babylonian Talmud Bava Metzia 71a. All who give food and drink to the poor and the orphans from his own table can call to God and he will be answered with joy, as it is said, (Isaiah 58:9) Then, when you call, the LORD will answer.

(17) The sages commanded that the poor and orphans should be members of one's household instead of servants. It is better to use their services [by employing them] and that the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob benefit from one's property and not the descendants of Ham, for one who increases the number of servants each and every day adds to the sin and iniquity of the world. But if the poor are made members of one's household, each and every hour one adds merit and mitzvot.¹⁹⁵See Pirké Avot 1:5, 2:7.

(18) One should always strain oneself and endure hardship and not come to depend on others rather than cast oneself onto the community. Thus the sages commanded, "Make your Sabbaths into weekdays rather than come to depend on others."¹⁹⁶See Babylonian Talmud Pesachim 112a. Even if one is wise and revered and becomes poor, he should engage in some kind of craft, even a menial one, rather than come to depend on others. Better to stretch leather from carrion than to say, "I am a great sage," [or] "I am a priest: Feed me." Thus have the sages commanded. Great sages were splitters of wood, raisers of beams, drawers of water for gardens, ironworkers, and blacksmiths rather than ask [for their living] from the community or accept anything when they gave to them.

(19) Anyone who does not need [tzedakah] but deceives people and takes will not reach death in old age without having come to depend upon others [in reality].¹⁹⁷See Mishnah Péah 8:9 and Babylonian Talmud Ketubot 68a. For such a one fits the type: (Jer. 17:5) Cursed is he who trusts in man [and does not heed divine providence]. And anyone who needs to take [tzedakah] and cannot live without it unless he takes, such as an elderly person, a sick person, or one who has many afflictions, but whose mind is full of pride and will not take is like one who sheds blood, is guilty of his own death, and gets nothing for his hardship except sins and guilt. But anyone who needs to take and endures hardship, presses himself, and lives a life of hardship so as not to burden the community will not reach death in old age without being able to sustain others from his wealth. Of him and those like him it is written, (Jer. 17:7) Blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.
Thus ends, with the help of God, the laws on gifts for the poor.

(22) You shall set aside every year a tenth part of all the yield of your sowing that is brought from the field. (28) Every third year you shall bring out the full tithe of your yield of that year, but leave it within your settlements. (29) Then the Levite, who has no hereditary portion as you have, and the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow in your settlements shall come and eat their fill, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the enterprises you undertake.

(15) Everything is foreseen, and freewill is given, and with goodness the world is judged. And all is in accordance to the majority of the deed.

(1) A [pledge to] tzedakah is a form of a vow, and therefore one who says, "I pledge to give a selah for tzedakah," or "This selah is for tzedakah" is obligated to give it to the poor immediately,¹⁴⁴See Babylonian Talmud Rosh Hashanah 6a. and if he delays, then he has transgressed the commandment not to delay [fulfilling a vow] (Deut. 23:22). Thus, if poor people can be found there [when he makes the vow], he should give it [to them] immediately. If there are no poor people there, he should set it aside and leave it until he happens upon some poor people. But if he stipulates that he will not give [the coin] until he encounters a poor person, then he need not set it aside. So also if he makes the condition at the time he took the vow for tzedakah or to donate something that the collectors are permitted to exchange it or to change it with a goldsmith, then they are permitted to do so.

(2) One who connects pledges of tzedakah is as obligated with one vow as with another. How so? [This applies] if he said, "This selah is like that selah, then that one is for tzedakah." If he sets aside a selah and said, "This is for tzedakah," and then he took out a second selah and said, "And this second one is for tzedakah" even though he did not set it aside from the start.¹⁴⁵See Babylonian Talmud Nedarim 7a.

(3) One who took a vow for tzedakah without knowing how much he vowed should give until he says, "This is not what I intended."¹⁴⁶See Mishnah Menachot 13:4.

(4) If one says, "This selah is for tzedakah," or one who says, "I owe a selah for tzedakah," and sets one aside, if he wants to, he may exchange it [that particular coin] for another, but if it has reached the hand of the collector, it is forbidden to exchange it. If the collectors want to combine the small coins for dinarin [which are of larger value], they are only permitted to do so if there are no poor people around to whom they need to distribute it. They may combine the coins [for coins of larger value] for the sake of others, but not for themselves.¹⁴⁷See Babylonian Talmud Arachin 6a.

(5) If the poor would benefit from keeping the coins in the possession of the collector so that they would thereby make others give [because they would see money in the box and feel compelled to give as others have done], then that collector is permitted to borrow the coins of the poor and make payments [with them], for tzedakah is not like sanctified property from which it is forbidden to derive any benefit.¹⁴⁸See Babylonian Talmud Arakhin 6b.

