Kavod habriyot Project

כבוד הבריות חביב עד מאד אין לך מדה חביבה ממנה

Commentary of the Meiri, Talmud Brachot 19b

Human dignity is extremely precious -there is nothing more valuable than it.

Explanation: This source Commentary of the Meiri, Talmud Brachot 19b is from the Rishonim and the rulings of the Shulchan Aruch. The meiri was a someone who lived in the time of the rishonim and wrote a commentary on the gemara. This source is saying כבוד הבריות חביב עד מאד אין לך מדה חביבה ממנה - Human dignity is extremely precious -there is nothing more valuable than it. This means that we should be careful and sensitive when giving money to the poor and there is nothing more important than it.

Connection: This source relates to our project because we are selling T-shirts not knowing to where the money is going to and we did it this way to try our best not to embarrass anyone which shows human dignity.

(ח) פָּחוֹת מִזֶּה הַנּוֹתֵן צְדָקָה לָעֲנִיִּים וְלֹא יָדַע לְמִי נָתַן וְלֹא יָדַע הֶעָנִי מִמִּי לָקַח. שֶׁהֲרֵי זוֹ מִצְוָה לִשְׁמָהּ. כְּגוֹן לִשְׁכַּת חֲשָׁאִים שֶׁהָיְתָה בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ. שֶׁהָיוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים נוֹתְנִין בָּהּ בַּחֲשַׁאי וְהָעֲנִיִּים בְּנֵי טוֹבִים מִתְפַּרְנְסִין מִמֶּנָּה בַּחֲשַׁאי. וְקָרוֹב לָזֶה הַנּוֹתֵן לְתוֹךְ קֻפָּה שֶׁל צְדָקָה. וְלֹא יִתֵּן אָדָם לְתוֹךְ קֻפָּה שֶׁל צְדָקָה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַמְמֻנֶּה נֶאֱמָן וְחָכָם וְיוֹדֵעַ לְהַנְהִיג כַּשּׁוּרָה כְּרַבִּי חֲנַנְיָה בֶּן תְּרַדְיוֹן:

(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.

Explanation: This source 2.Mishneh Torah, Gifts to the Poor 10:8 is from The 8 levels of Tzedakah from Rambam's Mishneh Torah- Laws of Matanot leAniyim 10: 7-14. The Rambam was from the time of the Rishonim, he explained and went into more depth in these 8 levels of Tzedakah. This source is saying When you give someone charity without knowing to whom it's going to nor will the person know who it's coming from. This is showing human dignity because by the person not knowing who they are receiving it from they will not be embarrassed.

Connection: This source relates to our project because we are selling shirts to raise money for the organization of chai lifeline for children to go to disney we know what organization it's going to but we have no idea who the kids that are receiving it, same thing visa versa the kids don’t know who it's coming from.

Explanation: This source written by the Chafetz Chaim, Ahavat Chesed, introduction is from the commentaries on the Shulchan Aruch and the later commentators. The Chafetz Chaim wrote commentaries on the Shulchan Aruch which are all the jewish laws. This source is saying that the term gemilut Chasadim refers to any time of good volunteering for example, doing Chesed with possessions like lending out items or money or hosting a guest in your house.

Connection: This source relates to our project because we are doing this mitzvah of gemilut Chasadim which refers to any time of good volunteering, we are volunteering our time to help these kids who can’t always have fun like us to just have this experience.