Meaning of Tzedakah

Tzedakah is something very meaningful. It doesn’t just mean giving it means helping, sharing and taking some of your time to help others in need. There are different levels of tzedakah as the Rambam has taught us. There are 8 different levels in order from the least praiseworthy to the most praiseworthy: #1: Giving reluctantly and with regret, #2: Giving graciously, but less than one should, #3: Giving what one should, but after only after being asked, #4: Giving before being asked, #5Giving without knowing the identity of the person you are giving to, although the person knows who you are, #6:Giving anonymously, #7: Giving without knowing the identity of the person or the person knowing who you are, #8: Helping the person become supporting through a gift or a loan, or by finding the person a job.

A question that has been asked often, is if kids can perform tzedakah? My opinion is yes. Kids do not have to do something huge but one little thing can make a difference. Let’s say that every kid in our school would give around 1 dollar every Friday to the tzedakah box. After only 1 month there will be over two thousand dollars raised! You don’t have to give money in order to perform tzedakah, as long as you give something or offer your abilities. It is a mitzvah just to even take the time and think about it. I also think kids can take action. The earlier the better. Kids can get involved with fundraisers, walkathons or just helping out someone in need. It can be anything from helping a senior across the street to visiting a friend or family member in the hospital, or to helping raise money to build a school in Africa.




Some people think that charity and tzedakah is the same thing but actually charity and tzedakah are totally different. Yes, they do have some similarities but overall they are very different. Charity is voluntary and tzedakah is mandatory (for Jews if you can) no matter how horrible you feel. If you’re feeling really angry you won’t give charity but with tzedakah it doesn’t matter how angry you feel. Some people have made a lot of money so they just write a 100 dollar cheque to some fund. Tzedakah is more than just an action of writing a cheque. Tzedakah requires you to want to give and to understand the meaning of your giving. Tzedakah can also mean taking action and helping someone.

There are many ways tzedakah can be given. It can be in a simple way or a more complex way. You can donate money. You can give anonymously, give some of your profit to several funds, volunteer in soup kitchens and different programs that help people with special needs. Always give tzedakah from the heart and don’t just do it because someone told you to. You really have to understand what you’re giving and why you’re giving it. You should give enough money to a person so he can get somewhere but not to much that he becomes dependant and lazy.

Does tzedakah have to do with Judaism? I personally think yes because first of all tzedakah is a Jewish word. Even though tzedakah is mandatory for Jews, I definitely think other religions can perform tzedakah too. It doesn’t matter who you are, tzedakah was meant for anyone to do for everyone.