(6) If someone who donates a menorah or a lamp to a synagogue, it is forbidden to exchange it, but if it is for the sake of a mitzvah, it is permitted to exchange it even though the name of the donor has not become lost and people can say, "That menorah" or "That light is from so-and-so." And if the name of the donor became lost [with all the other goods and donations], then it is even possible to exchange it for a secular matter [as opposed to a mitzvah].¹⁴⁹See Babylonian Talmud Arakhin 6b.

(7) To what does this refer? To a situation when a Jew makes the donation, but if a Gentile makes a donation, it is forbidden to exchange it, even for the sake of a mitzvah, until the donor's identity has become lost, lest the Gentile say, "I consecrated something to the synagogue of the Jews, and they sold it for themselves."¹⁵⁰See Babylonian Talmud Arakhin 6b.

(8) If a Gentile donated something to the Temple fund [for the Temple in Jerusalem], they may not accept [it] before the fact, but if they already took it from him, they may not return it to him. If it is something affixed, such as a beam or a stone, they do return it to him so that something permanent will not be in the Holy Temple, as it is said, (Ezra 4:3) It is not for you and us [to build a House to our God, but we alone will build it]. But in the case of a synagogue, they may accept it right from the start, so long as he says, "I dedicated something with the [same] intention of a Jew," and if he did not say so, it may be preserved in storage in that his intention may be for the sake of heaven. They may not accept anything [from Gentiles] for the walls of Jerusalem or for the water channel there, as it is said, (Nehemiah 2:20) But you have no share or claim or stake in Jerusalem!¹⁵¹See Babylonian Talmud Arakhin 6a.

(9) It is forbidden for a Jew to take tzedakah from a Gentile in public, but if he is not able to live on the tzedakah of Israel and cannot take tzedakah from the Gentiles in private, then he may do so in public. If a king or a noble of the Gentiles sends money to a Jewish community for tzedakah, they may not send it back for the sake of the peace of the kingdom, but rather they take it and give it to the poor of the Gentiles in secret so that the king will not hear.¹⁵²See Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 26b. However, it only states that those who accept charity from Gentiles in public when there is an alternative are ineligible to be witnesses.

(10) The redemption of captives held for ransom takes precedence over sustaining the poor and clothing them. You do not find a mitzvah greater than the redemption of captives, for captivity is in the same category as famine, drought, or exposure, and one stands in danger to one's life. One who averts his eyes from redeeming [the captive] transgresses [the commandment], (Deut. 15:7) Do not harden your heart and shut your hand, and (Lev. 19:16) Do not stand upon the blood of your neighbor, and (Lev. 25:53) He shall not rule ruthlessly over him in your sight, and nullifies the commandment (Deut. 15:8) You must open your hand, and the commandment, (Lev. 25:36) Let him live by your side as your kinsman, and (Lev. 19:18) Love your fellow as yourself, and (Proverbs 24:11) If you refrained from rescuing those taken off to death, [those condemned to slaughter--if you say, "We knew nothing of it," surely He who fathoms hearts will discern], and many such sayings. You cannot find a greater mitzvah than the redemption of captives.¹⁵³See Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 8a-b on the importance of redeeming captives and Chullin 7a where Rabbi Phineas ben Yair travels to redeem captives and, on the way, a river parts for him, enabling him to pass through on dry land to fulfill his duty.

(11) If people of a city have collected money for the building of a synagogue, and a matter of a mitzvah comes before them, they should use the money [for the mitzvah]. But if they already purchased stones and beams, they should only sell them in the case of redeeming captives. Even if they have brought the stones and made walls of them, beams and laid them out, they sell it all for the sake of redeeming captives and that alone, but if they have built and completed [the synagogue], they do not sell the synagogue. Rather, they collect for their [the captives'] redemption from the public.¹⁵⁴On the public collection of charity, see Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 8b.

(12) They may not redeem the captives for more than their worth for the sake of civilization, so that the enemies will not pursue after them to enslave them [once they find out they are will to pay anything]. And they do not try to make the captives escape for the sake of civilization, so that the enemies will not increase the weight of their yoke and add more guards.¹⁵⁵See Mishnah Gittin 4:6. The translation "for the sake of civilization" is used to try to capture the nuance that there is a duty to make the world a less chaotic and dangerous place.

(13) He who sells himself and his children to Gentiles or who takes a loan from them and becomes enslaved to them or is imprisoned because of the loan, the first and second time it is a mitzvah to redeem them. The third time they do not redeem him, but they redeem the children after the death of their father. But if they want to kill him, then they redeem him from their power, even if this is several times [that this has happened].¹⁵⁶See Babylonian Talmud Gittin 46b-47a.

(14) In the case of a slave who was taken captive, if he immersed himself for the sake of servitude and he accepted upon himself the duty of the mitzvot, they redeem him as if he were a Jew who had been taken captive. But if the prisoner rebels and joins the idolaters, even if it is by [transgressing] one mitzvah, such as the prohibition against eating carrion, in order to infuriate [the Jewish community], etc., it is forbidden to redeem him.¹⁵⁷See Babylonian Talmud Gittin 37b and 47a.

(15) A woman takes precedence over a man for feeding, clothing, and bringing out of prison, because it is more usual for men to go door to door [to beg] and not for a woman who feels great shame in this. But if both of them [a man and a woman] were in captivity and were in danger of being violated sexually, the man takes precedence for redemption, because this is not the way of things.¹⁵⁸See Mishnah Horayot 3:7, Babylonian Talmud Ketubot 67a.

(16) In the case of a male orphan and a female orphan who come [to the authorities of the community] to get married [but not to each other], the female [orphan] takes precedence over the man, because she feels great shame in this.¹⁵⁹See Babylonian Talmud Ketubot 67a-b. And they may not give her less than the worth of six and a quarter dinar of pure silver, and if they have more in the bank of tzedakah, they give to her according to her honor.¹⁶⁰See Mishnah Ketubot 6:5.

(17) If we have before us many poor people or many captives, and there is not enough in the fund to sustain them, or to clothe them, or to redeem them all, a priest takes precedence over a Levite, a Levite over a [regular] Jew, a Jew over a chalel [an illegitimate child of a priest], a chalel over a shetuki [an illegitimate child with an unknown father], a shetuki over a asufi [a foundling], an asufi over a mamzer [a child who was conceived in a union forbidden by the Torah], a mamzer over a natin [a descendent of the Gibeonites], and a natin over a stranger, so long as the natin was praised with us in holiness, and a convert takes precedence over a freed slave, for he [the slave] was once one of the cursed.¹⁶¹See Mishnah Horayot 3:8.

(18) To what does this refer? When both who are imprisoned are equal in wisdom. But if there was a High Priest who was an ignoramus and a mamzer who was a wise disciple, the wise disciple takes precedence. Anyone who is great in wisdom takes precedence over another. But if one of them [the captives] was one's rabbi or father, even if there is someone who is greater in wisdom, one's rabbi or father [takes precedence]. Even if there is someone there [among the captives] who is greater in wisdom than his rabbi or his father, so long as he [his father or rabbi] is a wise disciple, he [the father or the rabbi] takes precedence over the one who is greater than them in wisdom.¹⁶²See Mishnah Horayot 3:8 and Babylonian Talmud Horayot 13a.

(1) Ben Zoma says: Who is the wise one? He who learns from all men, as it says, "I have acquired understanding from all my teachers" (Psalms 119:99). Who is the mighty one? He who conquers his impulse, as it says, "slowness to anger is better than a mighty person and the ruler of his spirit than the conqueror of a city." (Proverbs 16:32). Who is the rich one? He who is happy with his lot, as it says, "When you eat [from] the work of your hands, you will be happy, and it will be well with you" (Psalms 128:2). "You will be happy" in this world, and "it will be well with you" in the world to come. Who is honored? He who honors the created beings, as it says, "For those who honor Me, I will honor; and those who despise Me will be held in little esteem" (I Samuel 2:30).

(1) It is a positive mitzvah to give tzedakah to the poor according to what is fitting for the poor person if he has the means to do so, as it is said, (Deut. 15:8) Rather, you must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs. And it is said, (Lev. 25:35) [If your kinsman, being in straits, comes under your authority,] and you hold him as though a resident alien, [let him live by your side:] And it is said (Lev. 25:36), [Do not exact from him advance or accrued interest, but fear your God.] Let him live by your side as your kinsman.¹³⁰See Babylonian Talmud Ketubot 67b-68a.

(2) Anyone who sees a poor person begging and averts his eyes from him and does not give him tzedakah transgresses a negative mitzvah, as it is said, (Deut. 15:7) [If, however, there is a needy person among you, one of your kinsmen in any of your settlements in the land that the LORD your God is giving you,] do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsman.

(3) One is commanded to give to a poor person according to what he lacks. If he has no clothes, they clothe him. If he has no utensils for a house, they buy [them] for him. If he does not have a wife, they arrange a marriage for him. If [the poor person] is a woman, they arrange a husband for marriage for her. Even if it was the custom of [a person who was rich but is now] a poor person to ride on a horse with a servant running in front of him, and this is a person who fell from his station, they buy him a horse to ride upon and a servant to run in front of him, as it is said, (Deut. 15:8) Sufficient for whatever he needs. You are commanded to fill whatever he lacks, but you are not commanded to make him wealthy.¹³¹See Babylonian Talmud Ketubot 67b.